Top 7 reasons megalodon teeth are so cheap

Top 7 Reasons Megalodon Teeth Are So Cheap

One of the most common questions I get is about the value of Megalodon teeth, many people are surprised how expensive megalodon teeth are, but even more want to know “Why Are Megalodon Teeth So Cheap?”

-- 2022 Update --
While megalodon teeth can still be purchased economically they are increasing in price at a previously unheard of rate. This is due to many factors but the trend is definitely changing.

While megalodon teeth can cost more than a new TV or a nice pair of shoes there are only a few that can command a price high enough to purchase a new car.  Some small Megalodon teeth with a significant amount of damage can be purchased in a retail setting for under $20, many people consider that “cheap” for a fossil that is millions of years old and came from a giant predator.  Below are some of the top reasons that megalodon teeth can be purchased for a relatively low amount of money compared to other fossils.

1.   The megalodon shed thousands of teeth over their lifetime.
While the exact number is not agreed upon, most scientists concur that the megalodon like most modern sharks regenerated and shed teeth.  This was due to the prey items megalodon ate which would often damage their teeth, if it were not for the shark continually growing and shedding old teeth they would not have been an effective hunter.  Because of this scientists say that a megalodon would shed thousands of teeth over it’s lifetime.
- One issue with this is that while megalodons shed thousands of teeth only a small percentage of those shed teeth landed in a place conducive to fossilization.  Undoubtedly the vast majority of teeth were never fossilized and lost to time.

2. The megalodon existed for thousands of years.
The scientific community disagrees on the exact timeline but overall agrees that the megalodon was swimming in the prehistoric ocean for millions of years.  This long period of time coupled with the fact that megalodon continually shed teeth means that there were a LOT of teeth grown, used, and shed over the millions of years.
- Again while there were many teeth only a small percentage of them fell out of the shark’s mouth in a location that allowed them to be fossilized.

3.  Megalodon teeth are robust and dense.
Like modern shark teeth, the teeth of the megalodon had hard enamel and dense roots, this made them good candidates for fossilization given the right geological conditions.  The rest of the megalodon made of meat, skin, and cartilage did not fossilize well which is why there are no complete megalodon skeletons.

4. Many megalodon teeth are badly damaged.
The majority of megalodon teeth have significant damage.  This is because many that the shark shed were broken or badly chipped when the megalodon bit down on things like bone and shell.  Many of the megalodon teeth today are broken in a few distinct ways at the tips due to feeding damage.  Many other teeth are poorly fossilized or have succumb to the millions of years of weather and wear and simply no longer exist or in less than perfect shape.  If you are interested in more about the condition of megalodon teeth and why “Many Megalodon Teeth are broken when found” you can click here.

5. Once recovered, they last forever.
Unlike many things that are purchased a well fossilized megalodon tooth can last essentially forever.  Because of this if someone wants a single megalodon tooth for their collection they will only need to buy one.  Megalodon teeth do not wear out, dissolve, evaporate, or get consumed so unlike other items (like that TV) Megalodon teeth can be purchased, gifted, sold, collected, and admired virtually forever.

6. Megalodon teeth can be found by armature enthusiasts.
While a large percentage of megalodon teeth are recovered by professionals there are hobby and armature fossil hunters that will also find megalodon teeth.  These hobby collectors will often sell or trade the megalodon teeth that they find which increases the amount of megalodon teeth available, therefore reducing the price.

7.  Many people do not know that Megalodon teeth exist or can be purchased.
A large percentage of the world’s population does not realize that the megalodon ever existed or that their fossilized teeth are accessible to just about anyone.  In recent years TV shows and movies have increased public interest in megalodon teeth; however knowledge about them is still fairly low.
- This has been the case for quite some time but in the past year or two public knowledge and interest about megalodon and their teeth have increased and as this continues prices of megalodon teeth will likely go up.

If you are interested in purchasing a megalodon shark tooth you can buy one online from the Store page here at DarkWaterMegs.com