9-Year-Old Unearths 15-Million-Year-Old Fossil While Wading At The Beach

Jan 17, 2023 by apost team

The treasures of beachcombers are usually confined to fairly common seashells, sea glass, driftwood, and, every once in a while, a message in a bottle. Nonetheless, it can be fun to wander through the surf looking for something greater than an old candy wrapper.

Occasionally, fossils wash out of the murky depths and delight beachgoers who were sifting through the sand for more minor finds. Fossil collecting is a unique hobby that allows you to combine this time outside with ancient history. 

Rather than digging in the dry dirt of Montana, hoping to come across a raptor, it is also vastly easier to casually head into the water with merely a sieve and shovel or even your bare hands to dig around for these ancient remains. In particular, "fossilized shark's teeth (are) an easy way to begin collecting fossils. They are often found in abundance on public beaches."

While small teeth which would fit on the tip of your finger are the most common find, occasionally, fossils hunters uncover evidence of the unnervingly large animals which once swum in the deep oceans. One dream find is the megalodon. This shark, whose name means "big tooth, is an extinct species of mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago … from the Early Miocene to the Pliocene epochs." While these ferocious giants no longer exist, their palm-sized teeth surface from time to time. The teeth can reach up to several inches in size, terrifying anyone tempted to go further into the water.  

One well-known spot for hunting such incredible “Jaws”-like fossils is Calvert Beach in Maryland. It was here that, when wading in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay on Christmas Day in 2022, 9-year-old Molly Sampson made the find of a lifetime. 

As reported by the Calvert Marine Museum, the young girl "was out searching for fossils on Christmas morning when, what to her wondering eyes appeared but a huge Megalodon tooth!"

Alicia Sampson, the girl's mother, later told USA TODAY about the fossil. Commenting on her daughter's spirits that morning, she said, "She was over-the-moon excited … It was something she dreamt about finding. She's been shark tooth hunting since age 1 when she would crawl along the beach." Molly had even asked for "waders as a Christmas present for shark-tooth hunting" that year. When the waterproof gear arrived, the Sampson family headed down to look for shark teeth. 

Once she spotted the elusive tooth, Molly reached down with both hands. She told reporters, "I was so surprised … I thought I was dreaming. I didn't think it was real."

Rather than keeping her inspiring find to herself, the young girl took her tooth over to her local museum to have it checked out. "They were really excited," she later relayed. 

Stephen Godfrey, curator of paleontology at the Calvert Marine Museum, later told USA TODAY, "Megalodon teeth are found on a fairly regular basis along Calvert Cliffs. However, one that large is rare indeed." It was reported to be about 15 million years old.

The museum shared the find on its Facebook, writing, "We love seeing and hearing about the treasures you find along the shore." They also mentioned their "First Fossil Friday program," which helps fossil hunters like Molly identify their finds. We wish Molly and everyone else many more fruitful days at the beach. 

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Have you ever gone shark tooth hunting? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, as well as any fossil-finding fans!