Have you ever found a shard of sea glass on the beach and wondered how much it was worth?
Well, the value of sea glass is primarily influenced by its color. Some colors, such as orange and red, are rare, so they fetch a high price.
In this article, we’ll look at the value of common colors and rarer and more seasonal colors so that you may assess the value of your sea glass collection.
However, remember that the price of sea glass is highly subjective, and there is no one price for any piece.
Sea Glass Value Chart (All Colors, All Prices)
| COLOR | SIZE RANGE | RARITY | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | 5mm-9mm | Ultra-rare | $30.00 |
| Turquoise | 25.4mm-38.1mm | Ultra-rare | $23.08 |
| Red | 5mm-9mm | Ultra-rare | $13.99 |
| Yellow | 3.81mm-12.7mm | Ultra-rare | $11.99 |
| Black | 3mm-6mm | Ultra-rare | $7.99 |
| Teal | 3.81mm-12.7mm | Ultra-rare | $10.99 |
| Gray | 50mm | Ultra-rare | $15.48 |
| Pink | 76.2mm | Rare | $15.25 |
| Aqua | 10mm-25mm | Rare | $15.63 |
| Cobalt blue | 10mm-20mm | Rare | $15.05 |
| Cornflower | 25.4mm-38.1mm | Rare | $11.54 |
| Purple | 76.2mm | Rare | $15.25 |
| Amber | 3.81mm-12.7mm | Less rare | $6.33 |
| UV Green | 17.91mm | Less rare | $8.99 |
| Sea Foam Green | 12.7mm | Less rare | $8.00 |
| White | 38.1mm-76.2mm | Common | $8.99 |
| Brown | 40mm | Common | $9.40 |
Note – There is no exact pricing state for each sea glass color. The value of sea glass primarily depends on the piece’s size, rarity, and condition.
Understanding How Sea Glass Color Impact Price
It’s important to note that each color is worth something different in the sea glass world.
Knowing the different shades of sea glass and how their rarity affects the piece’s value can help you determine the worth of your collection.
1. Common Sea Glass Colors
Beachcombers frequently spot these colors along the shorelines.
This is because many glass bottles and household items that were thrown in the sea and degraded into sea glass over time were made of these colors when they were first manufactured.
As a result, they are often considered to be the least expensive of all sea glass colors in the color chart.
Also, since no further treatment or processing is required to turn them into jewelry and other crafts, they are purchased cheaply.
2. Less Rare Sea Glass Colors
Pieces of sea glass collected with these colors can date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. These colors were widely used in manufacturing bottles during this period.
They are pretty easy to find by beachcombers and are less common than the common colors. This makes them more expensive than the common colors but still not relatively affordable.
3. Rare Sea Glass Colors
The rarity of these colors makes them more desirable; thus, sea glass collectors often search far and wide for them.
While finding these colors can be difficult, it is a rewarding experience for many collectors. They can be valuable and worth a lot of money if they are in good condition.
4. Ultra-Rare Sea Glass Colors
Sea glass in these colors is more challenging to find than in other colors.
This is mainly because, historically, they just were never too popular in glass production.
More often than not, sea glass lovers spend a lifetime searching for one of these elusive glasses of the sea.
This is because they are not found on many beaches. Most of those available have been found on beaches around Europe, for example, in the UK.
As the supply of rare sea glass is limited, their rarity makes them more valuable and highly sought after than other colors in the chart, which drives the price up. Despite their prices, many artisans are willing to pay for them.
Understanding How Condition Affects Sea Glass Value
Most sea glass found is sometimes of poor quality.
Many artisans use the 5-point grading system of sea glass to assess the quality and potential value. This process often requires a great deal of experience and knowledge.
Each of the five factors is given a numerical rating from one to five, with a perfect score of five being the highest.
The higher the grade, the higher the value of the piece.
By using this system, sea glass buyers and sellers can ensure they are getting the best value for their money.
- Good: Smooth and with some chips or scuffs.
- Very Good: Smooth but with chips or scuffs and areas frosted over.
- Fine: Areas that have been chipped and have a faint luster (not completely frosted).
- Very Fine: A couple of minor chips or scratches.
- Perfect: Very smooth with a frosty appearance, with no reflective spots visible.
Let’s put it into perspective.
Pieces that are rarer and in perfect condition are given higher grades, while more common sea glasses in poor condition are given lower grades.
Understanding How Size Affects Sea Glass Value
The size of the piece is also important when it comes to determining its value:
- The larger the sea glass, the more valuable it is
- The smaller the glass, the lower the value.
Large pieces of sea glass (more than an inch in diameter) are tough to come by.
Large pieces of glass are much more susceptible to breaking apart due to the tumbling process that eventually creates sea glass.
Furthermore, larger pieces tend to be complete and have more of the original design intact this makes them more desirable hence adding up to their value in the market.
Smaller pieces, on the other hand (less than a quarter of an inch in diameter), are easy to find and are therefore considered less valuable.
Smaller pieces of glass are much more resilient, as they can be tossed and tumbled around easily by the waves.
Since smaller pieces may be missing parts of the design, the glass appears less attractive. This, in turn, can affect the value of the piece, as it may be less desirable to collectors or buyers.
Final Thoughts
Various factors determine the actual worth of each piece of sea glass. We hope that our sea glass value chart can clearly indicate how much you should anticipate spending for each color.
