I think you had ordinary amber. It is very soft- almost like dry turpentine.
The piece that Don got was actually hard rock, and I remember it so well because it was NOT like ordinary amber. He had no idea of the country of origin, or the original source. He got it in a trade with someone else. That in itself was frustrating. You could clearly see the bugs in the " flint " with your naked eye, although a magnifying glass helped to see individual features. This " flint" had apparently been melted with silicas by volcanic means, and then cooled. I knew then from my lectures in Geology class, and from my readings that Amber comes from many caribbean islands, and other warm water areas, where these plants drip the sap, which attracts bugs, before hardening, such as it can. Its very prized for jewelry, as it makes a stunning setting in both necklaces and rings. I have examined amber at Lapidary stores( Stores that sell rocks, and gems), so I knew what it felt and looked like long before I took my Geology classes in College.
This rock that Don got was different, and was a total surprise to me. I later saw a Dixie Gun Works catalogue advertising " Amber " flints, and wondered if those were the hard Amber flints like Don had, or the yellow flints common in France.
