Captainsandbar Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Hi, I am new to the forum. I just got back from a dig with Paleoadventures. Had a great time! With their digs, you are allowed to keep common fossils (triceratops teeth, bone fragments), but anything commercial (t-rex teeth) must be bought for an additional fee and anything scientifically significant cannot be purchased. I found what was identified to me by the company as a T-Rex tooth. The attached field pics are all that I have at the moment (I have a couple more but it wouldn't let me upload more). I was told that it may cost $1500 to buy. It is being prepped and I will be contacted hopefully by the end of the month following full appraisal. I found this tooth myself in the "tooth draw" site, hell creek formation, South Dakota. I know it is genuine. My question is, how do I know for sure that it is a T-Rex tooth? I don't want to pay a premium price for something that might cost less if it were Albertasaurus or Nanotyrannasaurus or some other tyrannasaurid. What other tyrannasaurids can be found in the hell creek formation that it could be mistaken for? Are there any specific questions or information I should request before purchase? It measured approximately 2 inches long and appears to have serrations. The owner, Walter Stein, has a good resume and seems trustworthy, but I just want to make sure. I've Googled everything I can google and I'm driving myself nuts! Another curiosity....I also found what was explained to me to be a baby T-Rex tooth, but what was ultimately labelled as an "Aubleysodon" tooth. I didn't have the option to buy it because it was considered scientifically significant. Seems there is some debate regarding T-Rex, aubleysodon, and nanotyrannasaurus, regarding whether or not they are separate or the same. I also have a picture of it but couldn't upload. Any input? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Welcome to TFF! You should be able to add pictures in replies to the thread. Nice tooth! @Troodon should be able to answer Your questions. 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainsandbar Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Aublysodon tooth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainsandbar Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcfossilcollector Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hi. Very nice find! It looks Like a T. rex tooth to me but as Ynot stated best wait for Troodon’s assessment as regards this specimen. Just out of curiosity exactly what kind of prep work will be done to this tooth? I would probably inquire as to what type of prep work they intend to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainsandbar Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainsandbar Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 I'm not sure what kind of prep work, but they said it wouldn't take long, whatever it is. In general when I asked how they usually prepped fossils, I took it that they basically cleaned whatever sediment they could with fine tools and used some type of chemical? I don't remember 100% and may be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcfossilcollector Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Perhaps there are cracks in the tooth requiring stabilization of the same. Very interesting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 I know Walter and he is honest and very capable of identifying Tyrannosaurid teeth. The tooth on the surface looks like a Trex but would like to see it after its prepped. Prepping here might just be matrix removal and stabilization of the tooth. Aublysodon is no longer considered a valid species and teeth assigned to it are either Nanotyrannus or Trex which are the only two described Tyrannosaurids in the Hell Creek Fm 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainsandbar Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Thank you Troodon, that's reassuring. He seems like a good guy but I wanted to be careful. I appreciate everyone's responses! Is it bad manners to make a counter offer to an appraised fossil price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 1 minute ago, Captainsandbar said: Is it bad manners to make a counter offer to an appraised fossil price? Feel free to counter offer, happens all of the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SULLY Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Walter is good to go. He’s not a hack and is very smart. You have absolutely nothing to worry about with him! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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