How Much Does Amber Cost? (With Detailed Value Charts)

This article will discuss the cost of amber, which types are the most valuable, and how to sell them.

The value of amber varies greatly depending on where it comes from, the clarity, how it is processed, and if there are inclusions or not. Typically, you can expect to spend $13-$15 for one gram of amber without inclusions.

Now, let’s dive more deeply into the details.

How Much Is Amber Worth? 

The value of amber largely depends on its color. Here’s what you can expect to pay per gram, depending on the color: 

Amber Color	Value per Gram (0.035 oz)
Gold	$10-$25
Red	$30
Green or Blue	$75

Amber is used for various reasons, including jewelry and for displaying fossils.

Raw amber is usually between $1 and $20 for a carat, but the substance is usually processed in some way before it is put on the market.

The table below presents some average values for amber in various situations:  

Type of Amber	Value
One gram (0.035 oz) bead	$13-$75
One carat	$2-$15
Jewelry (Entire Piece)	$300
Jewelry (Pendant)	$100-$200
Jewelry (Small pieces, such as earrings)	Under $100
Amber Fossil	$200-$800

Unless you are an expert, there’s no surefire way to look at a piece of amber, amber jewelry, or an amber fossil and immediately determine how much it is worth. However, the above table should give you a better idea of what to expect.

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How Much Is Amber Jewelry Worth? 

Because of its uniqueness and beauty, it isn’t unusual to see jewelry pieces made with amber. The cost of amber jewelry depends on where the amber came from, its color, the clarity, the size of the amber nugget, and if the amber has any inclusions inside. 

Reddish amber is typically more valuable than yellow amber, so a piece of jewelry with a darker color is more valuable than a golden color. Additionally, jewelry made with clear amber is more valuable than cloudy. 

A necklace made with genuine Baltic amber is usually priced at around $300 if the whole necklace is made of amber, usually around $100 to $200 for an amber pendant. 

For example, this Ross-Simons Oval Amber Necklace (available on Amazon) features a smaller piece of amber in pendant form instead of making the entire necklace from amber. I like this piece because it features a nice round, orange amber with high-quality silver. I also like that the clasp is extra sturdy and secure so that the piece won’t fall off one’s neck during wear.

Smaller pieces of amber jewelry, such as amber earrings, are usually under $100 because they don’t use as much of the material in their construction. 

I like these Peora Baltic Amber Pendant Earrings (available on Amazon) because they feature genuine Baltic amber from the Baltic sea in a rich cognac color. I also like that the hardware is solid sterling silver that is hypoallergenic, comfortable, and nickel-free. 

Related 6 Ways To Prevent Sterling Silver From Turning Black.

How to Care for Amber Jewelry

Here are some tips on how to care for amber jewelry:

• Limit your amber jewelry’s sunlight exposure. Amber is sensitive to direct sunlight, so you should try to remove any amber jewelry before you spend any time sunbathing, on the beach, or extensive time outdoors. You should also remove it on extremely humid days to prevent tarnishing. 
• Keep your amber jewelry in a different place than your other jewelry. Amber doesn’t hold up well when exposed to other metals and stones, so you should keep your amber away from your other jewelry. If you keep all your jewelry in one box or stand, I recommend purchasing a small velvet bag to keep your amber away from your other pieces. 
• Be careful while wearing your amber jewelry. Amber is relatively fragile, so try not to drop or scratch it while wearing it. 
• Remove your amber jewelry before doing housework or cleaning. Housework is an easy way to scratch your amber jewelry by accident, so it is best to remove your jewelry before doing your chores. Additionally, amber doesn’t do well when exposed to harsh chemicals and cleaning agents. 
• Don’t clean the jewelry with a machine or tumbler. Jewelry tumblers and machines are good ways to clean other jewelry, but amber is too delicate for these machines. Often, attempting to clean the jewelry with one of these results in cracking and other irreversible damage. 

Taking proper care of your amber jewelry is a good way to ensure that it lasts as long as possible and maintains its appearance.  

How Much Do Amber Fossils Cost? 

Amber is a fascinating substance for fossil lovers (and fans of Jurassic Park!) because the substance itself is fossilized tree resin, and it retains its chemical composition over time and can therefore preserve plant matter and other life, including:

• Bacteria
• Fungi 
• Snails 
• Insects 
• Spiders
• Worms
• Small vertebrates 

When the tree resin and sap undergo molecular polymerization, it hardens, which can capture a creature or plant nearby. Therefore, you can find pieces of amber with various things fossilized inside, such as a termite colony, roach, spider, and more. 

If you find one of these fossils, you will likely profit from it if you decide to sell it. The price depends on how much is trapped inside. For example, a piece of amber with multiple bugs is likely worth a few hundred dollars, whereas a piece with just one bug or a fossilized plant is likely worth less than a couple hundred dollars. 

To give you a better idea of how much amber fossils are worth, here is what Amber International, the largest selection of amber in the United States, charges for different amber fossils:  

Fossil	Price
Dominican Amber Fossil Termite Colony	$349
Dominican Amber Fossil Roach	$249
Dominican Amber with Grasshopper, Spider, and Dragonfly	$699
Dominican Amber with Spider	$249
Burmese Amber Snail and Fly	$554

However, they sell high-quality fossils where you can see the creature inside in great detail. If the amber fossil you have is of less quality, or if it doesn’t have anything too exciting or detailed fossilized inside, it isn’t as valuable. 

How Much Is Baltic Amber Worth? 

Baltic amber is worth between $2 and $15 per carat, depending on the size, color, clarity, and if there are inclusions or not. Baltic is usually more desirable than Dominican amber, even though it is more widely available now due to the liberalization of Eastern Europe.

Baltic amber is usually gold in color, which is the least valuable color for amber to be. The darker the piece, the more valuable it becomes. 

If you’d like some Baltic amber beads of your own, I recommend these Cici’s Story Baltic Amber Beads (available on Amazon.com) because they come from Lithuania in one of the hearts of amber origin. I also like that they come with 1 mm (0.04 in) holes drilled into them, making them easy to make into jewelry.  

Which Amber Is Most Valuable? 

The most valuable amber includes interesting and detailed inclusions, is of Baltic origin, is blue or green in color, and is clear enough to notice all of the fascinating details. If a piece of amber is too foggy, it won’t be as valuable.  

Various factors contribute to amber’s value. Let’s look at what boosts amber’s worth: 

• Inclusions. One of the most unique parts of amber is its tendency to have inclusions inside, such as plant matter or small bugs. The presence of inclusion makes a piece of amber more visually and historically interesting and piques curiosity, which means it is often worth significantly more than pieces of amber without anything inside. Amber with inclusions is usually worth $40 more per carat.   
• Origin. Baltic amber is usually more valuable than amber from the Dominican Republic. 
• Color. The most popular amber is yellow and gold, usually the least valuable color. More valuable colors include orange and reddish brown. Amber can even be green or blue, although this is extremely rare, so these pieces are the most valuable. 
• Clarity. Amber ranges greatly in clarity, and often, it becomes cloudier over time. The clearer a piece of amber is, the easier it is to see the inclusions and appreciate its beauty. Sometimes you can carefully heat the amber in canola oil to increase clarity, but some pieces are cloudy beyond repair. 

One of the best ways to increase the value of your amber is to clean it before you place it on display or attempt to clean it. 

How Much Does Amber Cost Per Carat? 

The cost of amber per carat depends on the color, region, and if there are inclusions or not. If there is some sort of inclusion, that raises the price by $40 per carat. Baltic amber is worth between $2 and $15 per carat, and Dominican amber is approximately $10 per carat. 

Here’s what you can generally expect the value of different types of amber to be: 

• Baltic. Baltic amber is usually the most valuable type of amber. It is found in Greece, Ukraine, Russia, and Bulgaria and comes in many different colors. Typically, the darker the color, the more valuable it’ll be. You can expect to spend between $2 and $15 per carat. 
• Dominican Republic. Besides the Baltics, most of the amber in the world is found in the Dominican Republic. Amber found in this region is usually worth less than Baltic amber, typically worth less than $10 per carat. 

If you find a solid piece of darker amber from the Baltics with inclusions, that piece will be worth more than a cloudy piece from the Dominican without any inclusions.

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How Do I Sell Amber? 

You can sell your amber at a mineral and gem show, a jewelry or mineral store, directly to a personal collector, or online through eBay, Craigslist, or a similar site. You’ll get more money for your amber if it’s clean. 

If you have a piece of amber that you’re willing to depart with and want to make a little money, you have a few options for selling amber. Let’s take a closer look at your options:

• Sell at a mineral and gem show. There are various mineral, gem, and rock shows throughout the United States where you can sell your amber. Going to one of these events is a great way to sell to someone in person, where you can often get a better price because the buyer can see the piece’s quality in person.  
• Sell at a store. Some jewelry and mineral stores make purchases, so you can try bringing in your amber piece to see if they’re interested.  
• Sell to a collector. Many collectors are interested in getting high-quality pieces of amber to add to their collection or turn into jewelry. If you can reach out to one of these collectors in person, they would be a great person to sell amber to. 
• Sell online. Selling your amber online at Craigslist, eBay, or another site is another option for selling amber. You usually can’t get the best price selling online because buyers can’t see how good the item is in person, but if you aren’t anywhere near a mineral show or a store that buys from customers, selling online might be your only option. 

You’ll get more money for your amber piece if it is in good condition and clean. Here’s how to clean amber:  

1. Dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water. I like these MR. SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (available on Amazon) because they are made with an ultra-soft and absorbent fiber that won’t damage the amber or leave any lint or streaks behind. I also like that they have high-quality stitching and reinforced edges, so they’ll last a long time and go through multiple machine washes. 
2. Gently rub the stone with a cloth to remove oil, debris, and dirt. 
3. Dry the amber with a separate, dry cloth. 
4. Use a small amount of olive oil to polish the amber. 
5. Wipe the amber dry with a cloth. 

My favorite olive oil to use for polishing is the Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (available on Amazon) because it doesn’t contain any additives that could be harmful to the amber and because it is farmer-owned, non-GMO verified, and is great-tasting, so after you use it for polishing you can use it for cooking.     

Taking the extra step to clean and polish amber is a great way to increase its value and is well worth the time and effort. 

Conclusion 

The value of amber varies greatly depending on the region, color, clarity, and if there are any inclusions in it or not. Typically, one gram (0.035 oz) bead of amber costs between $13 and $75. Jewelry costs between $20 and $300, depending on the type and quality. 

Finally, an amber fossil with detailed inclusions is worth $200 to $800.

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