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A Pennsylvania boy recently made a fascinating discovery while vacationing with his family, according to WLWT News.
8-year-old Riley Gracely and his family were on their annual visit to Palmetto Fossil Excursions in South Carolina when he unearthed a prehistoric fossil in pristine condition. He spotted a fossilized shark tooth stuck in a pile of dirt. "I just looked on top and it was just laying down," Riley Gracely said. "As soon as I see it and I really like it, I'm, like, 'I'm not going to wait until everybody comes around,' so I pick it up and walk away with it."
The tooth, which is almost five inches long, likely dates back more than 22-million years and is worth a couple thousand dollars. "This particular species, I think it predates the megalodon. It's called an angustidens," his father Justin Gracely said.
Riley's family has collected hundreds of shark teeth over the years, and this year the young boy was determined to find his own. "When this year came along, he's thinking, 'OK, it's my turn. I've got to get something this time,'" his father, Justin Gracely said.
"I want to go back to find more big teeth so I can add them to my collection," Riley said.