Here is a big, black, monster of a Megalodon tooth as just over 6 inches in length. It's also very wide and heavy, weighing in at just under a pound. This would have come from a very large adult Megalodon shark, probably close to 50 feet in length.
The tooth has NO RESTORATION or repair work unlike most 6+ inch teeth up for sale. The serrations are a bit worn but still visible and the enamel is in good shape on both sides. It comes with the pictured MEGALODON stand.
The megalodon was not only the biggest and baddest prehistoric shark that ever lived, it was the largest marine predator in the history of the planet. Today’s great white sharks would be a mere bite-size snack for this monster. It terrorized the diverse ocean waters around the world from 15.9 to 2.6 million years ago, from the late Oligocene to the early Pleistocene. This massive and extinct species of shark was estimated to grow to nearly 60 feet in length and has often been declared the greatest vertebrate predator that ever lived.
Reconstructed jaws on display at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
These mega-toothed sharks were a giant and more robust version of the great white. They had 276 teeth in 5 rows and, like today's sharks, shed their teeth throughout their lifetime. The largest megalodon teeth on record reached a staggering 7.5 inches (190mm)! Compare this to the largest great whites, whose teeth top out around 3 inches long. Wow!
Their teeth were bone-crunching and flesh-cutting tools evolved for grasping powerful prey such as baleen whales. Fossil evidence supports that megalodon focused its attack on the hard, bony parts of its prey, such as rib cages, flippers, shoulders, and spines, effectively disabling large whales and harming major organs such as the heart and lungs. This strategy explains their thick, robust teeth.
Megalodon had a cosmopolitan (global) distribution and its giant teeth can be found in deposits throughout the world. Some are collected on land in phosphate deposits, while many are collected from rivers and coastlines after eroding out of the rocks. This contributes to the water-worn, polished appearance of many teeth.
The standard measure for megalodon teeth is slant height, or the longest edge of the tooth. Adult megalodon teeth were typically in the 4 to 5 inch range: teeth over 6 inches are rare and represent super-sized individuals. Only a handful of teeth have ever been found over seven inches.
No one knows for sure why the megalodon went extinct 2.6 million years ago, but the cooling of the climate and gradual disappearance of many of the large whales it relied on for food are suspects.
FAQs
For every inch long a megalodon shark tooth is, it's estimated to size the shark at ten feet. This means the 6-inch tooth Nastasio landed would be more than roughly 60 feet.
How much should I pay for a megalodon tooth? ›
To give you a general price range for commercial grade (has some defects) Megalodon teeth. 2-3” teeth will typically be in the $20 to $60 range, 3-4” teeth will fall into the $50-100 range, 4-5” teeth the $100-200 range, 5-5 ½” teeth $200-400, etc.
How can you tell a fake megalodon tooth? ›
Unlike any other shark tooth you'll find, megalodon teeth also have what's known as a “bourlette”, which is a dark chevron-shaped area bordering the tooth's root. This stripe is usually very noticeable and hard to miss on most megalodon teeth. Because of this, it is one of the most distinguishing features of meg teeth.
Why is my megalodon tooth black? ›
Shark teeth are preserved if the tooth is buried, which prevents decomposition by oxygen and bacteria. Shark teeth buried in sediments absorb surrounding minerals, turning them from a normal whitish tooth color to a deeper color, usually black, gray, or tan.
How big is a shark with a 6 inch tooth? ›
Here is a big, black, monster of a Megalodon tooth as just over 6 inches in length. It's also very wide and heavy, weighing in at just under a pound. This would have come from a very large adult Megalodon shark, probably close to 50 feet in length.
How big is a full grown Megalodon tooth? ›
Megalodon teeth can be up to 7 inches long and were specialized for feeding on large, fleshy prey, such as whales and dolphins.
How rare is it to find a megalodon tooth? ›
Amateur fossil hunters typically find around 100 megalodon teeth on Calvert Cliffs per year, he added. But most of them are much smaller than Molly's huge tooth. The largest megalodon teeth ever found have been just over 7 inches.
Is a megalodon tooth worth anything? ›
As megalodons are extinct, the value of the biggest fossil teeth can be very high : a 7 inch megalodon tooth can easily reach $1.000. Some megalodon teeth have been restored, some other can be found with no restoration.
Are broken megalodon teeth worth anything? ›
The condition of a megalodon tooth or other fossilized shark tooth is key in determining valuation. If the tooth has serrations present, good enamel, and intact root it will fetch a higher price than an identical tooth that was broken in half and heavily tumbled in the water.
Are 6 inch megalodon teeth rare? ›
He has spent over a decade diving for shark teeth, and says a megalodon shark tooth this large with this color, is extremely rare. The massive predators went extinct about 2.6 million years ago, according to researchers at the University of Florida.
The most common color for megalodon teeth found in the Southeast US is black or grey, however many other colors of teeth can be found. Often the teeth with unique color patterns or unusual colors are considered more valuable and sell for a higher price as they are more coveted by collectors.
What does a real megalodon tooth look like? ›
Megalodon teeth are similar to those of modern white sharks in that they are triangular, serrated, and symmetrical.
How old is a shark tooth if it is black? ›
How long does it take for a shark tooth to turn black? general rule is that a fossil is over 10000 years old. black and dark grey, while some are brown or tan.
How old is my black shark tooth? ›
Age – Most shark teeth fossils will be approximately 10 million years old but can range anywhere from 2 million years old up to 50 million years old.
Why did I find a black shark tooth? ›
A tooth will fall out of a shark's mouth and is buried in the ocean floor. This will naturally preserve the tooth, keeping it safe from oxygen and bacteria that can lead to decomposition. The dark colors of a shark tooth fossil come from absorbing minerals found in the ground around them.
How big is a megalodon tooth in inches? ›
The largest extant megalodon tooth measures 17.8 cm (6.9 inches) in length, almost three times longer than those of modern white sharks (which are typically about 5.4 cm [2.1 inches] long).
How big is the biggest megalodon tooth? ›
The largest megalodon teeth ever found have been just over 7 inches. The size of the tooth indicates that this particular megalodon was between 45 and 50 feet long. Paleontology curator Stephen Godfrey told CNN that Molly's discovery was a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of find."
What is the largest real megalodon tooth? ›
Worlds Largest Megalodon Teeth
The tooth was measured by Paleontologist Craig Sundell and has a slant height of 7.48 inches. The tooth was found broken and glued back together. It was found in the desert of Ocucaje, Peru. This area contains the Pisco Formation which is famous for its large megalodon teeth.
How do you measure a megalodon tooth? ›
The best practical way to get a precise measurement on a megalodon tooth is to use a digital caliper, opening the caliper jaws to approximately the same size as the slant height of the tooth you wish to measure.
