Dear Marcus & all,


I'm very sure people will pay more for that unhappy shell today: it's
a cowry and not an Ovula as some want to believe. And the actual
price was 18000 $ but the deal was later cancelled as the shell was
stolen and finally returned to its right place. The Museum people and
buyers made sure nobody lost money in this unlucky event.

But the price is far below the most expensive shell. Already Gino
Raybaudi sold two fultoni for 25000 $ each before that time.

The most expensive specimen I know of was actually sold by Eng from
Singapore. He got a shop about 15 years ago in Singapore, and one
day, in the starting days of Cypraea fultoni, he bought one because
of love, and not as a dealer. An Argentine collector stepped in his
shop and wanted to buy the shell, but Eng refused.

The collector was not willing to part without the shell and offered
him a gigantic amount already. After that Eng still refused. The
collector then told Eng: "You are very young and have all chances in
life to get another one, me I"m 78 years old and probably never gets
a chance to add this species to my collection." On what he pulled out
all the money he had in his pockets: 37000 US $ !!

Eng sold.

As such the story Eng told me about two years ago.

Never heard of a more expensive shell.

Guido










On 22 Dec 2005, at 20:06, Marcus Coltro wrote:

> The most expensive shell I've heard was a Cypraea (Chimaeria
> incomparabilis)
> from Somalia. It was sold at US$ 20,000 - but I am not sure if
> anyone would
> pay that price today.
>
> Marcus
>
>
> Marcus Coltro
> WWW.FEMORALE.COM
>
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