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Real or fake Amber?


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I bought this online and they have 100 percent positive feed back. I can return it if its fake. I was told by a local rock hound that if it has an insect in the amber its 99 times out of 100 fake. I don't have it yet its out of Lithuania and will not be here for a few weeks. I can do the salt water test and ultra violet test but wondered what you guys thought visually. Thanks.

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il_794xN.2807983782_6qbi.webp il_794xN.2855654925_ey8q.webp il_794xN.2855655027_qkaj.webp il_794xN.2855655185_inhf.webp il_794xN.2855655297_8c87.webp il_1140xN.2855654925_ey8q.webp il_1140xN.2855655027_qkaj.webp

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I would say most likely real, but that is all I can say without the tests, I prefer the UV test. Since it is from Lithuania, I'd assume its baltic amber (40 million years old). Did the seller give you a location it was found? When it arrives make sure to update us on the verdict of the tests. 

Edit: Amber isn't nearly as rare as some may think and many real specimens with insects are found and sold across the world. (More than 1% are genuine)

Edited by Top Trilo

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1 minute ago, edteach said:

This is the sellers ad

Forum rules do not allow links to ads, you can edit it out or an Admin or Mod will remove it. They don't mention where, but seeing as it is from Lithuania I'd think its Baltic amber but to be sure I'd message the seller.

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“If fossils are not "boggling" your mind then you are simply not doing it right” -Ken (digit)

"No fossil is garbage, it´s just not completely preserved” -Franz (FranzBernhard)

"With hammer in hand, the open horizon of time, and dear friends by my side, what can we not accomplish together?" -Kane (Kane)

"We are in a way conquering time, reuniting members of a long lost family" -Quincy (Opabinia Blues)

"I loved reading the trip reports, I loved the sharing, I loved the educational aspect, I loved the humor. It felt like home. It still does" -Mike (Pagurus)

“The best deal I ever got was getting accepted as a member on The Fossil Forum. Not only got an invaluable pool of knowledge, but gained a loving family as well.” -Doren (caldigger)

"it really is nice, to visit the oasis that is TFF" -Tim (fossildude19)

"Life's Good! -Adam (Tidgy's Dad)

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On 8/30/2021 at 11:43 PM, Top Trilo said:

I would say most likely real, but that is all I can say without the tests, I prefer the UV test. Since it is from Lithuania, I'd assume its baltic amber (40 million years old). Did the seller give you a location it was found? When it arrives make sure to update us on the verdict of the tests. 

Edit: Amber isn't nearly as rare as some may think and many real specimens with insects are found and sold across the world. (More than 1% are genuine)

I agree it looks real. 

 

The fakes are more often the large types of insect. 

Most insects in amber are quite small. 

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png MotM August 2023 - Eclectic Collector

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On 8/30/2021 at 5:43 PM, Top Trilo said:

Amber isn't nearly as rare as some may think and many real specimens with insects are found and sold across the world. (More than 1% are genuine).

 

More than 1% are genuine? Are more than 98% inauthentic? This is a sincere question. I would have assumed “1%” was a typo, but my knowledge of amber is too limited to make assumptions. 

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Your local rock hound is either excessively exaggerating or he has absolutely no idea. This type of amber is quite common over here and is in all likelihood genuine.

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There is others test like  with a hot pin but absolutely no need here to do this, it looks good . Probably 99% better to ask TFF than your local guy. :thumbsu:

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6 hours ago, Christine.Rowland said:

 

More than 1% are genuine? Are more than 98% inauthentic? This is a sincere question. I would have assumed “1%” was a typo, but my knowledge of amber is too limited to make assumptions. 

The OP said "I was told by a local rock hound that if it has an insect in the amber its 99 times out of 100 fake". That implies that 1 in 100 or 1% are genuine but in reality a much higher percentage is real.

“If fossils are not "boggling" your mind then you are simply not doing it right” -Ken (digit)

"No fossil is garbage, it´s just not completely preserved” -Franz (FranzBernhard)

"With hammer in hand, the open horizon of time, and dear friends by my side, what can we not accomplish together?" -Kane (Kane)

"We are in a way conquering time, reuniting members of a long lost family" -Quincy (Opabinia Blues)

"I loved reading the trip reports, I loved the sharing, I loved the educational aspect, I loved the humor. It felt like home. It still does" -Mike (Pagurus)

“The best deal I ever got was getting accepted as a member on The Fossil Forum. Not only got an invaluable pool of knowledge, but gained a loving family as well.” -Doren (caldigger)

"it really is nice, to visit the oasis that is TFF" -Tim (fossildude19)

"Life's Good! -Adam (Tidgy's Dad)

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Generally a faked insect inclusion in amber will be larger and looks posed (wings and/or legs spread out) & the insect is usually very colorful, along with being centered in the piece. I would say yours is genuine. :thumbsu:

Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

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3 hours ago, Top Trilo said:

The OP said "I was told by a local rock hound that if it has an insect in the amber its 99 times out of 100 fake". That implies that 1 in 100 or 1% are genuine but in reality a much higher percentage is real.

Thank you. I failed to make the connection to the prior statement. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

This looks like a very nicely sized caddisfly in Baltic amber, which are fairly common fossils from the region.  Some are far too skeptical of amber's authenticity, I've found.  No tests necessary here.  Unless it's a huge perfect scorpion or some crab or lizard encased in obvious plastic, there's usually no reason to doubt if it's real.  Beachcombers in Lithuania scoop these up by the hundreds out of the water and polish them for sale.  I'd say if your friend is even remotely correct about anything, it's that 99 times out of 100 you won't find a neat inclusion like this inside the stone :)  Enjoy!

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Thanks. It came in and it does float in salt water, did not do the burn test for obvious reasons, it does fluoresce. It also when rubbed on a sweater it will pick up hair by static. So its all good and thanks for the help.

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