Swedish Supreme Court Rules Meteorite Ownership to Discoverers
The Supreme Court grants ownership of a meteorite to its discoverers, ending a lengthy legal dispute.
- • The meteorite weighs 14 kg and was found in November 2020.
- • The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the geologists over the landowner.
- • The court clarified that meteorites are considered movable property.
- • The Natural History Museum hopes to display the meteorite due to its scientific significance.
Key details
In a landmark ruling on August 19, 2025, the Supreme Court of Sweden affirmed that geologists Andreas Forsberg and Anders Zetterqvist are the rightful owners of a 14 kg meteorite they discovered on November 7, 2020, near Enköping. This decision concludes a nearly five-year legal battle sparked by a claim from the landowner, Count Johan Benzelstierna von Engeström, who argued that the meteorite belonged to him as it landed on his property.