Can you sell ambergris in New Zealand?

We Buy AMBERGRIS

Our company is the longest established business in New Zealand dealing with Ambergris; we have been in operation for over 40 years buying ambergris in New Zealand. We have developed strong relationships with our overseas buyers and our prices are more competitive than any other buyer in New Zealand.

Can I sell ambergris NZ?

If you are currently selling Ambergris or think you have found a piece we would like to suggest that you contact us on Phone: 0274 991 881 or email on [email protected] so we can talk you through the process for selling your Ambergris.

How much is ambergris worth NZ?

Sought after for thousands of years, and worth upwards of $10,000/kg today, ambergris washes up on beaches across New Zealand all year long.

Can I sell ambergris if I find it?

You may not collect, keep, or sell ambergris because it is a part from an endangered marine mammal. Ambergris is a naturally occurring by-product of sperm whale digestive tracts sometimes found on beaches.

How do I legally sell ambergris?

In most countries, including the UK and the rest of the EU, it is currently perfectly legal to salvage a lump of ambergris from beaches and sell it, either at auction or on sites such as eBay.

Ambergris NZ 2018

How much is a kilo of ambergris worth?

Substance made by sperm whales is known as ambergris and can be sold for up to $40,000 a kilogram.

Is it illegal to have ambergris?

It is illegal to use ambergris in the U.S. because the sperm whale is protected; however, it is used often in foreign markets. The substance is also contraband in India.

What countries is ambergris illegal?

The EU is currently happy to support this definition. The situation is very different in the US and Australia, where possession of, or trade in, ambergris is banned. In the US, sperm whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which prohibits the use of any product from an endangered species.

How much can I sell ambergris for?

Ambergris is a surprisingly valuable substance that sells for roughly $20 a gram (gold sells for $30).

Is it legal to sell ambergris in Australia?

It is illegal to sell ambergris in Australia but a single gram can be worth several thousand dollars in overseas markets. A 1.5kg ball of ambergris can sell for more than $100,000.

How do I know if I found ambergris?

Ambergris will have a slightly waxy feel to it and often appears grainy inside. It should be brittle and may look layered inside, you may be able to see this if your find has a broken edge, but remember that breaking apart pieces devalues them if they are ambergris!

How much is ambergris per gram?

Known as "floating gold," ambergris is a waxy grayish substance formed in the intestines of sperm whales and is added to perfumes to slow evaporation. A gram of ambergris is worth up to $20.

What does fresh ambergris look like?

Soft black or fresh ambergris is normally jet black in colour though it may also develop a thin powdery white coating (oxidation) on the surface. It can be found in flat strips and in larger lumps which may resemble a flattened cow pat in appearance. It has a matching unpleasant odour of scented cow dung.

Where can I buy ambergris in NZ?

Ambergris is found mainly on the West Coast Beaches but has been known to be found on the East Coast Beaches of New Zealand. The value of Ambergris is conditional on supply and demand, but generally the white and cream can bring extremely good prices.

Who buys whale vomit?

Perfume companies use ambergris to preserve the smell of their fragrances. Humans have used ambergris for over 1,000 years. Uses include medicine, celebrations, and food, according to the University of Chicago. For the fishermen, they plan to continue their fishing even with their million-dollar find.

What does ambergris smell like?

Chemist Gunther Ohloff once described ambergris as 'humid, earthy, faecal, marine, algoid, tobacco-like, sandalwood-like, sweet, animal, musky and radiant'. Others comment that it can smell a bit like the wood in old churches, or Brazil nuts.

How do you value ambergris?

This excretion is so valuable it is referred to as floating gold. As per the latest estimates given by Mumbai Police, 1 kg of ambergris is worth Rs 1 crore in the international market.

What is ambergris used for today?

Applications. Ambergris has been mostly known for its use in creating perfume and fragrance much like musk. Perfumes can still be found with ambergris. Ambergris has historically been used in food and drink.

Which perfumes contain ambergris?

Certain fragrances by Chanel, Gucci and Givenchy have all been rumored to contain this vomit, better known as “ambergris.” Monster: Lady Gaga's First Fragrance Name? Ambergris is a waxy substance formed in the stomach of a sperm whale.

Is ambergris still used in perfume?

Due to accessibility and cost, synthetic chemicals have now replaced ambrein in all but the most expensive perfumes. Ambergris has been used for more than just perfume, however.

Can you eat ambergris?

Of all the world's feces, ambergris may be the only one prized as an ingredient in fragrances, cocktails and medicines. It's eaten, too. Persian sherbets once included ambergris along with water and lemon.

How much is sperm whale poop worth?

Experts quote the current rate for ambergris at about $35 per gram, depending on its quality, but legal issues can make it difficult to find a buyer. To give perspective, a gram of gold runs about $61 per gram, as of October 2020.

Why ambergris is prohibited?

In the Indian context, the sperm whales are a protected species under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act and possession or trade of any of its by-products, including Ambergris and its byproducts, is illegal under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

How is ambergris harvested?

Sperm whales eject an intestinal slurry called ambergris into the ocean, where the substance hardens as it bobs along. Eventually it gets collected along shores—most often as sheer happenstance, as in the case of eight-year-old Charlie Naysmith in the U.K. a few days ago.

How much does ambergris cost per pound?

The main ingredient was ambergris, a rare rocklike substance that exudes a special scent all its own. The best ambergris goes for $10,000 per pound, and one lucky 8-year-old in England has very likely stumbled upon a large piece on his local beach.