Found fossilized tooth or claw - please help!

[Kaitlin]

Hi all - I am new to the group so please forgive me if I miss any information. 

 

I found this piece in question on a sandbar right off of Wallops Island, Virginia. I believe it is some kind of tooth or claw/talon. Unfortunately I am on vacation and left the piece at home. But I estimate it to be around 6 inches long (0.15 meters) and about 2 inches wide (0.05 meters). It has a little weight to it but still light. 

 

This was the best picture I had that shows the full piece and the root top.

[Fossildude19]

Cropped, contrasted, and rotated:

 

[Rockwood]

Sloth claw core ?

[Huntonia]

Hmm, I'm not so sure about sloth. Here's a megalonyx claw core from Virginia:

Maybe it could be worn but the shaping and texture doesn't seem right to me.

[PrehistoricWonders]

I agree with @Huntonia shape doesn’t look right, I’ve got absolutely no clue!!!!!

[Kaitlin]

Yes this is a different shape and texture. Most fossils for claws angle more than this one does.

[Creek - Don]

Could be a eocene Virginia crock or alligator claw?   

Check out the Harry Pristis photo posted on this thread.  

 

[BellamyBlake]

26 minutes ago, Creek - Don said:

Could be a eocene Virginia crock or alligator claw?   

Check out the Harry Pristis photo posted on this thread.  

 

6 inches, which is the size of this claw, seems a little long for a crocodile or alligator claw to me. Do they get that large?

[Creek - Don]

13 minutes ago, BellamyBlake said:

6 inches, which is the size of this claw, seems a little long for a crocodile or alligator claw to me. Do they get that large?

Yes, they were huge back then in Eocene.  Although this one lived in Australia. 

 

[JohnJ]

@Kaitlin

Do you have images of other views and closeups of the broken end?

 

I'm wondering if this is a horn core...?

[Kaitlin]

8 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

@Kaitlin

Do you have images of other views and closeups of the broken end?

 

I'm wondering if this is a horn core...?

Currently on vacation and did not bring it with me... didn't think I had something so popular! I will get closeups when I return home.

[garyc]

Maybe a goat horn?

[Harry Pristis]

My impression is cow horn core from a young cow.

[Rockwood]

1 minute ago, Harry Pristis said:

My impression is cow horn core from a young cow.

I bet these get stacked like cord-wood on cattle farms around polling time. 

[PrehistoricWonders]

30 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said:

My impression is cow horn core from a young cow.

Fossil or modern?

[Kaitlin]

3 hours ago, Rockwood said:

I bet these get stacked like cord-wood on cattle farms around polling time. 

I can honestly say I've not seen cows in this area whatsoever. There's a lot of corn and chickens but no cows. And it seems way too small. It also seems pretty hard. I have a few friends who believe it's a tooth of some kind (they said the enamel is exposed). Thoughts??

[minnbuckeye]

9 hours ago, Kaitlin said:

Wallops Island, Virginia.

Wallops Island is a six-square-mile (16 km²) island in Accomack County, Virginia, part of the Virginia Barrier Islands. Ownership was divided through the years, until the Commonwealth of Virginia seized the property in 1876 and 1877 in lieu of unpaid taxes. From 1877, ownership was again divided and subdivided until 1889, when it was held by various trustees for the Wallops Island Club. The Club was incorporated and assumed ownership in 1933 as the Wallops Island Association, Inc. Association members and their families spent the summers fishing and swimming on the island. The Association grazed sheep, cattle, and ponies on the area until the mid-1940s. 

 

If it is a bovine horn, at least you have part of history!!!!

[Kaitlin]

16 minutes ago, minnbuckeye said:

Wallops Island is a six-square-mile (16 km²) island in Accomack County, Virginia, part of the Virginia Barrier Islands. Ownership was divided through the years, until the Commonwealth of Virginia seized the property in 1876 and 1877 in lieu of unpaid taxes. From 1877, ownership was again divided and subdivided until 1889, when it was held by various trustees for the Wallops Island Club. The Club was incorporated and assumed ownership in 1933 as the Wallops Island Association, Inc. Association members and their families spent the summers fishing and swimming on the island. The Association grazed sheep, cattle, and ponies on the area until the mid-1940s. 

 

If it is a bovine horn, at least you have part of history!!!!

Haha maybe that's why I've not seen cows! Its been 80 years lol. I was hoping this would be some sort of cool fossil not a cow horn lol but I guess I'll take it if it works out to be a cow horn.

[Rockwood]

15 hours ago, Kaitlin said:

It has a little weight to it but still light. 

If you tap it lightly with a spoon does it make a high pitched sound similar to a what a stone would, or more of a low tunk sound like something wooden might ?

So far I don't think it sounds, or looks tooth like, but just maybe ?

[Kaitlin]

4 hours ago, Rockwood said:

If you tap it lightly with a spoon does it make a high pitched sound similar to a what a stone would, or more of a low tunk sound like something wooden might ?

So far I don't think it sounds, or looks tooth like, but just maybe ?

Once I come home from vacation, I'll test that out! 

[Harry_]

20 hours ago, Kaitlin said:

Hi all - I am new to the group so please forgive me if I miss any information. 

 

I found this piece in question on a sandbar right off of Wallops Island, Virginia. I believe it is some kind of tooth or claw/talon. Unfortunately I am on vacation and left the piece at home. But I estimate it to be around 6 inches long (0.15 meters) and about 2 inches wide (0.05 meters). It has a little weight to it but still light. 

 

This was the best picture I had that shows the full piece and the root top.

I am in the UK so don't really know the local fossils but in terms of shape I would say tooth and maybe a large spinosaurus one. This is one from Morrocco but it's only 3.5 cm long. Hope this helps

[Troodon]

Spino would be a super find unfortunately you are not in Cretaceous deposits and Spinosaurids are not known from North America.  I echo previous comments looks like a horn core but additional photos might help