Old Amber - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia (2024)

Old Amber ひみつのコハク Secret Amber

Pokémon Global Link artwork

Introduced in Generation I Pocket Generation I Key items Generation III Key items(FRLGE) Generation IV Items Generation V Items Generation VI Items Generation VII Items Generation VIII Treasures(BDSP) Fling Power 100

The Old Amber (Japanese: ひみつのコハク Secret Amber) is a Fossil introduced in Generation I that can be regenerated into Aerodactyl.

The Old Amber is different from the other Fossils, being a type of fossilized substance rather than a Fossil named by its appearance; however, the Aerodactyl skeleton in Pewter City Museum implies that it does have its own fossilized remains.

In the core series games

Price

Games	Cost	Sellprice
RBY/RGBY FRLGE	N/A	N/A
DPPtHGSS BWB2W2 XYORAS SMUSUMPE BDSP	N/A	500

Effect

If brought to the one of the following locations, Old Amber can be regenerated into an Aerodactyl.

Generation I and III

In the Generation I and III games, Old Amber is a Key Item.

In Pokémon Emerald, the Old Amber (as well as the Dome Fossil and Helix Fossil) is found in the game data, but it is not legitimately obtainable and has no effect. The player is unable to regenerate this fossil in the Devon Corporation.

Generation IV onward

From Generation IV onward, Old Amber is no longer a Key Item, and is a normal item. Therefore, multiples of them can be obtained, they can be held, and sent to other players via trading.

Description

Acquisition

Gallery

Artwork

Artwork from Generation I

Sprites and models

Underground sprites from Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum	Model from Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!	Grand Underground sprites from Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

In the anime

In Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!, Gary revived an Old Amber into an Aerodactyl.

In Restore and Renew!, Goh found an Old Amber at a digging site at the Pewter Museum of Science and had it revived into an Aerodactyl, which he then caught.

In the manga

How I Became a Pokémon Card

The Old Amber appeared in Fossil + Pokémon = Aerodactyl!?, where it was eventually revived into an Aerodactyl in a laboratory.

Pokémon Adventures

In Make Way for Magmar!, Red received an Old Amber from Giovanni in Pewter City. Later, in Holy Moltres, while following Blaine's instructions, he revived the Old Amber into an Aerodactyl at the Pokémon Lab on Cinnabar Island, making him one of his main team members.

In the TCG

Main article: Old Amber (Majestic Dawn 84)

The Old Amber was introduced as a Trainer card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game in the Majestic Dawn expansion, first released in the Japanese Dawn Dash expansion. Although it is a Trainer card, it is played as if it were a Colorless-type Basic Pokémon, meaning the player's opponent takes a Prize card when it is Knocked Out. However, Old Amber can't be affected by any Special Conditions, can't retreat, and the player may choose to discard it at any time during their turn. Additionally, as long as Old Amber is on the Bench, it does not take any damage from attacks. It can evolve into Aerodactyl that evolve from Old Amber.

During the Black & White Series, the Dark Explorers expansion included the Item card Old Amber Aerodactyl. It allows players to look at the bottom seven cards of their deck, reveal an Aerodactyl they find there, and put it onto their Bench. The other six cards are then shuffled back into the deck. The Scarlet & Violet Series saw the release of Antique Old Amber in the 151 expansion. This card is similar to the original Old Amber, as it is played as a Basic Pokémon, evolves into Aerodactyl, can't retreat, is not affected by Special Conditions, and may be discarded at any time during the player's turn. In addition, it has an Ability that prevents all effects of the opponent's Pokémon's Abilities on this card.

Aerodactyl Fossils are also featured on the Mysterious Fossil and Buried Fossil cards. Both of these card are played as if they were Basic Pokémon and can evolve into Aerodactyl. Unidentified Fossil does not feature an Old Amber or an Aerodactyl Fossil, but can also be used to evolve into Aerodactyl.

Trivia

• Amber is fossilized tree resin commonly found with insects trapped inside of it. The Old Amber is based on the theory of extracting DNA from the blood still preserved inside the insect to bring back past lifeforms. In real life, however, amber cannot preserve DNA.
• The Old Amber is the only Pokémon Fossil that does not have an alternative choice to form a pair.
  • The Old Amber is also the only Pokémon Fossil that has appeared in Pokémon Adventures.
• The mosquito seen in the Generation I artwork is a case of a real life animal in the Pokémon world.
• While the Old Amber is the only Fossil absent from Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, Aerodactyl can still be obtained when received as a gift at Seafolk Village.

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	秘密琥珀 Beimaht Fúpaak
	Mandarin	秘密琥珀 Mìmì Hǔpò 神秘的琥珀 Shénmì-de Hǔpò *
Czech		Dávný jantar
Finnish		Vanha meripihka
French		Vieil Ambre
German		Altbernstein
Italian		Ambra Antica
Korean		비밀의호박 Bimirui Hobak
Polish		Stary Bursztyn
Brazilian Portuguese		Âmbar Velho (anime, TCG, manga) Âmbar Antigo (The Official Pokémon Handbook)
Russian		Старый Янтарный Staryy Yantarnyy
Spanish		Ámbar Viejo
Vietnamese		Hổ phách bí mật

See also

• List of Key Items (Generation I)
• List of Key Items (Generation III)

This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items.