Determining Quality
Size matters, but QUALITY is everything! A 5” tooth can be worth $3 or $3,000 depending on quality. I have graded every tooth here based on an algorithm that inputs separate scores for the tip, the serrated blades, the enamel, the bourlette and the root, and then multiplies that totaled grade by a ratio of the length. Only the most spectacular, world class specimens with stellar grades are presented here.
Basic Rules
Natural, no repairs or restoration: Many broken teeth are glued together (repaired) or, worse yet, material added to fill in areas eroded by nature (restoration). Any such work DRASTICALLY reduces the value of a tooth, and such a tooth would certainly never be considered for investment.
Polishing: Many teeth on the market have been polished. Rough, damaged enamel is commonly sanded down and then polished to hide the damage, so polished teeth are almost worthless to any savvy investor.
Size: Once a quality tooth crosses the 5” mark price goes up exponentially. A 6” tooth may be double the price of a 5.5” tooth.
Wear and tear: Given that teeth are collected from ocean bottoms, river bottoms and hand dug, they are most commonly found with varying degrees of damage or weathering. Obviously, the better the overall condition, the more valuable the tooth.
Perfect Tip
Bad Tip
Tip: A tip without damage and with in-tact, minimally worn serrations is rare. The ultimate tip terminates with a single serration point. My eye always goes to the tip first.
Perfect Serrations
No Serrations
Blade (Cutting edges) / Serrations: What makes investment quality teeth rare is the fact that the bigger the shark and the bigger the teeth, the more feeding damage they are subjected to. A tooth with noticeably damaged serrations along the blade (cutting edge) is sure to knock it out of the investment category. My second scan of a tooth is along the blades running from the tip to the root base. There is nothing more exquisite or exhilarating than viewing two continuously perfect blades with pristine serrations. Be sure to look at the juncture where the blades meet the root, which is a common place for breakage.
Perfect Enamel
Bad Enamel
Enamel: Different geographical conditions result in widely varying formations of enamel. Colors can vary from white to black and everything in between, but color is more a matter of personal preference than it is a determining factor for pricing. However, delamination of the enamel from the core of the tooth is common place. Such delamination dramatically lowers the value of a tooth. Inspect photographs closely at the upper edge of the enamel for any beginning signs of delamination. I also look closely for any raising along vertical hairline cracks (if present) in the enamel as they may indicate that the process of delamination is underway – and it can accelerate in dry weather / climate.
Perfect Root
Eroded Root
Perfect Bourelette
Peeling Bourelette
Bourlette: The bourlette is the triangular shaped portion of enamel between the root base and the main body of enamel. Because the bourlette enamel is considerably thinner than the main enamel, it is commonly worn off, cracked or damaged. A good bourlette is another good qualifier for an investment quality tooth.
Polished Teeth
Teeth which have been highly polished to hide damage.
Investment Megalodons
Santa Barbara, California
Copyright © 2024 Investment Megalodons