How many types of cowries do we have?

62 species
The reason cowry shells retain their shine throughout their lives is that the mantle continues to lay down shell material over the entire surface and prevents other encrusting organisms from settling and growing on the shell. There are currently 62 species of cowries known from Kwajalein.

What is the rarest cowrie shell?

One of the rarest shells is the world is spotted Leucodon cowrie. Only three of them are known to exist in the world. Some shells are worth tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What is the most common cowrie shell?

Also known as the common cowrie, the spotted cowrie has an unmistakeable ridged egg-shaped shell with a narrow opening along the underside. It lives on rocky shores and under stones at, or below, the low tide mark.

How do I identify a cowrie shell?

Shell description

The shells of cowries are usually smooth and shiny and more or less egg-shaped. The round side of the shell is called the Dorsal Face, whereas the flat under side is called the Ventral Face, which shows a long, narrow, slit-like opening (aperture), which is often toothed at the edges.

What is the most expensive cowrie shell?

Indeed, it is said that the most expensive cowrie ever privately sold made more than $50,000. The hundred-eyed cowrie shell (Cypraea argus) is known as one of the rarest and most beautiful types of seashell in the world.

What is the most valuable shell?

Conus Gloriamaris Seashell
Conus Gloriamaris Seashell

The Conus Gloriamaris or ‘Glory of the Sea Cone’ as it is more commonly known, is one of the most expensive and rarest seashells in the world.

What is the spiritual meaning of cowrie shells?

There, the shells are known to bring good luck and to protect the spirit of the wearer, and many tribes use them in spiritual ceremonies. They also are a sign of femininity and fertility, with women often wearing them not only to help them conceive, but to help them give birth safely.

What does it mean if you find a cowrie shell?

Wherever the cowrie shells are found, they almost always symbolize wealth and fertility. Spiritual meaning. In African legend, a love of cowrie shells shows that you could be family to an ocean spirit of wealth and earth. It also represents the Goddess of protection in the ocean.

What are cowrie shells worth?

While some of these cowries can be purchased for as low as $40 they can fetch up to $12,000. Edinger has even hauled in cowries worth as much as $50,000, including an orange-coloured rosselli cowrie with a reddish base.

Are tiger cowries rare?

Tiger cowries were once very common, but their populations have been declining in recent decades due to habitat loss caused by dynamite fishing and reef die-offs. However, for now, the tiger cowrie remains a common fixture in reefs across the Indo-Pacific and is important to many people and marine ecosystems.

How much is a golden cowrie shell worth?

Highly prized by shell collectors, an absolutely flawless specimen (called a ‘gem’ in the commercial shell trade) can fetch $2,000. The Golden Cowrie shell can reach 110 mm in length, making it the second largest of all 270 species of living cowries.

How much are cowry shells worth?

“It comes down to colour, condition, maturity and rarity, along with where they are discovered.” While some of these cowries can be purchased for as low as $40 they can fetch up to $12,000. Edinger has even hauled in cowries worth as much as $50,000, including an orange-coloured rosselli cowrie with a reddish base.

What is the biggest cowrie shell ever found?

The largest cowries inhabit the coastal waters of Hawaii. In fact, the largest shell in the image was found off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, and is about 124 mm long.

Where can I find Golden cowries?

Its range extends from the Philippines south to the Solomons, but specimens have yet to be found in Australian waters. In parts of Melanesia the shell of this species (which grows to about 90mm in shell length) is celebrated as a symbol of status and rank.

What is the spiritual meaning of cowrie shells?

There, the shells are known to bring good luck and to protect the spirit of the wearer, and many tribes use them in spiritual ceremonies. They also are a sign of femininity and fertility, with women often wearing them not only to help them conceive, but to help them give birth safely.

What does a golden cowrie shell look like?

Shell. Golden cowries are egg-shaped with a flat base and a narrow opening. Like other cowries, their shells are smooth and highly polished. They protect their glossy finish by wrapping their brightly colored mantle lobes nearly completely around their shells when they move.

Why are cowrie shells shiny?

The fleshy mantle is a highly specialised organ. It is the main architect of the glossy shell, as it lays down a layer of pearl-like substances as well as the colour and patterns. It also repairs and enlarges the shell and protects it from algae and encrusting animals. This is why a cowrie shell is so shiny and smooth.

What are the biggest shells in the ocean?

The three largest species in the registry are the bivalves Kuphus polythalamia, Tridacna gigas and Pinna nobilis, with maximum recorded shell sizes of 1,532.0 mm (5 ft 0.31 in), 1,368.7 mm (4 ft 5.89 in) and 970.0 mm (3 ft 2.19 in), respectively.

How are cowrie shells formed?

The shell of the mature cowry is thickened and decorated from the outside, by deposition of many alternating layers of very flat crystals and very thin skin.

How do you clean a cowrie?

For natural shining shells (cowries, Marginellidae, Olividae,…), just put the shell in 90% at least, alcohol (ethanol). Then, if the smell persists, you can carefully put a very small quantity of pure bleach, the most concentrated possible that you can find (32°, 48° at least), in the shell’s aperture.

Do cowrie shells break easily?

Cowry shell like any other shell is delicate and can break easily. Hence care should be taken not to drop it.

How do you shine cowrie shells?

If your shells have exteriors that are naturally shiny, such as cowries, olive snails or marginellas, using chemical bleach or acid on them can risk damaging the sheen. Fill a bucket or dish with enough 90-percent rubbing alcohol to cover the shells, and let them soak overnight.