Thank you all. I knew that! I just wanted to be sure that everyone else was
aware. In addition, I can testify that there are many rare shells that
command little value. Some are deep-sea species, very tiny, not beautiful,
and generally unlisted.
        But, hey! How about my Phonus balonus? You got one yet?
            Q-Man

Paul Monfils wrote:

> R. Tucker Abbott, in his classic book, Kingdom of the Seashell, stated
> the following . . .
> "It might well be said that there is no such thing as a rare marine
> shell, since any species living today must have a large enough
> population, certainly of several thousands of individuals, to sustain
> the species".
> Sooner or later, that population is going to be discovered, which is why
> the rare shells of yesterday, with very few exceptions, are not the rare
> shells of today; and the rare shells of today will not be the rare
> shells of tomorrow.
> Probably my worst shell purchase, from a strictly monetary viewpoint,
> was the pair of Cypraea teulerei I bought in 1972 for $75.00 apiece.  I
> thought I was getting a great deal because that was about half the price
> dealers were asking six months earlier.  Today, with a bit more
> experience behind me, I would realize that such a precipitous price drop
> is a sure sign of the imminent demise of a "rare" species.  One year
> after my purchase, gem specimens could be had for $15.00, and
> subsequently the average price dropped to half that or less.  Shortly
> thereafter (just to add insult to injury) I attended a shell club
> meeting where the guest speaker brought with him a box of about 200
> Cypraea teulerei, which he unceremoniously dumped out on the table, and
> offered to members at $.50 apiece!
>
> Paul M.