Judging quality
Grade on size, enamel gloss, serration retention along both edges, root completeness and tip integrity. Peruvian teeth often keep exceptional serrations; many large Carolina teeth have restored tips.
Fossil
Megalodon Tooth
The tooth of Otodus megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, extinct around 3.6 million years ago. Teeth run from palm-sized to over seven inches; every extra half inch above five is a substantial jump in rarity and price.
Care
Rinse only. Sudden drying can spall a waterlogged river tooth, so let fresh finds dry slowly.
History & lore
Megalodon teeth turn up in Roman-era collections and were carried as protective amulets across the medieval Mediterranean.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Megalodon Tooth
- What is Megalodon Tooth?
- The tooth of Otodus megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, extinct around 3.6 million years ago. Teeth run from palm-sized to over seven inches; every extra half inch above five is a substantial jump in rarity and price.
- How hard is Megalodon Tooth and what is it made of?
- Megalodon Tooth is a Fossil-family mineral with the composition Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F). It crystallizes in the hexagonal system and rates 4.5-5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in black, grey, brown, blue.
- Where does Megalodon Tooth come from?
- Notable localities for Megalodon Tooth include South Carolina, USA, Florida, USA, Peru (Pisco Formation), Indonesia.
- How do you tell good Megalodon Tooth from filler?
- Grade on size, enamel gloss, serration retention along both edges, root completeness and tip integrity. Peruvian teeth often keep exceptional serrations; many large Carolina teeth have restored tips.
- How do you care for Megalodon Tooth?
- Rinse only. Sudden drying can spall a waterlogged river tooth, so let fresh finds dry slowly.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.