PingZhou Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 I'm trilobite collector and start collecting megalodon teeth. This piece size about 5.2" I'm not sure it is real or fake. It looks shiny. Thanks a million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth_ Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 (edited) Hey @PingZhou, plain black teeth will always get my attention. It's a very common for replicas to be made from black resin and the detail can be incredible. Check the video below. The little holes in the root can indicate resin (from bubbles), although one of my Meg teeth does have a few holes in the root but they are a little bigger, shallower not quite as perfectly round. The weight can be an indication, my 5" tooth is very heavy and noticeably heavier than my 3.78" tooth. I believe they can weight replicas too. One very distinctive thing I've noticed with all fossil teeth I have is if you (gently) tap the enamel against enamel from another fossil tooth it makes a very distinctive sound.... a glassy type sound. I really doubt resin can replicate that! I've only handled one replica tooth, a good replica but the weight and the "feel" were just not right compared to the real deal. I'm finding it hard to give certainty either way from the pics.... someone with more experience to spot the "tells" will hopefully see this thread Edited August 24, 2021 by Gareth_ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, PingZhou said: I'm not sure it is real or fake. It looks shiny. Do you have provenance of this tooth? Edit: Well, I see: South Carolina! Franz Bernhard Edited August 24, 2021 by FranzBernhard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingZhou Posted August 24, 2021 Author Share Posted August 24, 2021 Just now, FranzBernhard said: Do you have provenance of this tooth? Franz Bernhard I won the auction of this tooth on website and seller explained it is from river in Beaufort, South Carolina, 100% authentic with NO repair, restoration. Thank you. 7 minutes ago, FranzBernhard said: Do you have provenance of this tooth? Edit: Well, I see: South Carolina! Franz Bernhard I'm sorry maybe I'm misunderstood the question but that's all seller said. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth_ Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 (edited) @PingZhou One thing I should have added, shiny isn't a bad thing. That shows a high quality preservation of the enamel For eg, below are 2 pics of a 4" Meg tooth I sold about a week ago. Apart from the tip, one of the best quality Meg teeth I've seen.... that shine is just the enamel, no polishing or coatings. Well if the seller is trusted you likely have a genuine, very large, in relatively good condition, awesome coloured Megalodon tooth on it's way to you! Edited August 24, 2021 by Gareth_ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 Your tooth has every appearance of a South Carolina collected tooth. Note the possible feeding damage, most visible in images 3 and 4. In hand, the tooth should feel "weighty", heavy for its size. If you are concerned about the possibility of resin construction mentioned above, subject the piece to a red hot probe. From the photos, I feel you have a nice example of a fairly large, SC meg with decent preservation. Enjoy. 2 1 Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 1 hour ago, PingZhou said: I'm sorry maybe I'm misunderstood the question but that's all seller said. You understood completely correctly. I missed the locality in your tags, though . Thanks for the extra info. Good, that @snolly50 commented! I am always surprised by the shine of the root. But I have already seen here on TFF some of these overall shiny teeth, completely natural. Did you show them to me, @snolly50? Franz Bernhard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingZhou Posted August 24, 2021 Author Share Posted August 24, 2021 Wow, I don't know how to thank you for all suggestions. I'm in Thailand so there are not many people collecting megalodon teeth. So this is the first time in many years for me that ask for help on the foreign discussion. You're all too kind ☺️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 13 minutes ago, PingZhou said: You're all too kind ☺️ No, no, its just TFF . Feel free to ask anything about fossils and related. You may find an expert for nearly every subject. And additionally many people who like to learn via all these questions and answers. Franz Bernhard 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 Hello, PingZhou, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. I had the pleasure of living and working in Thailand for a couple of years. Loved it and the people. 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingZhou Posted August 24, 2021 Author Share Posted August 24, 2021 3 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said: Hello, PingZhou, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. I had the pleasure of living and working in Thailand for a couple of years. Loved it and the people. Please come again.!! (After COVID pandemic ) Thailand is still in bad situation now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 1 hour ago, PingZhou said: Please come again.!! (After COVID pandemic ) Thailand is still in bad situation now. I would love to come back. But yes, I am hiding under my bed until everything's safe again. 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth_ Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 Another thing @PingZhou, you're at the top end of a rabbit hole here and about to fall in (assuming you fall in love with this tooth - which I bet you will!).... consider collecting other teeth from the same Otodontidae family (Megatoothed sharks) which started with Otodus obliquus with teeth getting over 100mm in slant height. The species after that just got bigger, more robust and serrated ending in O. megalodon. There is a branch in the family, Palaeocarcharodon orientalis which comparatively has small teeth, but they're very impressive to look at. I do have pics if you'd like to see what some of these species teeth look like 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingZhou Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 8 minutes ago, Gareth_ said: Another thing @PingZhou, you're at the top end of a rabbit hole here and about to fall in (assuming you fall in love with this tooth - which I bet you will!).... consider collecting other teeth from the same Otodontidae family (Megatoothed sharks) which started with Otodus obliquus with teeth getting over 100mm in slant height. The species after that just got bigger, more robust and serrated ending in O. megalodon. There is a branch in the family, Palaeocarcharodon orientalis which comparatively has small teeth, but they're very impressive to look at. I do have pics if you'd like to see what some of these species teeth look like Yes, if you please!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth_ Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) Otodus obliquus Palaeocarcharodon orientalis Edited August 25, 2021 by Gareth_ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingZhou Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 3 minutes ago, Gareth_ said: Otodus obliquus Looks really impressive tooth.! I need to do much research before getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth_ Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) I haven't got a definitive ID on these, the consensus on here says these are O. angustidens (O. angustidens and O. auriculatus are similar and without a find location they're hard to distinguish apart) O. chubutensis or very early O. megalodon It is a fascinating family of sharks Edited August 25, 2021 by Gareth_ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phos_01 Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 On 8/24/2021 at 7:04 AM, PingZhou said: I'm trilobite collector and start collecting megalodon teeth. This piece size about 5.2" I'm not sure it is real or fake. It looks shiny. Thanks a million! Hello, It looks real to me. Definitely a Meg tooth, the worst thing what this could be is an Indonesian Tooth painted black. Details are here, also with some wear what is natural. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phos_01 Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 On 8/24/2021 at 10:03 AM, Gareth_ said: Hey @PingZhou, plain black teeth will always get my attention. It's a very common for replicas to be made from black resin and the detail can be incredible. Check the video below. The little holes in the root can indicate resin (from bubbles), although one of my Meg teeth does have a few holes in the root but they are a little bigger, shallower not quite as perfectly round. The weight can be an indication, my 5" tooth is very heavy and noticeably heavier than my 3.78" tooth. I believe they can weight replicas too. One very distinctive thing I've noticed with all fossil teeth I have is if you (gently) tap the enamel against enamel from another fossil tooth it makes a very distinctive sound.... a glassy type sound. I really doubt resin can replicate that! I've only handled one replica tooth, a good replica but the weight and the "feel" were just not right compared to the real deal. I'm finding it hard to give certainty either way from the pics.... someone with more experience to spot the "tells" will hopefully see this thread just checked this video, interesting but a clear difference to the tooth in question here. The resin teeth from the video clearly shows silver almost sparkling signs, and also if you look very closely the details are not as sharp, the structure of the teeth is also different. However its almost worrying how well they can made replica's. However it gives everyone a chance to own a lookalike I guess. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth_ Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 @Phos_01 the guy in the video does mention the silver sheen to it, that's likely just the way the manufacturer decided to colour it. I have seen on my local buy/sell page shiny-ish black replica teeth for sale. I'd guess anyone making a replica to mass sell will base it off the best example large tooth too. A replica from a high quality 6" tooth will sell better than a replica from a beaten up 6" tooth. This tooth is not perfect which is actually a good thing in helping rule out replica and you are right, the detail (looking closely at the root) of the tooth in question is very good. Also as someone mentioned above, the little chips out of the blade (something I did miss) A 5.2" Meg tooth is definitely a good way to start a shark tooth collection! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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