Diana,
Since you said you are an amateur collector, I would like to suggest a shell
book for your first purchase. Is is a coffee table book and the name of it
is World's Most Beautiful Seashells. It was the first shell book I purchased
about 14 months ago and it is to blame for my obsession now. Originally, I
told my husband the only shell I would ever buy was the beautiful orange
Lion's Paw on the front. Well, now I am on my way to purchasing every shell
in the book. The pictures are huge and glossy and just gorgeous. Check it
out. You can order it off of Amazon.com.
Regards,
Holly Sadowski