MAGNIFICENT BARBED SHARK HEAD SPINE FOSSIL PLUS SECOND RELATED HEAD SPINE

On offer is a pair of related head spines found next to eachother in a single piece of Wealden lake bed. The larger specimen is one of the finest examples of a Hybodont shark head spine I have ever seen. The larger specimen is huge and complete and is situated in a large slab of matrix. This colouful example displays a variety of colours and exquisite detail. This is a completey unworn specimen, it is absolutely exquisite. The larger example displays the characteristic rugose surface on the head of the spine. Exquisitely preserved. I found this specimen completely by accident only a few days ago while searching some bone bed samples! The lager spine is neatly presented in the original matrix amongst other micro fossils. The second spine was originally only situated a few centimetres away from the larger spine. The second spine was removed by me before I knew about the larger specimen being present. I had no idea the other larger spine was in the block as it was completely obscured by the matrix! I discovered this specimen upon breaking the slab into two pieces, and not knowing it was there, it was extremely fortunate the spine wasn't destroyed when the slab was broken up!! To demonstrate the original slab before breaking, the last pics show the broken pieces of slab temporarily placed carefully together. This is a very noteworthy specimen for the private collector or museum. A very rare and beautiful example of a Hybodus head spine. Collected August 2008 in the Hastings Beds in East Sussex. At this locality Victorian collector and fossil hunter Samuel H. Beckles (1814- 1890, discoverer of Echinodon and Becklespinax) collected many important fossils. Larger head spine measures 3.2 cm long.

Locality: East Sussex
Strata: Hastings Beds, Wealden
Age: 135 million years
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Price: SOLD