I have to side with those saying "no commercial value" is not lying.  I
actually figured it was a bit risky to indicate any real value on a
package as it might cause it to go astray.  I naively sent a large coin
through the mail in an envelope once.  The envelope made it but of
course, no coin.
 
As for shells, they have only a value to a few of us.  I guarantee if
you offer a nice inexpensive Lambis scorpious to a non-sheller and then
give them a choice to keep it or trade for a much rarer Gaza superba --
they will walk away with the spider conch.  I have given shells to quite
a few people over the years and looks, not rarity are what count.  It is
only when the shell collecting disease really strikes that a small brown
cypraea just has to be purchased, even though it is no where near as
impressive as say, a tiger cowrie.  Another test of your shell values is
what you can get for them at your local hock shop.  It won't be much!
 
So I also feel "no commercial value" is okay.
 
A final note on giving a shell to someone.  I recently was working a
trade and had a couple large Cerithium nodulosums (knobby ceriths) on
the desk.  In fact I think it was for Nora of Canadian fame.  Anyway, I
was selecting the better looking of the few I had and a non-sheller
friend (my sister-in-law) mentioned she was headed for so and so's
birthday party and didn't have a clue what to give her.  I handed her
the cerith I wasn't mailing off and said "Here, give her this."  Well
she did just that and just tonight I received a call form this gal
asking about the shell club and wondering where she could get a good
shell book.  I feel pretty good tonight.  And by the way, she had no
clue what value to give the shell, she just thought it was intriguing.
 
Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA