The Fossil Journal

megalodon teethfossil shark teeth

How to Grade and Value Fossil Shark Teeth

A fossil shark tooth's value rarely comes down to size alone. This curator's guide covers the factors that actually drive grade and value: slant height measured correctly, completeness, enamel quality and color, serrations, tip and root condition, percent restoration, pathology, and locality. It explains a practical gift / collector / investment framing, why bigger isn't automatically better, why a disclosed repair is fine but a hidden one isn't, and how to read a listing and a COA.

Jun 29, 2026

fossil shark teethsouth carolina fossils

River vs Beach Fossil Finds in the Lowcountry

A field guide to telling river fossil shark teeth from beach fossil shark teeth in the SC Lowcountry. Learn how fossils erode from submerged Oligocene and Miocene formations into blackwater rivers like the Cooper and Edisto, giving them deep color, smooth patina, and fine preservation, versus how surf and beach renourishment deliver smaller, more worn teeth to Folly and Edisto Beach. Includes a comparison table, the realities of collecting each, and what origin means when you buy.

Jun 29, 2026

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How to Clean and Display Fossils the Right Way

A fossil shark tooth survives millions of years underground, then takes most of its damage on your shelf. This guide covers how to clean and display fossil shark teeth the right way: the gentle cleaning that helps, the acids and shortcuts that destroy value, the real enemies in a display case (UV, humidity swings, handling oils), how to stabilize flaky matrix, and how to label a specimen so its species, locality, and provenance endure.

Jun 29, 2026