The fact that poorer quality specimens still have much scientific value cannot
be denied.  And, such specimens would be a good deal for folks who wanted
them, since they would undoubtedly be priced substantially lower than fine+ or
gem specimens.  And yet, realizing this, most dealers still will not offer
such material to their customers.  Why?  In a word, pride.  For a dealer,
every specimen he/she sends out, with personalized label attached, is an
advertisement, positive or negative, for himself as a dealer.  I have this
recurrent vision of John visiting Jane and viewing her collection.  A chipped,
faded specimen attracts his attention, since most of Jane's shells are very
nice quality.  He turns over the data slip, and it is - mine! (shiver).  And
John immediately forms an impression of the kind of material I send to
customers - even though that may have been the only poor specimen I ever
shipped - and maybe passes that impression along to a few other people.  That
is a major reason why I don't offer second-rate material, even with the up-
front understanding that it is inferior material at a reduced price.  I figure
that others, viewing the material later, may not be aware of that pre-sale
agreement.   Maybe I'm just a bit psychotic about this, but that's how I feel.
 
Paul M.