Exceptionally Rare Petalodus Primitive Shark Tooth

Description: Petalodus is an extinct genus of cartilaginous fish from the Permian and the Pennsylvanian. This is the prize specimen of a batch just purchased from an Alabama collector. He has invested a few decades focused solely on fossils from the Bangor Formation. According to him of all the different species to be found in this formation, (known for it’s wonderful crinoids) this is by far the most rare. This Petalodus tooth is the only one I will have to offer.

The Petalodus tooth is fully 3D, with gorgeous patina and color. It shows no signs of crushing or distortion. Most importantly, the crown retains its root.

This fascinating background was kindly provided by the collector:

"There is a story behind the one you have. I found it in a rock on the bank of a lake, but only a small tip of the crown and a small tip of the root were showing. I just hoped that the whole thing was there but had no way to know. I hiked back two miles to my car, went home and got my saw and returned to cut it out. Got about half way cut and my battery gave out, changed batteries only to find the second and third batteries were not charged. Hiked back to the car, went home, changed all batteries. Next day went back to cut it out, and my arbor holding the saw blade on the saw broke. Went back to car, drove to hardware store to get a new arbor, went back to complete sawing it out. It took me two days and hiking about 10 miles to get it, not knowing if it was a complete tooth. Finally at home I got out my tools and started chipping the matrix carefully away. It took me two more days to get it in the condition you now see it."