A comment on Giant Clams and their increasing rarity:  I recently
returned from Panama City Beach, Florida, and while there visited a
number of shell shops in the area.  All had giant clams, quite old, but
were using them for display and they were marked "not for sale".
 
There was one exception.  One shop did have one for sale, neither
particularly large nor a good specimen - price $500.00 US$!  And to
think I gave one away years ago which I had been using for arrange
flowers.  (This was before I became a shell collector).  It was an
almost perfect specimen.  My florist at the time found and acquired it
for me, since I was big into entering flower shows.  Unfortunately, the
judges weren't impressed and the best I ever did using that container
was a second place.
 
Has anyone else run across any for sale and at what price?  I might be
interested in one for household decor, but not for $500.
 
Sylvia Edwards
Huntsville, AL