Mastodon skull value?

Tuberale · Jun 12, 2011

Just asking. I have heard a story of a skull partially buried here in Portland. Guy who told me the story used to use one of the tusks as a jumping-off place when he was young. At least one tusk and half or more of the skull are supposed to be visible above ground, but entire skull could be present.

Tuberale · Jun 15, 2011

I admit I'm rather surprised no one has replied to this thread to date.

I'd guess the fossilized ivory of at least one 8-foot long tusk would have some value.

Martingeetars · Jun 15, 2011

I admit being here in florida so removed from where you are in Oregon, it probably would'nt help if I said I'd help you look for it if geological displacement was'nt an issue. But I would help, hell just the notion of that being out there I'd spend every extra minute looking for just to have such a piece, as far as value its tough to put a price on something thats not physically in hand, but I imagine it would have a heffty price tag if the finder was willing to part with such a rare fossil!

hombre_de_plata_flaco · Jun 15, 2011

If I were you, I would grab my truck, three shovels, and two day laborers and yank that thing right out of the ground. I'm no museum curator, but I saw on TV once where a guy found a whole skeleton of one of those things on his farm and he made some SERIOUS dough.

Treasure_Hunter · Jun 15, 2011

After the huge 1995 floods in the midwest a fossilized buffalo skull was found intact with both horns, it was valued in the 10's of thousands....

Tuberale · Jun 17, 2011

I heard about it from a friend who has passed. He used to jump off of it when he was a child in the '30's, in North Portland. He claimed one tusk was present and made a good ramp for jumping off of. At least enough of the skull was still present to anchor the tusk in place for a young boy to jump off of. I remember being driven past it several years ago. I think the original house is still there.

Sheldon J · Jun 22, 2011

How much?? Depends on how intact it is and if there is more to go with it, but to the right private collector more than most make in a year.....
But here is the question, who really owns the skull, you need to check with state laws before you put too much effort into it, but above all keep the location secret!!

Tuberale · Jun 22, 2011

Sheldon J said:
How much?? Depends on how intact it is and if there is more to go with it, but to the right private collector more than most make in a year.....
But here is the question, who really owns the skull, you need to check with state laws before you put too much effort into it, but above all keep the location secret!!

As it is in the City of Portland's city limits, I've certain it has been on private property for at least 80 years now, and very likely longer than that. I've only been by the site once, but feel I could drive to it today within a block or so.

Skull appeared to be at least partially buried, and was on its side. I'd guess much of the skull was present, but haven't actually seen it yet. Just heard a detailed description of it from someone who used to play Superman on it when they were about 10. When I was driven by the property, the skull is actually located in the back yard - not visible from the road. Who can say what has happened there in 80 years?

TheRandyMan · Jun 22, 2011

Certainly sounds like it would be worth a day trip to check it out... :laughing7:

Harry Pristis · Jun 23, 2011

TheRandyMan said:
Certainly sounds like it would be worth a day trip to check it out...

It sounds to me like a childish daydream.

Tuberale · Jun 23, 2011

Harry Pristis said:
It sounds to me like a childish daydream.

Don't understand, Harry.

My father found a Smilodon canine in a ditch near Lebanon, Oregon. Fossils are not all that hard to come by in my area, at least from recent times.

The canine (the "stabbing" portion of the so-called Saber-toothed tiger) is now in a local museum.

John Day Fossil Beds well-known. Locally have lots of recent sea-shells in sandstone and conglomerate, as well as shark teeth. Within 10 miles of my parents are well-known shale deposits with Metasequoia fossils.

Mastodon remains are fairly common in Oregon. I believe several sets were discovered at a nearby schoolyard during excavation for a new building. Several species found in the remains of an old peat bog if I remember correctly.

Here's another newspaper article of a Mastodon fossil found by Joel Palmer near Dayton:
http://www.ohs.org/education/oregon...fm?doc_ID=95B20FCF-A01E-5813-43C3372FF76325BB