BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Find Sand Dollars at the Beach

By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor

Rate: (83 Ratings)

The sand dollar (phylum Echinodermata, class Echinoidea) is related to the starfish and sea urchin. It lives slightly buried in the sand in shallow coastal waters but will wash up on the beach when it dies, momentarilty exposed for the eagle-eyed collector.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Liquid Bleach
White Glues
Foam Brushes
Butter Bowls
Paper Towels
Buckets

Where to Look

Step1

Check on any rules about beachcombing before your begin your quest.

Step2

Obtain a tide schedule from a beach store or look in the local newspaper for the times of the low tide.

Step3

Take a small bowl, such as a butter bowl lined with a paper towel, to lay the smaller sand dollars in. They break easily until they are preserved.

Step4

Start your search at low tide - the lower the tide, the better chances you have of finding perfect sand dollars.

Step5

Search after a storm. Be sure to look around in the debris at the high-tide area.

Step6

Watch at the edge of the water as it recedes. The sand will wash away from the buried shells. You will need to be quick to get the sand dollar before the next wave washes it away or buries it.

Step7

Collect only dead sand dollars. They will be about 1 to 4 inches in diameter and look like a large, white coin. Live sand dollars are brown and fuzzy - sort of like refrigerator leftovers.

Step8

Watch for the very small dollars to make beautiful earrings. See "Make Sand Dollar Jewelry," under Related eHows.

Preserve Your Finds

Step1

Soak your sand dollar in fresh water.

Step2

Change the water frequently, as it will turn brown and start to smell. Continue until the water stays clear.

Step3

Mix a solution of 2/3 fresh water and 1/3 bleach and let the sand dollars soak for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step4

Rinse with fresh water and let dry.

Step5

Mix water and white glue in equal portions.

Step6

Use a foam brush to cover the sand dollars completely with the glue mixture.

Step7

Let the sand dollars dry completely before using in jewelry or displaying.

Tips & Warnings

If you find several in one area, search that same area every low tide. There could be a bed located close by.
Do not pick up shells in prohibited areas.

Comments

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 8/8/2006 If you go out to about knee-high water and dig into the sand with your toes, you will probably find a hard, smooth surface. If you do, that is a sand dollar. But don't forget to check if it's alive or dead.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 8/8/2006 If you go into the ocean about 100 yards (or right after a sand bar) you might step on a hard surface. That is a sand dollar. You may even find a starfish! Make sure it is alive or dead, and then check with the beach workers to make sure it is OK to leave with a live animal.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 7/26/2006 While you are soaking your sand dollars in bleach, be sure to take a toothpick and clean out the mouth (hole in the middle at the bottom) of any remaining hairs. Place them in the bleach and water solution with the bottom facing up. Push them from side to side to get all the air out of them, which is when the bubbles stop coming out. This way you bleach the inside of the sand dollar as well as you do the outside.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 3/8/2006 If you find several sand dollars, and want to carry them in a bag, it's better to place them on their sides; like slices of bread in a loaf. That way, they won't break as easily from the weight of the other wet sand dollars.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 If you expect to find sand dollars in the high tide, or from the shore line where the waves rarely touch, you will only find broken ones.