By Tim Binnall
A Maryland girl with a passion for collecting shark teeth was understandably elated when she discovered an incredibly rare megalodon tooth while searching for specimens over the holiday season. The remarkable find was reportedly made by nine-year-old Molly Sampson as she and her family were visiting the state's Calvert Beach on Christmas day. Following the lead of her fossil-hunting father, the youngster has spent nearly her entire life collecting shark teeth and, that very morning, she had actually received a pair of insulated chest waders in order to aide in her hobby. Putting them to the test later that day, Sampson wound up receiving an unexpected additional Christmas gift when she went out into the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
To her surprise, the youngster's longstanding wish to someday find a megalodon tooth became a reality when she stumbled upon the 5-inch-long specimen. "She was over-the-moon excited," he mother recalled, explaining that "she's been shark tooth hunting since age 1, when she would crawl along the beach." Reflecting on the moment when she discovered the piece of the ancient creature, Molly marveled that "I was so surprised, I thought I was dreaming. I didn't think it was real." As one might imagine, the sizeable specimen is now the centerpiece of her staggering collection of over 400 shark teeth that she has amassed over the years.