How to Select Rare Seashells

Seashells have been around for centuries. Tribesmen living on the Gold Coast of Africa used seashells for religious symbols, ornamentation and in some cases tender. While you often see common shells, such as clams, others types of shells are precious rarities to dealers and collectors.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microscope
• Guidebook
• Internet connection

1. Inspect a seashell for any obvious cracks or defects. Make sure the shell is not altered to contain any man-made markings. Select a rare shell that looks very natural.

2. Do business with reputable seashell dealers. An abundance of sellers and traders now have an online presence. Check if the dealer has a professional affiliation or a background in conchology (the study of seashells).

3. Explore a dealer's system for grading (or evaluating the quality) of a shell. This varies for different levels of flaws and attributes. Visit the Sharp Shells website to view rare shells and learn what qualities make up prime seashells (see Resources below).

4. Learn the different qualities that make a shell special. A particular seashell might have a rare feature not typical for its species. A unique specimen might have a resume notation such as "bristle-like features covering the shell are not usual to this species."

5. Look for exceptional color patterns or deep unusual colors that can drive up the price of seashells. Know where the shell originated. Some rare shells are found in exotic places like Madagascar and Indonesia.

6. Study rare seashells at museums and on the Internet. Visit the Discovery Sea Shell Museum website (see Resources below). You will see many examples of rare seashells.

7. Contact fellow collectors. Join a club where you can exchange shells. This is a popular way to find rare species such as rissoidae and hydrobiidae.

Tips & Warnings

• Take care of your shells by cleaning them and storing them in a place that does not have too much sun, which can damage a rare shell.
• Some tools can be helpful to inspect rare shells, such as a microscope.
• Watch out for vendors selling fake items advertised as rare seashells. Look for bits of glue or paint marks.
• Indications of a knock off shell could contain unusual upper valves and possibly a back valve taken from another specimen to create a bivalve sample.

Resources

• See samples at Sharp Shells online
• Visit the Sea Shell Museum for rare shells
• National Audubon Society guidebooks are available at Amazon