The Parable of the Peppercorn

It was not the drive to explore but the spice trade, principly in
black pepper, that extended the boundries of the known world in ancient
and medeval times. The shipping ports of Alexandria, Venice and Cairo
became great cities based on the wealth generated by the change in the
mode of transport, from caravan to sea. Mohamed's fortune and the
routes, astride from which Islam grew, were 'paved with spice'. The
voyages of Marco Polo, Columbus, Magellan and the search for the
northwest passage were funded by the desire for this culinary and
medicinal treasure. Yale university was built on the profit accrued by
Elihu Yale's stake in this first form of black gold.
At present, lunaites, meteorites originating from the breccia's of
the highlands or mare basalts of the moon, command a price of from $200
to over $60000 per gram, some five to 300 times the price of gold. At
the lower end, $50 could put a peppercorn sized moon rock in the palm
of your hand. What do you think the chances are that it will be the
trade in exterrestrial rarities, and not tourism, that will fuel the
commertial exploitation of space?

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