I find a superb packaging material to be those styro-paper separators
used in crates of temple and tangelo oranges (the bi-ply version, not
the thick type, which is a bit cumbersome!) to protect the little
citruses: for most purposes, you can just use one ply: it is light,
strong, and protects even fragile shells rather well!!
        My philosophy of shell packing in general is: pack them so that if
the package is kicked out of the plane at 30,000 feet over its
destination, the shells will survive (although Canada Post seems to
occasionaly find a way to break almost anything!). The two most
important factors are the amount of padding between shells, and
whether or not any shells can move: if something can move in a
package, it is more likely to find a way to get itself broken than one
which is in there snugly!!
All The Best,
Ross.
--
Ross Mayhew: Schooner Specimen Shells:
Http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com
"We Specialize in the Unusual"
Phone: (902) 876-2241; Fax: (603) 909-8552.
But try to find "something for Everyone"!!
Snail Mail: 349 Herring Cove Rd, P.O Box 20005, Halifax, N.S., Canada,
B3R 2K9.