A fossilized mastodon molar found near the mouth of Aptos Creek this week. The tooth is estimated to be less than 1 million years old. (Photo: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History) ...

A fossilized mastodon molar found near the mouth of Aptos Creek this week. The tooth is estimated to be less than 1 million years old. (Contributed - Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History) ...

JAMESON, Mo. (KTVI) — A day of exploring this summer led to the finding of a priceless fossil for a Missouri 18-year-old. Ira Johnson, of Jameson, found the fossilized tooth of a mastodon — an ...

JAMESON, Mo. (KTVI) — A day of exploring this summer led to the finding of a priceless fossil for a Missouri 18-year-old. Ira Johnson, of Jameson, found the fossilized tooth of a mastodon — an ...

JAMESON, Mo. – A day of exploring led to the finding of a priceless fossil for one 18-year-old. Ira Johnson of Jameson, Missouri found the tooth of a mastodon in the Grand River on August 29.

Ira Johnson, of Jameson, found the fossilized tooth of a mastodon — an elephant-like animal — in the Grand River on Aug. 29.

Ira Johnson, of Jameson, found the fossilized tooth of a mastodon — an elephant-like animal — in the Grand River on Aug. 29.

Smith holds the ancient mastodon molar tooth he discovered at a beach in Rio Del Mar on Tuesday and the two stand in front of the juvenile mastodon skull also found in Aptos in 1980.