An investigation by the Dutch national museum revealed that a piece of “moon rock” given by the U.S. ambassador to a former Dutch prime minister in 1969, was nothing more than petrified wood.
The gift was acquired by the Rijksmuseum after the death of former Prime Minister Willem Drees, who received it as a private gift from then U.S. ambassador J. William Middendorf during a tour by the Apollo 11 astronauts.
The wording of the plaque makes no mention of the origin of the rock:
With the compliments of the Ambassador of the United States of America … to commemorate the visit to The Netherlands of the Apollo-11 astronauts.
Geologist Frank Beunk appraised the stone and described it as essentially worthless, with a value of about $70, significantly less than the value that it had been insured for, which was at one point $500,000.
Rijksmuseum spokeswoman Xandra van Gelder takes a philosophical approach to the situation:
It’s a good story, with some questions that are still unanswered. We can laugh about it.
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[AP]
