Amber

🔍How to identify Amber

1. Very light for its size
2. Warm to the touch
3. Soft: easily scratched with a knife
4. Rubbing it can pick up small paper bits (static)

👯Often confused with

• Copalyoung resin, very similar
• Plastic and glass imitations
• Pressed amber

🧪Real or fake?

• Real amber floats in a strong salt-water solution; some plastics and copal float too
• Fake inclusions are common: look for bubbles or odd positions
• Do not use hot needles or solvents on a piece you want to keep

💰Is Amber valuable?

Varies; museum-grade pieces with rare inclusions can be very valuable.

Typical retail prices

Baltic amber with a clear insect inside costs far more.

Typical retail ranges in US dollars, compiled from public dealer and marketplace listings in October 2026. Real prices vary widely with quality, size and origin. This is general information, not an appraisal.

What changes the price

• Clear inclusions: a well-preserved insect or plant in clean amber can multiply the price; fakes are common
• Age and origin: genuine Baltic and Dominican amber, and rare blue Dominican, cost more than young copal
• Color and clarity: deep honey, cognac or rare green or blue is prized; cloudy or pressed amber is cheap
• Weight and form: price is often quoted per gram; large untreated pieces are scarce