Venice, Florida has earned the title “Shark Tooth Capital of the World” thanks to its coastal location atop a deep, ancient fossil layer. Over millions of years, prehistoric sharks like the extinct Megalodon shed countless teeth, which now fossilized, are hidden beneath the seafloor.

Storms and wave action naturally wash these durable black and brown fossils onto the beaches, making it easy for beachcombers to find treasures that are up to 3 million years old. Teeth from Makos, great whites, bull sharks, sand sharks, lemon sharks, and tiger sharks are commonly discovered.

With a little patience and a sharp eye, just about anyone can spot at least one if not several fossilized shark teeth during a walk along the sands of Venice, FL.