There is no standard grading system for sharks teeth but there are some generaly agreed upon basics by collectors, buyers and sellers.Everything begins with size; as a general rule of thumb, the bigger the tooth the more money it costs. Like any other collectable; the better the quality the more you'll pay for it.
Quality is where there can be some disagreements but I follow a very simple order of importance; tip, edge, enamel, root. These are the primary factors that directly determine the price of a Sharks tooth. The secondary factors are, in no particular order, shape, color, provenance(where, who and when found but primarily where) and species. I like to call these preferences that can determine whether or not a tooth will be bought or sold; consequently, this could directly or indirectly influence the price of any given tooth.
Let me elaborate first on the primary factors. The tip is the most important thing on any Sharks tooth. Examine it. The sharper the tip the better. Remember all the teeth in a sharks jaw were most likely razor sharp. Time and feeding can dull a tooth. This could be acceptable with a deduction in price, relative to wear, but broken is not and will always severely reduce any price.
The edge and sometimes more specifically the serations are next. Look for nicks, chips or missing serations. The edge is the thinest part so the expectation is that there will be some damage. One that is damage free is truly a collectors item.
The enamel is the outer coating of a tooth and covers what is called the blade. The enamel of most teeth have hairline stress fractures and is to be expected. Missing enamel is where the price is affected but the depth, length and quantity of stress fractures could affect price; although it's unlikely do so.
The root is the last item. Much like the stress fractures in the enamel there are usually fissures/cracking in the root. The root is often times the weakest part of the tooth; so it's the degree of fissuring that determine the price. Broken or missing root is not acceptable and will greatly reduce the price.
The last batch of items are what I have called preferences. Yes they can and have determined pricing. Provenance and species tend to create wilder swings of what's prefered and what's not. What's hot today may not be hot tomorrow but most sellers realize that Great White teeth are familiar to most people and tend to charge more for that species.
The color of a tooth perhaps best illustrates the preference factor. Fossilized sharks teeth hit most of the colors in the spectrum. Sellers try, with mixed success, to stimulate interest by pointing out colors.
Shape is more clearly defined and less prone to whim. Everyone wants symetry or that perfect A-shape. Those teeth will cost more. This category should be placed amongst the top but it really is a preference. A particular shape doesn't make a tooth any better then another tooth; if all other factors are equal.
