Beachcombers’ treasures are usually limited to common seashells, sea glass, driftwood, and the occasional message in a bottle. Nonetheless, rummaging through the sand for something other than an old candy wrapper can be entertaining.
Fossils wash up on the beach occasionally, delighting beachgoers sifting through the sand for more minor finds. Fossil collecting is a one-of-a-kind hobby that combines outdoor time with ancient history.
Rather than digging in the dry dirt of Montana in search of a raptor, wade into the water with a sieve and shovel, or even your bare hands, to look for these ancient remains. “Fossilized shark’s teeth are an inexpensive way to begin collecting fossils,” says the author. They’re frequently plentiful on public beaches.”
While small teeth the size of a finger are the most common, fossil hunters occasionally discover evidence of the terrifyingly large creatures that once swam in the deep oceans. The Megalodon is a once-in-a-lifetime find.
This shark, whose name translates as “big tooth,” is an extinct mackerel shark that lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago… Between the epochs of the Early Miocene and the Pliocene. While these ferocious giants no longer exist, their palm-sized teeth can still be seen occasionally. The teeth can grow several inches long, frightening anyone who ventures deeper into the water.
Calvert Beach in Maryland is well-known for finding such amazing “Jaws”-like fossils. Molly Sampson, 9, made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery while wading in the Chesapeake Bay on Christmas Day, 2022.
“On Christmas morning, she was out looking for fossils when what to her wonder eyes appeared but a huge Megalodon tooth!” the Calvert Marine Museum claims.
Alicia Sampson, the girl’s mother, told USA TODAY about the fossil. “She was beyond ecstatic…,” she said when asked about her daughter’s mood that morning. It was something she had hoped to come across. She’s been crawling along the beach looking for shark teeth since she was a child.” Molly had even asked for “waders for shark-tooth hunting for Christmas” that year. When the waterproof gear arrived, the Sampson family went down to look for shark teeth.
When Molly found the elusive tooth, she reached down with both hands. “I was taken aback,” she told reporters. I thought I had a dream. I couldn’t believe it was true.”
Instead of keeping her inspiring discovery to herself, the young girl took it to her local museum to be examined. “They were overjoyed,” she later recalled.
“Megalodon teeth have been discovered regularly along the Calvert Cliffs,” said Stephen Godfrey, paleontology curator at the Calvert Marine Museum. One of that size, on the other hand, is extremely rare.” It is thought to be 15 million years old.
“We love seeing and hearing about the treasures you find on the beach,” the museum said on Facebook. They also mentioned their “First Fossil Friday” program, which helps people like Molly identify fossils. We wish Molly and everyone else many more fun days at the beach.
Have you ever gone shark tooth hunting? Please notify us, and please share this article with your fossil-hunting friends and family!
