Megalodon Tooth, fancy colours

[Ezio Bonsignore]

Megalodon theet are not difficult to find, but I'm attracted by this one (sopposedly from Indonesia) both because of its size (12.42cm) and its colours. Seller admits to root restoration (I can see that myself...), erosion and cracks, and says that "colours may change slightly as it dries out"(?). What would you suggest - worth pursuing? Thanks

 

[Ezio Bonsignore]

[Ezio Bonsignore]

[Ezio Bonsignore]

[Ezio Bonsignore]

[LabRatKing]

Looks legit to me. Serrations are magnificent. The root may be fabricated however.The nutrient holes are missing and what appear to be putty work is visible on the apex. However as root fabs go, I’d call it better than average. It is quite a bit more uniform in structure. All in all a nice display piece!

[Ezio Bonsignore]

Thanks for the quick answer, I'll try to get it

[LabRatKing]

7 minutes ago, Ezio Bonsignore said:

Thanks for the quick answer, I'll try to get it

I would. I’m still drooling over those serrations!

[PrehistoricWonders]

It depends on the buyer... some don’t like having any restored teeth in their collections, too me, with this tooth, the goods out way the resto.

Btw,

Awesome tooth! The colors, bourlette, & serrations are stunning!

[Troodon]

The color and preservation of the crown is stunning and actually looks like a Pungo River Fm tooth from Lee Creek, hopfully its not one.   Megalodon teeth are common even from Indonesia so I would not have one with a significantly restored root in my collection like this one.  The restoration is pretty good so it was probably done in this country so the seller probably knows more on how much if not all the root was done.

[Praefectus]

I vote pass. In addition to a fake root, the crown on this tooth was cracked into three pieces and then restored. You can see the patch marks where the break and restoration occur on both the front and back sides. Unfortunately, this seems to be really common with Indo megs. I think the teeth get really manhandled during extraction. 

 

 

 

 

[Praefectus]

The same type of restoration work is a bit more apparent on this tooth from my collection. The edges of the crown have been broken and repaired. 

 

[aeon.rocks]

3 hours ago, Praefectus said:

 In addition to a fake root, the crown on this tooth was cracked into three pieces and then restored. You can see the patch marks where the break and restoration occur on both the front and back sides. Unfortunately, this seems to be really common with Indo megs. I think the teeth get really manhandled during extraction. 

 

 

The same type of restoration work is a bit more apparent on this tooth from my collection. The edges of the crown have been broken and repaired. 

 

 

 

Not at all manhandled during extraction in such cases and not just a resto!

 

These are compositions with completely rebuilt roots, sometimes cut/broken sides from other teeth. The tooth when found looks sth like this, with more bourlette in some cases, but almost completely disintegrated roots...more or less similar. Sometimes sand is covering such "imaginary sand shaped roots" and sellers adveritse them as "all natural, we don't sell fakes or restored teeth, but carefull with indonesian megs which are often restored or fake (none from USA sellers)". I'ld post pictures, but it would be too obvious to ID resellers... Anyway, something like this is under all that resto: 

 

 

Same story as here: 

 

 

But the restoration job is obviously better in this case... And it takes some time and skills, if you're buying - consider you're paying for the resto-job too! It's a nice restored tooth, if you can get it at 50% off the price of a natural one, I'ld say it's not a bad purchase. Considering, it still qualifies as commercial quality and that we saw many teeth sold as natural with no real root (just sand, shaped from matrix!), also in this forum, for a very high price considering the condition... Considering all that, I'ld say such restoration is just as good as "all natural tooth" with sand instead of root (heavy pitting/erosion or no real root under sand), maybe even nicer for display reasons... It's a fossil. Only question, if you can live with resto and how much $$$...

 

 

 

[Ezio Bonsignore]

Many thanks again to everyboby for the very useful comments and advice. As to $$$, I'll bid VERY conservatively. If I get it, would the Forum's rules allow me to ask, " I paid X$, was this a magnificent bargain or a rip-off?"

 

 

[Top Trilo]

Just now, Ezio Bonsignore said:

Many thanks again to everyboby for the very useful comments and advice. As to $$$, I'll bid VERY conservatively. If I get it, would the Forum's rules allow me to ask, " I paid X$, was this a magnificent bargain or a rip-off?"

 

 

The forum rules do not allow any valuation which includes saying for that price it was a good deal or that price was way too much, my advice is to research other megs with around the same size and quality and find a reasonable price

[Ezio Bonsignore]

"The forum rules do not allow any valuation which includes saying for that price it was a good deal or that price was way too much, my advice is to research other megs with around the same size and quality and find a reasonable price"

 

Thanks, will do. Actually I have been following the discussions in this forum and the prices on auction sites for quite some time, but as indicated I have been attracted by this one mostly because its unique colours and I'll have to decide within a couple of days. I'll let you all know and if I get it will provide additional detailed photos for your assessment (no mention of price).

 

22 hours ago, Troodon said:

Actually looks like a Pungo River Fm tooth from Lee Creek, hopfully its not one. 

You lost me on this one. Why "hopefully it is not one"? Are private sales of such teeth against the law?

[Troodon]

1 minute ago, Ezio Bonsignore said:

"

 

You lost me on this one. Why "hopefully it is not one"? Are private sales of such teeth against the law?

How do you know its not one.? Not against the law but can be deceptive.  Bottom line there are enough red flags with just a completely fake root that I would never purchase it.

[Praefectus]

4 hours ago, Troodon said:

Bottom line there are enough red flags with just a completely fake root that I would never purchase it.

Really? What if the price was $1? 

[aeon.rocks]

Lee Creek meg of that size, color and quality, if natural, would cost you A LOT of money! Something about that site (it's off limits nowadays) makes some collectors cash out 2-3x more... But it's 100% not a LC tooth (look at non-restored middle area of bourlette), definitelly Indonesian meg, resto was most likely done in USA however.

[JohnJ]

6 hours ago, Ezio Bonsignore said:

Many thanks again to everyboby for the very useful comments and advice. As to $$$, I'll bid VERY conservatively. If I get it, would the Forum's rules allow me to ask, " I paid X$, was this a magnificent bargain or a rip-off?"

 

 

 

As previously mentioned, please do not mention any prices....OR, the seller's country.  Good fossils, fakes, and everything in between can originate from any country or sold from any country.  On TFF, those comments are irrelevant to the specific item being discussed.  Thanks.  

[aeon.rocks]

11 hours ago, JohnJ said:

 

As previously mentioned, please do not mention any prices....OR, the seller's country.  Good fossils, fakes, and everything in between can originate from any country or sold from any country.  On TFF, those comments are irrelevant to the specific item being discussed.  Thanks.  

 

Not to argue and not trying to be an a-hole, but a lot of things not allowed to discuss matter... Generally I agree with all said above, but some things matter. Country of origin not as much as who's selling however, but seller's country and seller's experience matter and I have to say I would trust some sellers in USA or EU without seeing pictures a lot more as sellers in Indonesia generally. Despite the margins and despite the fact that I agree with your comment (and that there are very honest Indonesian sellers around too)...

 

Here's an answer from a seller, when asked if he knows about the restoration and when it turned out he knows about it, but describes it as natural. Since it's none of my business, I just told him I'm surprised about his feedback (because of other teeth sold in a similar way), that's the reply. How many serious sellers do you know, who ask you not to buy from them, when you call their BS?

 

 

Judge for yourself, not only is the enamel composited (very likely from another tooth) and restored, but also the root and gum of this tooth have resto/compositions... In my guess this are 2 teeth put together, in Indonesia... It's obvious, but to someone new in collecting it might not be. 

 

I'm not against restoration btw! But it was described basically as natural.

 

 

 

[Praefectus]

3 hours ago, Praefectus said:

Really? What if the price was $1? 

 

2 hours ago, JohnJ said:

 

As previously mentioned, please do not mention any prices....OR, the seller's country.  Good fossils, fakes, and everything in between can originate from any country or sold from any country.  On TFF, those comments are irrelevant to the specific item being discussed.  Thanks.  

Apologies, JohnJ. I'll keep the jokes (and the rest of my comments) away from prices. 

[JohnJ]

11 minutes ago, aeon.rocks said:

but a lot of things not allowed to discuss matter... Generally I agree with all said above, but some things matter, country of origin not as much as who's selling however, but seller's country and seller's experience matter and I have to say I would trust some sellers in USA without seeing pictures a lot more as sellers in Indonesia generaly, despite the margins and despite the fact that I agree with your comment (and that there are very honest Indonesian sellers around too)...

 

Many things matter to anyone making a purchase of anything. 

 

However, as it has to be often repeated on TFF, discussion of pricing or sellers, general characterizations of nationality, and things that identify a seller are not allowed on TFF.