Gemworld 2017 Cretodus score!

[siteseer]

Back in the late 80's, teeth from that area were commercially available (one dealer at Tucson had a beer flat full of just Ptychodus in various grades of condition).  I had just started collecting fossils then and bought a little matrix piece with a Squalicorax on it with the same locality information at a Natural Wonders store (went out of business later).  Years later, I found out fossil collecting isn't allowed in that area any longer (land annexed by the BLM, though because I don't know the exact locality, someone out there should research that because the teeth appear to be at least somewhat common and there might be private land with exposures of the same member of the Carlile.

 

Yeah, it's tough to dig up a Cretodus whether from the ground or the webs when you want one.  I have maybe five in my collection over 30 years, picking up what I could when I could.  You made a great buy.  As has been said, a 2-inch Cretodus is a prize itself but to get one in matrix with other teeth and associated bits is a showpiece for a shark tooth collector at any level of experience.

 

[Darktooth]

@siteseer Thanks for the input. The dealer I got the piece from said that the guy who found it,  has permission from a land owner who owns a ranch on this formation. Apparently there are other land owners who have closed access to the site. The dealer also had a much smaller Cretodus in matrix for much less but that one had no other teeth along with it. Plus I really wanted the bigger one!

[StevenJD]

Nice tooth!  I'd say you made a good deal.  A cretodus that big isn't easy to find. 

[Darktooth]

That's what I was thinking. And as much as I would like to find one myself out in the field, my chances of even getting to the locactions for these teeth are slim to none.