#26 • 69lb Peace River, FL Mammoth Tusk Fossil

Part of March 2025 Premier Auction (live auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $13,500.00

Status: Sold

Category: Natural History

An exceptional complete nearly 6' mammoth tusk from a rare locality, the famous Peace River, Desoto County, near Arcadia, FL. The behemoth, recovered in the middle of the 1960s, remained the property of the devout fossil hunting family that discovered it until recent history when the collection was gifted to a close friend following the passing of the former patriarch and then shipped nearly four thousand miles north to a prominent collector in Anchorage, AK. During the mid 20th century, applying thick resin/epoxy to stabilize fossils was common, this tusk was no exception and some historical stabilization was noted (as seen in the attached photographs showing the tusk before the restoration) to the center of the tusk and tip; the middle portion even retaining a small piece of shag green carpet, a remnant of the original period fix. As such, to preserve the tusk indefinitely and restore it to its former beauty, it was professionally restored in 2024 at substantial cost, a process that has brought out even more beauty and vibrant colors from the example. The rarity of a complete tusk from this locality cannot be overstated, with mammoth tusk fragments and bones occasionally found throughout the iconic Pleistocene deposit, but complete tusks practically unheard of due to the acidic nature of the environment that led to the destruction of most examples. Only two known skeletons from Florida exist, with known full-length tusks believed to number in the low double digits, and even small discoveries of partial tusks or other bones making local headlines in modern times. The tusk measures approximately 58" along the inner curve, 71" along the outer curve, is 7" in diameter at the widest, and weighs 69 pounds. The specimen, likely a Columbian Mammoth (Mammuthus columbi), is believed to date to between 11,000 and 16,000 years ago, having been found less than 150 miles from the earliest known piece of North American Ice Age art depicting a mammoth or mastodon, an engraved bone found in Vero Beach, FL and dated to 13,000 years prior.  Note Regarding Shipping Services: This item is exceptionally large and/or heavy, and may require custom boxing or crating depending on the intended destination and available carrier services. For more information prior to bidding, please email us at Shipping@AlaskaPremierAuctions.com or call/text us at 907.570.7050.