Shell Value

[paul monfils]

Those who have been collecting for more than 11 years probably remember "A Catalog of Dealers' Prices for Marine Shells". It was a compilation of the range of prices charged by a large number of shell dealers for thousands of species. Published by Tom Rice. Despite its name, it also covered land shells and fresh water shells. It would be updated, if I remember correctly, every couple of years. It was a very valuable tool, but sadly the last issue came out 11 years ago. Copies can still be found online. I believe the last issue published was issue 23. Anyway, in response to your question, I'll list the price ranges listed in that last issue of the Catalog.

Top row:
Charonia tritonis $12.50-$20.00 (for this size - much more for big ones)
Terebra maculata $3.50-$6.00 (for this size)
Row 2:
Cypraea mauritiana $3.50-5.50
Cypraea tigris $1.50-2.50 (this is extremely common) (more for extra large ones)
Cypraea mappa $4.00-6.00
Cypraea argus $2.50-5.00
Cypraea scurra $3.50-6.00
Cypraea carneola $1.00-$1.50
Cypraea caputserpentis $.25-$1.00
Jenneria pustulata $2.00-$3.50
Row 3:
Conus leopardus $4.50-$5.00
Conus loroisii $2.50-4.50
Conus thalassiarchus $1.50-$4.50
Casmaria erinacea $2.00-2.50
Cypraecassis testiculus $2.00-4.00
Strombus raninus $2.00-4.00
Melongena corona $1.00-$3.00
Row 4:
Gyrineum natator $1.50-2.50
Amphidromus chloris $2.00-4.00
Clanculus puniceus $.60-1.50
Natica lineata $1.00-3.00
Tonna tesselata $4.00-8.00
Murex (Haustellum) haustellum $3.00-4.00
Olivancillaria gibbosa $1.00-2.50
Turbo petholatus $1.75-3.50
Mitra mitra $1.50-3.50 (more for extra large ones)

Things to remember:
Just about everything has increased in price over the past 10 years. So current prices are likely to be higher than those in an 11 year old catalog.
Price of an individual specimen depends on many factors, not just species - size, color and pattern, degree of perfection (scars and other natural flaws decrease price , as well as physical damage - a chip in the lip, etc.). If you order a shell directly from an exporter overseas, it will typically cost less than the same shell ordered from a local dealer who has already paid an exporter. But the shipping will be more.