Status: 11.11.2023, 19:00 PM
By: Martina Lippl
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After the severe storm surge: Golden yellow chunk found in the Baltic Sea. © Screenshot Facebook/Campingplatz Ostsee Katarinenhofs
After the severe storm surge on the Baltic Sea, a couple discovers a golden-yellow clunker. Its size is enormous – and it could be very valuable.
Fehmarn – On the coast of the island of Fehmarn, a couple came across a rare specimen while walking. In the water of the Baltic Sea, the woman saw something shimmering: an amber weighing 140 grams.
"That was a really great moment," said Carsten Kühl ndr.de. Together with his wife, he runs a campsite on Fehmarn, the "Ostsee Katarinenhof". The two had actually been looking for petrified sea urchins after the severe storm surge on the Baltic Sea. "Then, suddenly, this amber of size – sensational."
Sensational find on Fehmarn: Couple finds enormous chunk of "Baltic Sea gold"
The couple posts impressive photos of the big chunk on their Facebook page. "Two days after the storm surge, we found this beautiful piece of amber here in Katharinenhof! Almost 140 grams of Baltic Sea gold," they write.
The golden-yellow chunk is amber, Kühl is pretty sure of that. He has lived on the coast of Fehmarn for 55 years. He would know what amber feels like.
Golden-brown chunk in the Baltic Sea: Amber or dangerous phosphorus?
Especially on the Baltic Sea, golden-brown beach finds can be dangerous. A supposed amber find may also be phosphorus – and thus the remains of incendiary bombs from the 2nd World War. The explosive ordnance disposal service of the Schleswig-Holstein State Criminal Police Office assumes that "white phosphorus in the sea is probably indefinitely stable". Remnants of ammunition can be found not only in the Baltic Sea, but also in the North Sea.
Amber is flammable and floats in salt water. The fossil tree resin is much lighter than other materials. Amber is quickly electrically charged and therefore also attracts small pieces of paper.
Beach hunters are generally advised to collect supposed amber finds in a can. In your pocket, phosphorus can burst into flames. If in doubt, there are also Baltic Sea holidaymakers who post photos of "stones" on social media. In the case of a mysterious find, the community was able to help quickly. In this case, it wasn't amber, but it wasn't phosphorus either.
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How much is the amber chunk (140 grams) worth?
Amber is one of the oldest gemstones and healing stones in the world. Although, strictly speaking, it is not a mineral, but fossil tree resin. The Greeks and Romans believed that amber was the golden tears of the gods. The myth of the gold of the Baltic Sea still fascinates many people today.
The myth of amber – this is how much it is worth
There is a persistent rumour that amber is more expensive than gold. According to internet research, five grams of gold (999.9) currently cost 327.00 euros at the Sparkasse (as of November 6, 2023). The value of five grams of amber can vary greatly, as can be found on the website of the Amber Museum in Sellin. It depends on the quality, color and size and whether there are inclusions. "As a rough estimate, 5 grams of high-quality amber could cost between 25 and 500 euros," it says.
Couple wants to keep magnificent amber as "decoration"
Apparently, the couple wants to keep the extraordinary amber. On Facebook, the couple was asked what they would do with it. The answer: "Decoration looks beautiful." In the comments, one user estimates the value of the 140-gram chunk at 1,400 to 2,100 euros.
A rare find was made by a photographer on the Baltic Sea. A fish, which is actually not native to this area, was discovered on the beach.