As a shell dealer, I have had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of collectors over the years, including a large number of relatively new collectors. Beginners are most often generalists, and there are certain species which such collectors typically consider "must have shells" early on. These include such old favorites as: Epitonium scalare Murex pecten Murex palmarosae Biplex perca Cypraea mappa Conus textile Conus geographus Thatcheria mirabilis Harpa major Oliva miniacea Oliva porphyria Ovula ovum Strombus listeri Tibia fusus Turbo petholatus Guildfordia yoka Turritella terebra Mitra mitra Chama lazarus Cyrtopleura costata Corculum cardissa Lyropecten nodosus Chlamys senatorius Regards, Paul M. > ---------- > From: William Corey > Reply To: Conchologists of America List > Sent: 08, July 2002 10:47 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Must Have Shells > > Greetings to All, > Recently, coffee cup in hand, I was admiring some of my shells. > As I > was gazing rather fondly at them I wondered "What compels people to > collect > particular shells?" I thought I would like to convene a virtual summit > and > ask the question this way: > > As you have been building your collections have you ever > thought:....What would be your "Canon" or closed list of must have > specimens. > For example, as a collector of Cones (or cowries or whatever), what must > you > have to feel you have a "good" or "complete" collection. Of course it is > a > matter of personal taste, but I am curious if there is a consensus among > the > collectors in this readership: > > Of the kinds of specimens you collect, what must you have? Or, to > put > it another way: Which specimens do you feel should be in every "good" > collection? > > Thanks, in advance, for your opinions > >