How big is your "Lilac" Cowrie?
 
Sounds like your abalone is definitely polished.  The exterior should look
much like the interior if it is polished.
 
 
NORA BRYAN wrote:
 
> In amongst a box of assorted and mostly unlabeled shells that what given
> to me is one that was labelled as a "Lilac Cowry".  I can't see anything
> like it an any shell book available. It looks like a Tiger Cowry with a
> purplish top instead of spots.  In fact it looks as if someone has
> removed the spotted top of the shell to a layer underneath and then
> smoothed off the edges where the new purplish areas meet the spotted
> edges.  Am I right?
> There is also an unnamed medium sized abalone that has a smooth and very
> shiny iridescent and brown outer surface.  I don't know of any abalones
> that have shiny, smooth shells. This has been polished, right?
>
> Just thought I'd check before I toss them....
 
--
Jim and Bobbi Cordy
of Merritt Island, Florida.
 
Jim Specializes in Self-Collected
Caribbean & Florida Shells
 
Bobbi in Shell Creations