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Greetings - I have had fun with family walking the beach at Casey Key near Venice Beach, Florida. I have been enjoying the conversations here and am hoping you all may have ideas about these finds. I am posting a few overview photos - labelled - and then a few close-ups - I have more photos (larger, too). Most of these are under 6 cm (1.c which looks like a hollowed-out bone is 19 cm.). I believe 1.a ia shark's tooth and 4.c is a stingray plate. Thank you for any assistance... will look forward to your ideas - of them all the one labelled "H" (looks like some sort of claw) and item 3 "some sort of tooth" may be the most interesting? I have three others I would like to post. Noelle

So I am pretty new to this whole shark tooth hunting thing, but after my first time at Venice Beach I was hooked. Unfortunately I live in PA, so a trips to the beach are far and few between. Anyway, with the semester ending soon I will have some time 'off' for a few weeks and wanted to get some advice about maybe taking a day trip to Calvert Cliffs. If I go I plan to go to Brownies Beach and spend the day. I'd like to plan to go mid-week on a day when the tide is receding around sunrise, head south for a few hours and make my way back before it comes all the way back in, take a break for a bit and then do some more looking as it is going back out before dark and I head back home. Does this sound like a decent plan?...I'm also not sure how/if the cold weather effects the soil around the cliffs. Does it freeze and get much harder, thus teeth are not as easily exposed and kicked into the surf? I'd appreciate any advice you have! Thanks!

I found this Ptychodus marginalis on a sandbar on a river this spring after a large flood. The river cuts through the lower Smoky Hill Chalk of Northwest Kansas. After I picked it up, I asked myself "is this real?" It is!!! 54mm across.

These are a few other fossis I have found in the past .I have collected fossils here for nearly 40 years but most of them have been given away or donated to a local museum here in Birmingham . The sharks teeth are Cretaceous form the Mooresville chalk formation . The Echinoid was found at St.Stephens Quarry years ago in the Yazoo Clay . The little Trilobite came from a site near Russelville in the Tuscumbia Formation . I have found fossils all over , these are the ones that are most convenient to photograph at this time . The arrowhead was found in a creek while collecting fossils .

These are some of the fossils I found a couple of weeks back . Wonder if anyone knows what the last tooth is ?

I made a trip over to Green Mill Run in NC this past weekend to look for fossils in the creek. My son and I had a wonderful time and found some great sharks teeth and other stuff. I'm stuck though on trying to identify this tooth. It does not look like any of the other teeth that I have found in the creek. Could it be a land mammal tooth? Thanks in advance for any ideas that you may have.

Recently moved to NC and my husband and I have have found some pretty neat things on Onslow Beach (Camp lejeune). We would love help identifying some of them as we are new to the world of fossil hunting. The only one we are pretty sure on is the bottom right being a crocodile tooth? Thanks in advance!

Hi, Most of these specimens i have found at Bawdsey, Suffolk. Is anyone able to give an identification on them please? After looking on the internet a bit, i think the majority are Cosmopolitodus Hastalis? However i am probably completely wrong! There are no visible serrations on any of the larger teeth. The first tooth was given to me, so i have no idea of where it was found. I will attach more photos in the thread. Thanks.

Hi everyone, I just got back from my morning trip to the beach and am thrilled to have found another nice tooth. Last night I went out and the tide was much too high, I ended up leaving after a few hours with only a few small teeth. As I searched the beach for the first hour this morning, I started to worry that my luck might finally be running out. Thanks to Memorial Day weekend the beach was absolutely packed, which was an unpleasant change of pace from usually having the beach mostly to myself. As I started to lose interest and consider heading back to the car, I decided to check up higher in the dryer shell deposits as opposed to where the waves were reaching. As I walked a few feet up the beach, I almost immediately stumbled across this tooth, lying completely exposed with footsteps surrounding it a few feet in each direction. The tooth was almost fully dried out at this point and must have been sitting there for close to an hour as the tide had receded 10-20 feet down the beach. Tourists looking for shells littered the beach in every direction, I was in shock that nobody had seen this tooth all morning! I have attached a photo of the tooth as it laid in the sand upon finding it. Unfortunately the tip is a little damaged, however the root is probably in better condition than every large tooth I've found here. Additionally, the coloration of the tooth is very different compared to the jet black teeth I am used to finding. Although I didn't end up finding much else in the next hour or so (a few small teeth), I'm really happy I decided to head out this morning. It's funny how when the hunting has been really good, just one bad day can really kill your confidence. At the same time though, just one good tooth brings it all back! I'll be back out there soon... Cheers!

Hi everyone, I found this tooth yesterday at the beach in Wilmington, NC. I initially thought it was broken, but then saw that it was actually very warped with all of the serration remaining. After some googling I've found that they are known as pathologic teeth. If anyone has any information about pathologic teeth I would be super interested to learn more! Also would be interested to hear opinions on ID. Angy?

Hi all, ToothMan here. Last Thursday I had the day off from work, and ventured back to one of my favorite hunting grounds, Cove Point. It was beautiful out, sunny and 80 degrees! I got out there around ten, and began walking the beach. There was what appeared to be a school field trip out and about in the form of 20 or so elementary aged children and some chaperones. It looked like they had probably come out to see the lighthouse and to spend a few minutes on the beach. I saw some of them collecting shells. There was also a dog running about with them on the beach, that I ended up running into again later after everyone was gone. I walked along the point and was finding some smaller teeth, but it was high tide and very windy out. This meant bigger waves and not a lot of material on the beach to search through. The large waves kept me from looking too hard in the surf. After a little bit, I decided I would come back later and look more. I walked past the field trip group again, and asked one of the adults if anyone had found anything good. They said the kids were looking for sharks teeth, but weren't having any luck. I had found a few small ones, and I already have a ton, so I asked if any of the kids might want some. They were ecstatic! I opened up my hand and let them pick whichever ones they wanted! I then explained some tips in finding them, and wished them luck. They were so happy! I was glad to pass on some of my smaller finds and maybe get some of them more interested in fossil hunting. So then I went home for a little bit, planning to return later. After a few hours, I headed back to the beach. The tide had gone out by now, the beach was empty, and the wind had died down a bit. The conditions were prime for fossil hunting!! I made my way back to the point, by the lighthouse, and starting finding some decent teeth. A few hemis and two smaller makos, one being the smallest I've ever found! I'm not sure if these are smaller in size being posterior or if they are perhaps from juvenile specimens? Perhaps someone can enlighten me. Anyways, the dog I saw earlier with the field trip group was still here, but everyone else was gone! I figured he must not have been any of theirs, and maybe got lost. I hung out with him for a bit but no one else was around looking for him. I made my way around the rocks and seawall to the other side of the lighthouse where there's another long stretch of beach. This beach runs all the way past the Dominion natural gas plant and up towards calvert cliffs and flag ponds. I check this side often, but I never go too far. The dog followed me over, and took off way down the beach! There's nothing else close to civilization down this way aside from a trail through the woods leading back to the very end of cove point road. I knew if I didn't go get the dog, he would be lost and probably never found. I followed him for probably a mile before I could get him to come back with me, thus putting my fossil hunt on hold, but I just couldnt leave him! He had no tag, only a collar. Getting him to follow me back was tough. Eventually we made it to the trail, but he was so tired out he laid down in the shade and wouldnt budge. It was so hot out and the sun shining hard. I knew he was in trouble so I left him, making my way back to my car about a mile away to get some water for us and a rope I could leash him with until I could find the owner. It took me about 45 minutes to get back but he was gone! I really hope hes okay and someone else found him. I did all I could do. At least I got him to come back closer to where there are houses and people. After that, the hunt was back on! I returned to the point, this time bringing a small pole net with me. I took some suggestions from my last post from you guys and got a little strainer type net on a pole. It really helped me scoop items out of the surf! Its come in so handy, as most times im out there its tough to grab things before another wave takes it away. And that's where I find all my large teeth just inside the water line where the waves crash. About an hour into searching later and I spotted this huge mako!! I scooped it with the net and pulled it out onto the sand! Its a beautiful specimen with nice color and a huge curve to it! All in all, I was pretty happy with the day. Found a few nice mako's, I love the huge one and the colors on the little one are spectacular!! I got so sunburned while I was out, a week later and I'm still peeling! Totally worth it though. Well that's my trip report guys, thanks for reading and ill see you on the next one! Some pictures below!

So, I've recently been collecting sharks teeth at my local beach in North Carolina. Compared to teeth at most beaches I've hunted growing up, these are quite beat up. Out of the roughly 200 teeth from the past few weeks, I'd estimate that probably 75-90% of them are broken. Nearly every Great White tooth has been vertically fractured, usually cutting corners off of my precious babies. Is this just due to searching in the surf where the teeth are constantly being thrown around? I have been searching for teeth on similar beaches my whole life and have never seen such a high ratio of broken:whole teeth. Would be curious to hear everyone's input on why this might be.

Found Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Where Cretaceous, Pliocene, and Pleistocene material can be found. Help appreciated!

Hi all, A friend and I are down here from Jacksonville Florida. First time hunters to this area. We did Charlie’s Creek today without much luck. I’m wondering if anyone has any pointers of where to look. I realize this is last minute. But, any help would be greatly appreciated. We plan to go back out tomorrow and Saturday.

Hi, a friend and I went out on the very low Peace River, near Wachulla last weekend. It was beautiful, We didn't find anything spectacular. I found three large but very broken Megaledon teeth, a nice 5 inch piece of deer antler including the basal spread, and these two sharks teeth that have me a bit puzzled. Besides the normal sharks here, the sand, hemipristis, great white, etc. I found these but am unsure of what they are. The first one has that unusual looking root. To me it actually looks like a baby Megaledon, but I am sure one of you will identify it in a snap....thanks. The second may be a hemipristis, from someplace in the mouth. It is the only one I have ever found like it. It is fairly smooth up the shaft to the tip, where it has those serrations. Again, one , or more of you will be able to help me out, I am sure. Though, I have now been doing this for two year and have learned much, I realize my own knowledge is like a pin scratch on a piece of glass...almost nonexistent. Thanks.

I'm a little late in posting this but, I'm finally getting around to it. Last weekend, Mrs.SA2 and I took the dogs for another walk with our good buddy Mel (of Phatfossils.com), since much of the ice has melted or moved on. It was a great day for some exercise with the forecast showing sunny, high around 55-60F, an offshore breeze and lower than normal water levels. As an added plus, we had very clear water meaning we could walk in water between our knees and waist and still see the bottom pretty well. That is, if you like 32-35F water on your lower body. Some may remember from last post about walking in cold/icy water that Mrs.SA2's feet got cold (numb was the word she used.) Being the wonderful hubby that I am, I went online to my favorite "major supplier of all things ever needed", and ordered her a couple pair of 1mm neoprene socks that have fleece inner layers. She tried them out on last Saturday's trip. More on her opinion and comments later. As we started our walk on the waxing tide, (not preferred, but it is VA in late January & we certainly aren't greedy enough to complain about any day we get on a river fossil hunting this time of year), we were all amazed at how clear, calm and low the water was. If you had the opportunity to pick all of the variables for a day of fossil hunting in VA in January, this day shaped up to be everything we would have requested. Wasn't long before we found a few small to medium size teeth. Not long after that, Mel started finding whale vertebrae in thigh - waist deep water. We kept finding whale verts ALL day long. I think we ended up finding over 35 with about 25 of them being in nice shape and the other 10 being so-so with various amounts cleaved off along the long axis. Mrs.SA2 was walking in knee deep water, trying out her new neoprene socks and was the first to spy a tooth bigger than 1", scoring a nice, reddish hastalis. Not to be outdone, Mel had to go big with another hastalis. It's a little worn but it's a big 'un. All this time, i'm walking along the tide line picking up small - medium teeth listening to the Mrs. and Mel talk about how much they both can "feel" the megs calling them. I'm pretty sure I heard a few comments about how small my teeth were compared to theirs at this point, but I'm not sure. About that time, Mrs.SA2 decides she wants to find the 1st meg of the day and pops this up out of the water. A little on the small side, but its cute and "a megs a meg." And of course, Mel has to answer right back with this b-e-a-u-t-y of a hastalis! I'm pretty sure he could still have shaved his arm hair with those edges. Here are both of his monsters side by side. A little further down the beach (and a few more comments about my small teeth later), Mrs.SA2 spots a double. Notice how close the dog came to stepping on it and burying it in the sand. This now makes her 2nd meg in 1 day, albeit this one is on the smaller side too, but again, "a megs a meg." She looked at me, smiled and said "I'm not done yet." I just put my head down and kept walking, as it appears at this point that I've become the dog walker and the chauffeur for the day. And, I swear, I heard Mel giggling in the background. I knew better than to ask her how she went from collecting in thigh - knee deep water to collecting on the beach, directly in front of me. Nothing good was going to come from any response I made. As we kept going along, true to her previous statement about not being done yet, Mrs.SA2 found another meg, again on the smaller side, but it was her 3rd meg of the day and 5th in 1 week. Now, I'm positive I heard snickers and giggles coming from Mel's direction this time. By then, it was getting embarrassing for me cause Mel had the 2 monster hastalis and had picked up 2 megs and another decent sized hastais to go with them. Talk about a handful! So, Mel too now has a multiple meg day, meaning everyone but me has megs (plural). By now its well past lunch time and I'm getting hungry so i sat down on a log and ate my chicken salad sandwich. Mel, the Mrs. and the dogs kept walking a bit further. After my sandwich, I felt better and was done sulking and I wandered around where I had been sitting. Lucky for me, I found a few decent teeth. I was hoping for a meg, even a small one, but that didn't happen, but at least I got a few nice specimens. (Sorry Ray, @aerogrower the Mrs. had the scale cube with her.) I'll finish up with the rest in the next post.

Hi everybody, I recently leased a piece of land that contains the round mountain silt formation (shark tooth hill). Part of the deal with the landowners was to donate a portion of the finds to museums or schools. Does anyone know of any institutions that would be interested in accepting sharks teeth and other fossils? I would need a formal letter of acceptance to provide documentation. Please let me know, thanks Jesse

I thought I would share some photos of fossils and an arrowhead I found over the last few years from Caledon State Park in King George County, Va. I know of no other posts anywhere discussing fossils located at this site in Va., although, the fossils at this location along the Potomac River are not very abundant. Sometimes I go down there (1.9 mile hike on a dirt road to the beach) and find nothing. More typically, if you search for 2 hours along the beach there, you will typically find a few small shark teeth; on a good day maybe 10 teeth. Every now and then, one may find a small bone fragment and every once in a while an arrowhead (I’ve only found maybe 2-3 arrowheads here). The fossils are Paleocene in age (66 to 56 million years ago). My best finds are a few Otodus sharks teeth shown in the photos. I might mention that I went to this park probably 25 times before I found even 1 Otodus tooth, so these are very rare at this location.

Went to Venice for a bit this afternoon assuming we won't have beach days with Irma headed our way. I had some nice finds and a beach almost all to my self. Two thing I'm unsure of, one I'm assuming is part of a turtle shell, the other I'm unsure of. Thanks for any help

With the wind/wave forecast for eastern VA this weekend showing NE 10-15 knots, Mrs.SA2 and I decided to forgo boating on our fossil hunting expedition. Fortunately, one of our buddies has access to a really nice spot where you can walk in, so we went with him on Saturday. Turned out to be a very nice day and a great 5 hour walk along the beach. We really need to hunt/collect with him more often. When we got to the parking area there was already 1 car parked and the person was well ahead of us. Normally, we would be concerned but since we arrived 3 hours before low tide, we figured we would be OK and made our way to the beach and started our trek upstream. Wasn't long and we ran into the guy who had beaten us to the beach heading back to the car. He must of come out at the crack of dawn to already be done this far before low tide. After about 10 mins of walking, Mrs.SA2 started on a roll and was finding some beautifully colored hastalis. Here are a few in situ shots of some of her finds. Not to be out done, I lucked out as the tide was waning and found this beauty. She's on the small-ish side and has feeding damage to the tip, but finders can't be greedy and it was the biggest tooth found on the day. By the time we made the turn and started back towards the cars, we realized there were several groups of people between us and the starting point. This meant some competition for the fossils heading back. Here are photos of most of the teeth, the cetacean ear bones and the fish / shark verts we found. I'll post photos of our other finds a little later. Time to take Mrs.SA2 for a paddle in the kayaks on the reservoir for some exercise. Hopefully, we can spot the breeding pair of bald eagles that are now making the reservoir and our neighborhood home these days.

OK I was curious about the sharks teeth in this photo that are grayish multicolored, I've never found any like this before. I was just wondering if the multicoloring would identify it as a specific type of shark or is it just a sign of aging? These are all from the same Creek - Post Oak in Sherman. I found a lot that are like multicolored they're really pretty. Thanks.

I'm thinking about taking my 7 year old to Big Brook for a fossil trip in early August. I've seen a few guides online, but nothing is recent or that specific. Can anyone tell me what current conditions are like? Our plan is to park at 95 Hillsdale Rd., Colts Neck, NJ and then follow a path to the creek, wade, and look for gravel beds to start sifting. Any more specific suggestions? Thanks, Brian

Hi my name is Jerod. I'm new to this, or any, fourm so I'm not really sure how this works but I found this fossil in a shell bed while looking for sea glass in Kill Devil Hills NC. Thank you for your input.

We recently went camping in Port Huron, MI and found 7 sharks teeth. Last year a boy found a megalodon tooth in the port Huron river. We were near Lake Huron. Crazy right?!?

We spent the week on Edisto Beach this past week and found a decent number of little sharks teeth. The first surprise was not 1 but 2 great white teeth. Those are the first great whites that we have found on the beach in the last 5 years on Edisto. The next surprise came to my girlfriend when I used the big great white to propose. It was perfect, her first reaction was to finding a huge tooth, the second reaction was to a "ring stuck to it", the third reaction was realizing that I put it there for her. She only had a moment of disappointment when she realized that she didn't find her own tooth but that quickly disappeared and she said yes!