Old coins from Tir or Sidon, in Lebanon, could  figure Murex brandaris,
maybe a full-face portrait, or maybe as a tiny seal-mark. That 'Imperial
purple' was  their business, so they advertised it.

How anyone ever discovered that a common sea-snail could be used as a
precious dye to colour Imperial Roman garments, and get the Imperial Romans
to accept the idea, defeats me.

As does the discussion about 'Tzistit'. Obviously, old Jewish Rabbis ruled
in favour of snails, against common Indian herbal  indigo (used in jeans)

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