Giant Mastodon Tooth Left In Donation Box At Michigan Charity


A giant Mastodon tooth was left inside a donations box at a Michigan charity. The giant tooth was placed alongside donated clothing and other used items meants for low-income residents.

The donation box was picked up in July from a Grand Rapids location. When they opened the donated box of items workers found what is believed to be a 12,000 to 15,000 year old specimen.

The Mastadon tooth was donated to a Christian charity, who then turned it over to the Grand Rapid Public Museum.

The charity’s executive director, Jay Starkey, tells Fox News:

“It’s pretty amazing the things we get. I just looked at it and said, ‘This is something different.'”

According to reports the tooth has been fractured in two places and was found along with a tusk that is hollow at one end. Both items were covered in laquer and well maintained.

The Mastadon was a relatively regular fixture in North America more than 10,000 years ago. Typically the animals remains are discovered buried underground. Several other Mastadon specimens have been found in Michigan over the years.

The charity admits that it could have sold the Mastodon tooth and made “a little money” but instead organizers believed it should be used as an education tool.

The Michigan charity is no stranger to odd items being donated. In the past someone’s ashes were left behind. The organization also received a painting worth $5,000 and in one case found donated drugs.

The last Mastodon tooth discovery was made by four children in eastern Iowa. Those children discovered the tooth in July and a professor at Upper Iowa University aged the tooth at around 20,000 years old.

While thousands of mastodon teeth have been discovered in North America, most major finds for the large animal have been made in Siberia.

Do you think the Michigan charity made the right decision in donating the giant Mastadon tooth to a local museum?

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