Dear COA Friends and Dealers,
        I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Spain without a worry in
the world and got back on Conch-L only to start reading about the "Len Hill"
mess.  I had already planned on personally boycotting the "Sale" [even though
I would love to buy some of Len's material, there are some things more
important than making a "buck"].  I felt that Mr. Paul was ethically wrong in
attaching his sale on to the coat tails of the COA Convention and taking away
from the COA auction...I could care less about his taking away any business
from my bourse sales, as I am 99% a mail order dealer and use the bourse to
visit with old friends and possible meet new customers!  Now, to learn that
there is talk about letting him combine his sale with the bourse is just
totally unbelievable!!!   We all knew Len and I always felt that Len was a
very ethical individual and I had a high respect for him...I personally really
do not believe that even Len would approve of this!   Rules are made to be
respected and not used when it is convenient!   For those of you who know me,
you know that I use to "fume and fuss" about the rule of shell dealers having
to sign a statement that they wouldn't shell shells out of their hotel rooms
at the convention, etc.  To me, a signed statement was my "bond" and to break
this rule was a gross violation of my word or bond.  I have no idea how many
thousands of dollars I lost to "hotel room" sales because of my respecting
this rule.  There were many other ethical dealers who also respected this rule
and suffered losses to those dealers that felt the "buck" was more important
than their word!   Well, enough of my soapbox...I personally feel that to
allow Mr. Paul to combine his sale of Len's shells with the COA auction or
bourse would be ethically wrong and would set a very bad precedence in the
future.  I hope other members of the COA and other dealers will support me in
this feeling.  What is right, is right!
       Sincerely,
        Edward T. Schelling [Worldwide Specimen Shells]