Albertosaurus sarcophagus tooth 1.9" (4.75 cm), Drumheller, Alberta, Canada (disposition #001590)

This is a naturally-worn 1.9" (4.75cm) long Albertosaurus sarcophagus tooth from the Drumheller area of Alberta, Canada. It has a slender, strongly curved profile with brown and tan coloration and wonderful enamel. A row of distinct serrations, or denticles, is preserved along both the posterior and anterior edges of the carinae. The tooth has been reassembled and is missing a few pieces. This is typical of teeth that show extreme natural wear like this example as they typically fall apart once exposed by erosion. Note the natural dark brown-coloured, lengthwise "slice" coming down from the tip. This indicates natural feeding wear of the enamel from chewing through bone and excites the imagination! This tooth has not been restored with any fillers and I would, personally, leave it that way so some internal features can be viewed and enjoyed. 

The specimen rests on Styrofoam base within a golden box accompanied by a label reading “Dinosaur Tooth, Drumheller, Alta”. These particular golden boxes were used by Green's Rock & Lapidary in Calgary back in the late 1960s-early 1970s to sell dinosaur teeth prior to the introduction of fossil legislation in Alberta. Harvey purchased this tooth from Green's during that time period.

The rocks exposed in this area are from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (believed to be 68 - 73.1 million years old). The only formally-recognized large theropod from this formation is Albertosaurus sarcophagus, which was a very large meat-eating dinosaur that could grow up to 9 meters (30 feet) long, weighing just over 1 ton. There were over 50 serrated, sharp teeth in its giant 1 meter long skull! Pre-dating Tyrannosaurus rex by several million years, it was smaller than T. rex but the apex predator of its day.

More about Alberta theropod dinosaurs

Legal Status: This specimen is legally available for private ownership and resale under Alberta Disposition Certificate #001590. A copy of the disposition documentation will accompany the specimen. Learn more about Alberta fossils and the disposition process.

Species: Albertosaurus sarcophagus
Age: Late Cretaceous (Campanian to early Maastrichtian or 68-73.1 million years ago)
Formation: Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Edmonton Group)
Locality: Red Deer River valley, Drumheller area, Alberta, Canada
Dimensions: Tooth size: 4.75 × 2 cm
Provenance: Green's Rock & Lapidary (Calgary); Harvey Negrich
Alberta Disposition Certificate Number: 001590 (specimen #HN1007) issued July 7, 2026