Jenniferjuniper Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Hi, My kiddos father picked this up at a flea market and was told by seller it was a megalodon tooth. He gave it to our son for Christmas. It doesn't look at all like a megalodon tooth to me. I had to manage my son's expectations when he opened it and let him know that it probably not be a megalodon tooth, but it's still really cool. I promised him I would try and find out what it is. My son is two weeks away from being 6, he has Asperger's and is absolutely obsessed with sharks. It's all he talks about. Would someone please identify this for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrophyseter Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Welcome to the forum, hope you had a Merry Christmas! The tooth is not a megalodon, but a megalodon ancestor Otodus obliquus. Unfortunately it appears that the tooth has been composited- meaning that somebody got 2-3 isolated shark-tooth fragments and glued them together with plaster to make it look like one original piece, it can be clearly seen by the appearance of a plaster ball at the center of the tooth. And boys be boys, during that age they'll either obsess over dinosaurs, sharks, or prehistoric sharks! If he really wants to get fossil shark teeth, such are actually very easy to obtain and afford. At least a few local museums are likely to sell Moroccan shark teeth for a few dollars, teeth from the famed nursery sites in southeastern United States are also easy to obtain. If you're lucky, you could even get a real megalodon tooth for him. I see that small ones that are below 3 inches are usually sold below thirty dollars , with larger but partial teeth commonly being sold for a similar to somewhat higher prices. (based on my experience, others could differ) 5 If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenniferjuniper Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 Thank you Macrophyseter, I guess that's about what you should expect when you buy from a random seller at a flea market. It's okay though, he didn't spend much on it and my kid loves it. Thanks again for taking the time to identify it for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Maybe it's from Morocco. BTW, Donovan had a really nice song: " Jennifer Juniper ", that I never forget. 2 " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 7 hours ago, abyssunder said: BTW, Donovan had a really nice song: " Jennifer Juniper ", that I never forget. Indeed, that tune leapt unbidden into my mental playlist as soon as I saw the poster's screen name. 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...
Harry Pristis Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 The Otodus obliquus tooth is unlikely to be a composite, but it certainly has been repaired with plaster of Paris. This is a repair that is often done on broken teeth by Moroccan "harvesters." The more serious problem is that the lateral cusps are missing. These teeth are widely available, along with other smaller shark teeth from Morocco. These teeth are a good starting place for a young collector. 3 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenniferjuniper Posted December 27, 2018 Author Share Posted December 27, 2018 Thank you all for the great info. Where's the most affordable and reliable place to purchase megalodon teeth. I'm buying for my kid so im looking for the "wow" factor: big in size, not necessarily in great shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 1 minute ago, Jenniferjuniper said: Where's the most affordable and reliable place to purchase megalodon teeth. There are numerous sites on the web with varying degrees of condition, size and prices. Look around a while before You purchase. If You are unsure of a tooth post pictures here and get some other opinions on it. Good luck! 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...
Fossildude19 Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 33 minutes ago, Jenniferjuniper said: Thank you all for the great info. Where's the most affordable and reliable place to purchase megalodon teeth. I'm buying for my kid so im looking for the "wow" factor: big in size, not necessarily in great shape. Bill Eberline is a member here. His website offers many price points, and genuine teeth. No need to worry with Bill. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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