A Romanian grandmother unknowingly used a million-dollar piece of amber as a doorstop for decades.
The 7.7-pound chunk of "rumanite" - a rare, deep red amber - was casually picked up from the Buzau River near the village of Colti.
The woman, who remained oblivious to her doorstop's value, passed away in 1991. Her family later suspected the stone might be worth something and decided to have it examined.
Experts confirmed it was one of the world's largest amber pieces, valued at over $1 million. This is reported by CNBC.
Ironically, the valuable stone went unnoticed even when burglars ransacked the house, focusing on typical jewelry instead.
Daniel Costache, Director of the Museum of Buzau, called the find significant "on both scientific and museological levels." The amber, dated between 38 and 70 million years old, has since been classified as a Romanian national treasure.
Colti has been known for amber mining since the 1920s, but this particular piece managed to fly under the radar for years.
Now housed in Krakow's History Museum, the amber's journey from riverbed to doorstop to prized exhibit is a quirky twist of fate.
The discovery highlights how extraordinary items can hide in plain sight, sometimes for decades. It also sheds light on Romania's rich geological resources, proving that valuable finds can still surface in unexpected places.
