Amber nugget valued at 1 million euros used as doorstop in Romania

An elderly woman in Colți, Buzău County, Romania, used a 3.45 kilogram amber nugget as a doorstop for years, unaware of its immense value. The specimen, which was found in a local stream, was mistaken for a common stone by the owner and even by thieves who previously broke into her home to steal gold jewelry.

The true nature of the object was only discovered after the woman passed away in 1991, when a relative had the stone analyzed. Experts identified it as rumanite, a rare variety of Carpathian amber estimated to be between 38.5 and 70 million years old.

Following authentication by specialists at the History Museum in Kraków, Poland, Romanian authorities claimed the specimen as a national treasure. It is currently preserved at the Buzău County Museum.