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BIZARRE PINCHED FLATTENED ROOT LOBES
DRAMATIC BUCKLED CROWN NEAR ROOT THAT FOLDS OVER ITSELF
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GIANT GUNMETAL BLUE PATHOLOGICALLY DEFORMED MEGALODON TOOTH Beaufort County, South Carolina, U.S.A. PLIOCENE PERIOD: 5.3 - 1.81 million years ago Pathological deformed Megalodon teeth are, in most cases, in poor condition, ugly and unattractive. They are prized for their deformity and that alone. On the other hand, this tooth is a triple winner because it is deformed in a dramatic manner, very large (5.5 inches!) and gorgeous! There are THREE types of deformities found on this tooth. One is the twisted tip that indents and begins to slightly curve back against its natural curvature. More dramatic is the nature of the second deformity, very thin root lobes that look as though they were pinched and compressed on their sides. The third deformity is the bizarre buckling of the crown near one base. Despite this strange pathology, the edge retains its crisp serrations making it an extra nice yet strange feature. Enamel is reminiscent of the fire-blued steel finishes of the old Colt Peacemaker six-shooters. Both sides feature very well preserved enamel surfaces with a beautiful white and black spot pattern on the one side. Serrations are exceptionally crisp which is highly unusual for a pathological tooth since usually these teeth were poorly aligned in the Megalodon's jaw and subjected to severe wear and stress during feeding. In every single way this is an incredible beauty even if it was not deformed. It is huge at 5.5 inches and in fantastic natural condition. Add to this THREE DEFORMITIES and you have a real investment-grade specimen sure to please the most demanding collector. An absolute rare and one-of-a-kind specimen!!! Usually, when a diver or dealer acquires such a rare Megalodon tooth as this rare pathologically deformed example, it is not offered for sale. Unlike other dealers, we do NOT collect teeth and high-grade all the best acquisitions, keeping them for ourselves. This explains the consistently better quality and larger quantity of very high quality and rare specimens. Pathologically deformed teeth have a strong collector following. This HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE and RARE specimen has absolutely NO REPAIR AND NO RESTORATION.
There are two schools of thought, both with excellent arguments, that attribute this monster shark to different lineages. The original name was Carcharodon megalodon and a latter theory has renamed the shark to Carcharocles megalodon. From the mid-Miocene Period 16 million years ago to the Plio-Pleistocene Period 1.6 million years ago, the ancient seas were terrorized by this beast. It is estimated that Megalodon could have easily reached 60 feet in length and weighed over 52 tons. Some researchers have stated lengths could have attained up to 80 feet! Fossil teeth have been found that exceed 7 inches in length. No one knows exactly what a megalodon shark looked like but from the shape and structure of the teeth, it is most likely that the appearance was similar to a stocky Great White shark times six! 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 shark 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.
Fine grade Megalodon teeth are some of the most promising investment fossils. Their demand continues to grow strongly and the few regions that such quality teeth are found are now either off-limits to public collecting or nearly stripped clean to feed such demand in the market. SPECIAL NOTE: AVOID any Megalodon teeth with restoration or repair if you want a specimen that will appreciate. Unlike all other types of fossils, Megalodon teeth with ANY (even the slightest!) repair or restoration should and will sell FOR A FRACTION of the exact same tooth without such enhancements. Teeth without ANY trace of restoration or repair are WORTH MANY TIMES the price of teeth with such work performed. More and more, we are seeing teeth around 5 inches having some restoration and this is becoming a big problem with teeth over the 5 inch size class. The nature of restoration that is done is of very high quality and can go unnoticed without a trained eye and close examination. Caveat emptor! As a rule, Paleo Direct, Inc. does NOT sell any Megalodon teeth with repair or restoration. We avoid such teeth and suggest you do the same and purchase a natural tooth within your budget rather than a large specimen that has been "doctored up". Megalodon teeth in the highest Grade 10 categories are one of the most promising investments in fossil collecting. These immaculate teeth are the rarest and foster incredible collector demand far in excess of their availability. Even amongst dealers, many dealers personally collect teeth and usually keep the best specimens they acquire, selling off the more common ones. Unlike nearly every other Megalodon shark tooth dealer, we sell EVERY tooth we acquire and our primary focus over the years has been to stick with only the best and most unique Megalodon teeth. These teeth come at a price, though, and every year, they go up. Slightest positive features and unique coloration, etc., can radically up the value. If you want the best or most unusual, the premium price is well worth it and what seems like a full price today will be an unbeatable bargain tomorrow as the market continues to escalate for the premium Megalodon teeth. DRAMATIC YET BEAUTIFULLY COLORED AND PRESERVED DEFORMED TOOTH - BIZARRE PINCHED ROOT! 5.5" in length on the diagonal edge x 3.8" wide SOLD SH6-039 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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1995 |
Imagine
swimming in the water and suddenly without warning, being slammed by
something as big as a Greyhound bus... but this bus is different. It
has teeth the size of dinner plates and can swallow a full-grown horse in
one gulp. Second only to the sperm whale as the largest ocean
predator that ever lived, no sea creature could have ever been more
dangerous than
the infamous and (fortunately) extinct MEGALODON shark. 
Much
has yet to be discovered about this giant killer including the reason for
its extinction. Some have theorized that such a large shark must
have needed equally large prey to sustain itself, namely large
whales. As the ocean environments dramatically fluctuated with glacier
and tectonic activity, large areas of ideal habitat were affected and even
eliminated. Megalodon's food source changed because of this and the
combination of these factors adversely affected the ability for such a
massive predator to survive.