FAQ

SEA GLASS VS. BEACH GLASS

You might’ve heard the term beach glass and wondered if it’s the same thing as sea glass. The short answer is no, the two are not the same. sea glass is found on saltwater beaches, whereas beach glass is on freshwater or seawater beaches. Sometimes, it can be found on a lake, such as the Great Lakes of the United States.

The main difference between sea glass and beach glass is the appearance. Because the water isn’t as rough (especially on a lake), beach glass won’t get as much tumbling and tossing. This may lead to glass with a less frosted appearance and some shiny spots still on it.

Common Beach Glass Colors

Pieces of clear sea glass

The most common colors of beach glass come from glass products that are still in use today; clear, brown and green.

Most clear beach glass comes from items such as soda bottles, glass food containers, liquor bottles, wine bottles, Mason and Ball canning jars as well as old milk bottles and medicine bottles. Clear beach glass looks frosty and white when dry and is often referred to as white beach glass. Roughly two out of three pieces of sea glass you find will be clear or white.

Pieces of brown sea glass

Brown beach glass may come mainly from beer, root beer and whiskey bottles. The older the glass the less common it is. Old Clorox and Lysol products came in large brown bottles. Today, many wine and American beer companies still use brown bottles to help protect the liquor inside the bottles from the sun. Something in the region of one in two pieces of sea glass will be brown.

Kelly green beach glass is the most common green found today and comes mainly from lemon-lime flavored sodas such as 7-UP, Sprite, Mountain Dew, wine and beer bottles such as Heineken. One in five pieces of beach glass will be green.

Pieces of kelly green sea glass

 

Common Sea Glass Colors

Seafoam green was a common color for bottles in the late 1800's and early 1900s. Green or soft aqua is the natural color of glass caused by the iron naturally found in batch sand. A common source of this color of glass may come from old Coca-Cola bottles which can be found in clear, and shades of aqua, seafoam green and light blue, other sources of seafoam green may be old seltzer mineral water bottles, baking soda, fruit jars, and ink bottles. If you find a thick soft green or seafoam shard, it’s likely from the early 1900's. One in fifty pieces of beach glass will be seafoam green.
Pieces of seafoam green sea glass

 

Forest Green beach glass. Forest green beach glass is mostly from beer and wine bottles, some of it may also be from art glass. One in fifty pieces of sea glass will be forest green.

Pieces of forest green sea glass

Lime Green beach glass. Lime green beach glass is mostly from beer and lemon-lime soda bottles. One in fifty pieces of beach glass may be lime green.

Pieces of lime green sea glass

 

Some pieces of amber beach glass can date back to the late 1800's. Old Clorox and Lysol bottles along with tobacco snuff jars, medicinal jars, beer bottles and even brown mason jars have all contributed to the abundance of brown and amber beach glass. One in twenty-five pieces of sea glass may be amber.

Pieces of amber sea glass

Much of the lavender beach glass comes from older Pre-World War I clear vintage canning jars and other glass containing manganese, a de-colorizer originally used to remove the green or aqua caused by the iron naturally found in batch sand. Some manganese dioxide decolorized bottles may date as early as the 1820's and as late as the 1930's.

Over a period of many years the glass made with manganese turns lavender when exposed to sunlight. This is called "sun-purpled". One in three hundred pieces of beach glass will have a lavender hue.

You could always try laying some of your clear pieces out in the sun for several weeks to see if they turn lavender!

You could always try laying some of your clear pieces out in the sun for several weeks to see if they turn lavender!

Pieces of lavender sea glass

Depending on where you are in the world, you may find less lavender beach glass. But don't stop looking!

 

Rare Beach Glass Colors

Pink beach glass is usually a soft peachy pink. Much of the pink beach glass we find today most likely comes from Depression Glass.

Depression glass was produced in the US in the early 1900's and came in a range of colors. It was mass-produced, low-end glassware.

During the 1930's, Depression Glass was marketed as affordable glassware and could be purchased at five and dimes. It was also used an incentive by cereal and laundry soap companies which would often include a piece as a gift with purchase.

Gas stations and movie theaters also used Depression Glass items as a gift with purchase. One in one thousand pieces of beach glass may be peach or pink.

Pieces of pink sea glass

Aqua beach Glass is my favorite color to find. Also known as aquamarine, it looks like an extension of the sea itself and can evoke a feeling of tranquility.

Aqua glass has many subtle variations and shades. Sources of this glass could be from a vintage canning jar or vintage insulator used on electric poles in the early 1900's, Seltzer mineral water bottles, medicine bottles and ink bottles.

Colorless glass replaced aqua as the color of choice with one exception the greenish aqua of Coca-Cola bottles. One in five hundred pieces of beach glass may be Aqua.

 

Cornflower blue glass predates the color cobalt blue. It is much lighter in color. Cornflower blue beach glass most likely comes from Pre-1900 Phillips Milk Of Magnesia bottles, Bromo Seltzer, Vick's Vapor Rub and ink wells. One in five hundred pieces of beach glass may be Cornflower Blue.

 

Pieces of cornflower blue sea glass

Cobalt Blue beach glass is vibrant and jewel like. The best-known sources for cobalt blue beach glass are vintage Noxzema Jars, Bromo Seltzer, Milk of Magnesia, Vicks Vapor Rub, medicine and poison bottles, castor oil bottles, glass rolling pins, Collyrium soothing eye lotion glass eye wash cups, ink bottles and perfume bottles. One in two hundred and fifty pieces of beach glass may be Cobalt Blue.

Pieces of cobalt blue sea glass

 

Extremely Rare Beach Glass Colors

Orange beach glass most likely originates from auto warning lights, vintage Avon glassware, decorative glass items and art glass. One In ten thousand pieces of beach glass might be orange.

A piece of orange sea glass

Red beach Glass is one of the most difficult colors of beach glass to find.

Anchor Hocking Royal Ruby Red Glassware was popular and made items such as dishes, cups, glasses, bowls, platters and vases were produced from 1938 to 1967 and then again briefly in the 1970's. In the 1950's Schlitz beer asked Anchor Hocking to create a red beer bottle for them and Schlitz Beer was bottled in Anchor Hocking Royal Ruby.

Anchor Hocking discovered a way to use copper to turn glass a red hue instead of the traditional gold, making the cost of producing this glass much more affordable. Many vintage Avon products were bottled in red glass such as perfume, dinnerware and decorative household items.

Other Sources include car and boat running lights, railroad and ship lanterns along with various other types of household and decorative glass.

 One in five thousand pieces of beach glass may be red.

Pieces of red sea glass

 

Turquoise beach glass is very rare and coveted. A few of the possible origins for these gorgeous treasures are old electric glass insulators, vintage siphon seltzer water bottles, old decorative glass and Victorian era-stained glass windowpanes. One in five thousand pieces of beach glass may be deep turquoise.

Pieces of turquoise sea glass

Yellow beach glass or light amber sea glass. Sources for this sea glass are depression glass, art glass, stained glass, old glass insulators and glass that is made with selenium.

During World War I The glass industry replaced manganese with selenium. Over a period of many years glass made with manganese turns lavender when exposed to sunlight and glass made with selenium turns a soft yellow-gold when exposed to sunlight.

One in thirty five hundred pieces of beach glass might be Yellow.

Most gray beach glass shards came from thick pieces of leaded-glass tableware and Depression glass . Another source could be old glass television screens. One in two thousand pieces of beach glass might be gray.

Black glass is one of the oldest bottle colors. Black glass is interesting as it actually has a hint of another color such as brown or olive green.

Pieces of yellow sea glass

During the 1700's most liquor and ale/beer bottles were mass produced as a cheap container between the 1840's and 1880's bottles were made in a deep, dark olive-green color. The glass only appears to be black because of the density of the glass.

If you find black beach glass it might look like a common rock, its best to take it home and hold it up to a light. This glass may be from Champagne bottles, Case Gin bottles (this tall bottle is easily identifiable due to its square sides that narrow at the base) dark green wine bottles. One in two thousand pieces of beach glass might be black.

Pieces of black sea glass