Spinosaurus Tooth

[magicalmrmerlin]

New member here and anything but an expert on collecting. I made a number of very small purchases recently. After trawling around various overpriced fossil shops I found one that didn't seem to be totally unreasonable.

Along with a couple of other items I picked up a very cheap Spinosaurus tooth which is just under 2 inches long. I assumed it had been broken and glued together, because it was larger than the rest and superficially appeared to be of a bit higher quality - there were some really awful ones in there with it.

After purchase I looked I noticed there may be some filler in there too, so it may be a worse one than I originally thought.

But hey, for a first tooth and a fiver I'm actually not too displeased. My main question though - what should I be looking out for when purchasing teeth like that of Spinosaurus?

To be fair I can't even be sure that it is Spinosaurus!

I wouldn't want to spend any serious money on one until I know what's what.

Thanks

[Troodon]

You hit it on the head its unfortunate that when purchasing moroccan teeth, anything is possible. They fill, repair and fabricate two into one. Typically the smaller ones its just fill. Anytime you see matrix/sand on the tooth its probably disguising a repair. Look to see that the ridges which run lengthwise on the tooth are continuous and are not offset. Telltale sign that the tooth has been repaired or joint with another. Look for patches that are flat where the ridges just stop in the middle of the tooth. Its a sign of fill. Even if you buy from a reputable dealer he may not know all the signs. Educate yourself its your best tool.

Photos can be difficult to detect repairs when there is not a homogeneous surface but a repair has probably been done on your tooth where you see the matrix. Hard to tell if its the original tip. If you are happy with the tooth that's all that matters and welcome to the forum.

[magicalmrmerlin]

I'd be a bit nervous about getting a larger one without a proper look then. Other teeth appeal to me as well but I'd have to find a larger, reputable dealer for those and I don't know where to start in the UK!

[Troodon]

One UK dealer that comes to the Tucson fossil show is Moussa. I've gotten to know them over the years and they are very reputable and have a good eye towards repairs and resto. They are located in Cambridge and just started a web site that appears to be under development. You may want to give them a call, not sure if they do any UK shows or if they have a store. Bigger and better teeth can be quite pricy. Good luck.

http://www.moussa-minerals.com/ecom-catshow/fossils-dinosaur-teeth.html

[Down under fossil hunter]

Also, don't be afraid to post pics in the id section of the forum.

Usually you will get a number of professionals and enthusiasts giving their opinion on any restoration, repair, enhancement etc etc.

I 2nd that your tooth is most likely two separate teeth joined to make a more convincing looking single tooth.

Good luck on your next acquisition, make sure you do your homework.