Archived shark specimens from public and private repositories are highly valuable sources of DNA for retrospective genetic analysis. Here the usefulness of skeletal material as a source of DNA for temporal genetic studies is assessed. For cost effective processing, qPCR assays were developed to determine the quality of extracted DNA prior to downstream analysis. Independent assays were developed using SYBR fluorescence detection to amplify 100 and 200 base targets. Suitable single copy sequence targets in the tiger shark genome were found in the flanking sequences of microsatellite loci. An internal positive control (IPC) involving the addition of a synthetic oligonucleotide was also used to assess for PCR inhibition in the DNA extractions. Jaws yielded relatively high DNA quantity and quality, while large differences in yield were observed for vertebrae. Application of the method to 38 museum and private angler trophy specimens dating back to 1912 yielded sufficient DNA for downstream genetic analysis for 68% of the samples. No clear relationships between age of samples, DNA quality and quantity were observed, likely reflecting different preparation and storage methods for the trophies. This study demonstrates that archived shark jaws and vertebrae are potential high yield sources of DNA for genetic analysis.