LMX025 - SUPERB "SHOVEL-TUSKER" PREHISTORIC PLATYBELODON GOMPHOTHERE ELEPHANT MOLAR WITH COMPLETE ROOTS AND FULLY EXPOSED CUSPS

Product Description

ITEM # 

LMX025

ID

Platybelodon

FOUND

Linxia Basin - Gansu, Northwestern China

AGE

MIOCENE:  14 - 5.3 million years ago

SIZE

3.75" long crown

CONDITION

NO REPAIR OR RESTORATION - AGE FISSURES
FILLED ON ROOT ONLY TO STABILIZE.
COMPLETE WITH ROOTS

NOTE

RARE AND IN THE FINEST CONDITION
WITH SUPERB LAB-CLEANED SURFACES
ON A FULLY EXPOSED CROWN WITH ALL
CUSPS VISIBLE.

INCLUDES STAND - Actual Item - One Only

Comes with a certificate of authenticity / information sheet

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOMPHOTHERES

While more common decades ago when fossils from this deposit appeared in the U.S. market, fine quality fossil teeth of this rare Miocene proboscidean from China are very difficult to locate today.  This is a complete, unerupted molar of a Platybelodon elephant, also known as a "shovel-tusker", named for its bizarre, shovel-shaped lower teeth.  These extinct, strange prehistoric elephants are members of the Gomphitheriidae family of proboscideans.  Fossils from any deposit in the world of this creature are rare.  These odd teeth from this fantastic extinct beast sometimes can be found still in the marketplace but often, they are in a poor state of preservation, are partial specimens or with repair or restoration masterfully disguised by the original Chinese diggers.  Today, finding a fine grade example fossil tooth of this amazingly bizarre extinct elephant is quite difficult.  This specimen is an excellent and scarce opportunity to acquire such a fossil.

If you want a fine grade Platybelodon tooth that shows superb exposed cusp anatomy and an original root system still in place then this fossil is a strong  recommendation.  We cleaned this specimen in our on-site lab and every detail of the cusps and growth features are stunningly well-preserved and visible.  The root and crown had some age cracks in it and we filled the root cracks but left the crown cracks as these are typical and normal for age.  The crown is in such beautiful condition with stunning natural color.  There are beautiful hues of gold and orange but also accents of BLUE in the enamel!  The tooth was found in one piece and the fissures are only from age and are original, not from mishandling when collected therefore the tooth has no typical repair.  Uncommon is the root system still attached including portions of jaw bone still embedded within the long roots.   MANY TIMES MORE RARE YET AT A COMPARABLE PRICE TO THAT OF A NORTH AMERICAN MASTODON TOOTH OF THE SAME QUALITY AND FEATURES.

This remarkable specimen came from a very old private U.S. collection and was likely purchased back in the early 1980's before the wave of fake Chinese fossils flooded the world market as they have today.