James and Others interested;
        100 years ago, Epitonium scalare (the famed Precious Wentletrap) was known
in europe from only a few specimans and was in great demand. They used to cost
$200 ( a HUGE sum in those days) a pop and were reproduced (so the tale says)
by the chinese in rice paste. Now they are only about $10 at the most (I've
seen them for $3).
        Most mollusks in nature are not all that rare, we just either don't know
their habitat or  their habitat is extremely inaccesible. They would have to
be more common that we think in order to survive as a species. I frankly
wouldn't be surprised if  in the next 20 or so years for the greats such as
Conus gloriamaris or bengalii to drop in price to something more affordable (I
wish pernobilis would *Grin*. )
        A few years back (someone the details please?) Cyp. fultoni was $10,000 a
pop. Before that it was like $25,000. Now it's what  $1000 to $2000 at the
most? The story I read about was that there was a Russian ship that found a
mother load off africa and dredged to their hearts content. They got about 400
specimans and the price dropped dramatically. I am not at all surprised to
hear about this dealer who has 1000 of them.
        I do have one question about this new load of fultoni. There is a species
that looks extremely similar (I think it is C. teulerei ) to fultoni. The
reason I say this is because I came across a huge bin of them at a shell shop
and I commented that it looked so similar. The owner also said the same thing
and said if he was really dishonost, and someone who was not all that
knowledgable wanted a fultoni, he could probably sell them that species and
they would never know the difference. I forget the exact one in the store)  Is
everyone sure that this motherload is really fultoni or this lookalike
(teulerei in a new local?)  - just a thought
 
Sarah