In a small Romanian village, an elderly woman unknowingly kept a hidden treasure for decades. What she used as a simple doorstop turned out to be a 3.5-kilogram (7.7 lb) amber nugget, now valued at around €1 million (approximately Rs 9 crore). This amber, one of the largest ever discovered, was found in a local stream. According to local media El Pais, the nugget’s true worth was revealed by Daniel Costache, director of the Provincial Museum of Buzau. The amber was subsequently sent to the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland, where experts confirmed it is between 38.5 and 70 million years old.
Unfortunately, the woman who discovered the gem in a local river passed away in 1991. After her death, a relative kept the stone, eventually realising it was no ordinary rock. The relative decided to sell it to the Romanian government, where experts confirmed its true value. Daniel Costache highlighted that “its discovery represents great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level.” Meanwhile, the woman’s family revealed that during a robbery at her home, thieves stole only a few pieces of inexpensive gold jewellery, completely overlooking the true treasure right before them.
Reports suggest that Romania has some of the richest amber deposits in the world, especially in Buzau County. Geologist Oscar Helm named these deposits “rumanit” or “Buzau amber.” As per the portal, the area also has a nature reserve where valuable amber has been found. The old Stramba amber mine, once highly valuable, was eventually shut down by the government due to its declining profitability.
According to the World Record Academy, “In the Colți Museum Collection there are 200 pieces of processed and raw amber, nuggets from tens of grams to hundreds of grams and even kilograms, in 162 shades: yellow, red, brown, very dark brown, black. The star of the exhibition is the Romanian de Colți, black.” Some stone pieces even have tiny fossils like insects, crustaceans and bird feathers trapped inside.
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