1.71" Fossil Great White Shark Tooth (Carcharodon carcharias) - Atacama Desert, Chile

Own a genuine piece of Great White shark evolution with this authentic 1.71" fossil tooth, recovered from the Atacama Desert of Chile. Chilean Great White teeth are some of the most sought-after specimens in the hobby, prized not just for their preservation but for the simple fact that new material hasn't come out of the country in nearly two decades. If you'd like to browse more authentic fossil shark teeth, be sure to explore our full collection.

Item Specifics

• Species: Carcharodon carcharias
• Size: 1.71" x 1.00"
• Location: Atacama Desert, Chile
• Geological Age: Late Miocene–Pliocene (~4–6 million years old)
• Condition: Natural, no repair or restoration

About This Specimen

This tooth features clean, well-defined serrations and the classic broad, triangular blade shape that defines Carcharodon carcharias. Desert-preserved Chilean teeth are known for retaining sharp edge detail that river or beach-collected teeth often lose to wear, and this specimen shows exactly that kind of crisp preservation.

Why Chilean Great White Teeth Are So Desirable

Chile banned the export of fossils in 2006 and enforces it strictly, which means every Chilean shark tooth on the market today came out of the country before that date and has been circulating through old collections ever since. That scarcity, combined with the desert's exceptional preservation conditions, makes Chilean Great White teeth stand out because they offer:

• a hard cutoff on new supply, unlike most other fossil shark tooth localities
• sharper, better-preserved serrations than teeth from river or beach environments
• a direct link to the evolutionary lineage of the modern Great White shark

Where This Fossil Comes From — Atacama Desert, Chile

This tooth comes from the Huarra Formation near Copiapo, in the phosphate-rich Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Roughly 4 to 6 million years ago, this region was submerged beneath a nutrient-rich coastal sea that supported a diverse community of sharks, including early Great Whites. As the sea receded and the region became one of the driest deserts on Earth, the arid conditions helped preserve fossils in the sediment with minimal erosion, which is part of why Chilean shark teeth are known for such sharp, well-defined serrations.

Because Chile has prohibited fossil exports since 2006, every genuine Chilean shark tooth in circulation today was collected before that ban and has passed through private collections since. That makes each one a finite piece of a locality that's effectively closed to new material.

Authenticity Guarantee

Every fossil at Fossil Driven is hand-selected, accurately photographed, and backed by our Authenticity Guarantee. This specimen is:

• 100% genuine fossil Great White shark tooth
• Natural, no repair or restoration
• Clearly represented so you know exactly what you're getting

Add this rare Chilean Great White tooth to your collection and own a real piece of shark evolution history.

— Brandon Zulli & the Fossil Driven Team