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5.1 INCH GOLD AND BROWN MEGALODON TOOTH FROM VIRGINIA Undisclosed River, Virginia, U.S.A. MIOCENE to PLIOCENE PERIOD: 23.3 - 1.81 million years ago The massive Megalodon shark is one of the largest and most fearsome predators that ever existed in the ancient seas. Owning a genuine, fine quality tooth from these terrible creatures of prehistory is the pride of many collectors. This fine quality tooth came from the famous shark known scientifically as Carcharocles megalodon - the largest and deadliest shark that ever lived! This is a RARE GOLD COLOR AND LARGE Megalodon tooth from a unique locale. You seldom see Megalodon teeth from Virginia compared to other more common sources further south in the U.S. like South Carolina, Georgia or Florida. The condition of the serrations and blade show extensive natural feeding wear from when the shark was alive but despite lacking serrations, the entire tooth is present with a color combination and root that overshadows this fault. Advanced collectors tend to gravitate to teeth that show excellent serrations and tip but when the tooth is exceptionally large or displays unusually beautiful colors, collectors are equally appreciative of such teeth. One example of this is teeth from the Bone Valley Formation in Central Florida, USA which show beautiful colors but are typically small and worn. With this tooth here, you have BOTH, enamel and root colors that are really beautiful AND a tooth of substantial size. EXCEEDING 5 inches, this tooth is past the FIVE INCH magic mark for Megalodon teeth. Anyone that collects Megalodon teeth knows that prices ramp up dramatically for teeth at this size mark similar to the popularity of "1 carat" when it comes to diamonds. In light of the feeding wear, it does not show any major gashes to the blade edges, broken and missing blade edge where it meets the root. Bourlette is chocolate brown with enamel erosion above its top edge but no areas of enamel peel and separation from the core. Root shows erosion to the lower lobes but is very solid and an attractive golden brown. This specimen has absolutely NO REPAIR AND NO RESTORATION. Megalodon teeth found in rivers are almost always heavily eroded and worn from the high energy environment in which they were subjected to. They usually have dull, sand-blasted enamel, peeling back from the core. The roots are often damaged and the color is almost always the boring, common black. While we strictly avoid teeth with restoration, Caveat emptor with some dealers' inventories as Megalodon teeth in the larger sizes are increasingly being subjected to SOME repair or restoration. Unlike all other types of fossils, ANY repair or restoration to Megalodon teeth DRAMATICALLY LOWER THE VALUE!
BEAUTIFUL AND AFFORDABLE TOOTH OF RARE COLOR AND SUBSTANTIAL SIZE AT 5.1 INCHES WITH NO REPAIR OR RESTORATION 5.1" in length on the diagonal edge SOLD SH6-188 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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At a length of 52 feet
and weighing in excess of 60 tons, Carcharocles megalodon was the second
largest predator that ever existed on this planet, the largest being the
sperm whale. Megalodon was larger and heavier than T. rex.
Scientific reconstructions of this shark estimate the dorsal fin 5.5
feet tall, the pectoral fins at 10 feet in length and the tail over 12
feet high. If you were unfortunate enough to have a megalodon swim
over you, the pectoral fins would measure 30 feet from tip to tip with a
torso in excess of 10 feet thick! The jaws were so large that
this shark would be able to swallow a Rhinoceros whole. A
predator this size would have most likely fed on large marine
vertebrates, especially whales. Fossil teeth have been found in
excess of 7 inches in length! Megalodon teeth are similar in
geometry to the modern White Shark and scientists are still passionately
divided on the origin of the two species and if megalodon is related to
the modern white shark. It is also not fully understood why this
giant killer became extinct but we can all be glad it is. A day at
the beach just wouldn't be what it is today!