Questions I receive frequently:

Where the Baltic amber does comes from?

Is it still possible to find amber beads on Baltic Sea shores?

First of all, amber is washed up from the bottom of Baltic Sea only right after the storm, not during or few days later. It is washed to random parts of the cost. I guess it depends on the wind mostly; the right one I believe is from north-west. It is tough to predict actual place where it will be washed, but, there are few popular places, "never disappointing" ones.

I thought I'll be the smartest one if I go and have a quick look during a storm, maybe I'll be the lucky one. This was a bad idea, Lithuania cannot be proud with warm and sunny springs.

Here is the map where Baltic amber is washed up

Few days after, I have tried again, yet it was late evening, low visibility, even so I got back not empty handed. Very strange feeling obsessed me, like in old western movies "Golden fever". I say to myself I have tons of this stuff, but still I've spend 3 days in a role hunting for "Lithuanian gold".

Results were, 120 grams of small raw Baltic amber beads, plus free pain in the back, good experience though.

Here is my pride and joy

Weights: 11grams

Size: 52mm x 21mm x 18mm

Few tips if you decide to try it yourself

In case you ever come to Lithuania, remember that such storms mostly happen in spring and in autumn. Most popular cities to visit are Palanga and Nida.

1. First one, luckiest one. 9am? Forget about it.

2. Use Bicycle, cycle along shore, stop only at places like:

I doubt that you see that many in one place ever

Sorry but with the car, no chance to navigate as with bicycle, as there are limited places where you can drive anywhere close to the seaside, my choice was obviously opposite.

3. Some do use a tool similar to a mesh; I did have it but no luck with it. If you ask old folks about gathering tips, they would probably say amber is washed to shore and you must interfere, catch it before sea takes it back. This might be true, but cost is filled with washed up wooden sticks, plants and similar. So if large stick stays on the shore amber should also.

Amber hunter

4. Job is simply NOT clean.

Mud, shells, plants... Sorry for picture quality, blame phone camera and soaked wet cold hands...

5. Most popular places in Palanga for amber searches are: "Kunigiškės, Nimerzetė".

6. Is it worth a hassle? My personal opinion, as for experience - yes, make little money - no.

99% of all Baltic amber articles are made of mined amber. This does not mean mined amber is worse then sea amber, difference is very small between them two, one is less dirty, the rest qualities are same.

Thank you for reading, sorry if anything is not clear enough, eBay system for writting reviews are absolutly terrible...

Darius Balsaitis (truebalticamber)
visit our ebay store to find articles made of Baltic amber