Are cowrie shells worth anything?

“The larger cowries are not necessarily the most valuable,” Edinger says. “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.

How much is a cowry shell worth?

It’s rumored that the most expensive cowrie ever sold for more than $50,000. The NMNH collection, which contains some 50,000 specimens, is likely worth millions (though the Smithsonian would tell you that its collections are “invaluable.”) Then there’s cowries’ scientific value.

What does wearing cowrie shells mean?

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 is the most valuable cowrie shell?

Many cowries have stunning patterns and colors, making them highly desirable to modern collectors. 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 rarest shell on earth?

Arguably the rarest shell today is the “Sphaerocypraea incomparabilis”, a kind of snail with a dark shiny shell and an unusual boxy-oval shape and a row of fine teeth on one edge. The shell was found by Soviet scientists and hoarded by Russian collectors until it existence was announced to the world in 1990.

What made cowrie shells so valuable?

Because the shells were small, portable, and durable, they served as excellent currency and were almost impossible to counterfeit, appearing in standard weights. King Gezo of Dahomey, now modern Benin, said he preferred cowries to gold for this reason, he would always receive a fair price.

What makes a cowrie shell valuable?

Are cowries endangered?

Carnivorous, the adult tiger cowrie eats coral and various invertebrates, while juveniles eat algae. This species is endangered in Singapore.

How can you tell if a cowrie shell is real?

The shell of the adult cowry really doesn’t look much like a seashell at all. It’s much too glossy, and it’s shaped less like a snail than like an egg with a narrow slit along one side. Seashells usually are shaped like caps, as the limpets are, or they are coiled. The cowry shell appears to be neither.

What is the rarest shell in the world?

Are cowrie shells rare?

Among the rarest and most sought after of all shells are cowries. These single-shelled mollusks with a zipper-like opening on the bottom come with dazzling variety of colors and markings.

How much is a golden cowrie 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 do you know if a cowrie is alive?

If you touch them and they close their shell, then of course they are alive!

What does it mean when someone gives you a seashell?

Shells are connected with water as a symbol of fertility and with sea deities and are symbols of prosperity in the form of one generation rising out of the death of another or as a symbol of immortality in the form of shells as grave-gifts.

What is the rarest cowrie?

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.

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.

Where can I buy cowrie shell jewelry?

Wholesale Accessory Market has a great selection of jewelry that features cowrie shells, including necklaces, anklets and bracelets. You can opt for pieces with a more naturalistic look, or stock your boutique with wholesale cowrie shell jewelry that pops with color.

What does a cowrie shell symbolize?

The popular Cowrie Shells, or cowry, has many uses dating back to 1,200 BC and has shown up in the form of money, jewelry and religious accessories. Throughout Africa, South and North America, the cowrie symbolized the power of destiny and prosperity.

What’s included in our wholesale shell jewelry?

In addition to shells, our wholesale shell jewelry features beads, charms, pendants and other gorgeous accents that will make your customers long for the ocean breeze. You’ll find starfish, turtles, mermaids and other nautical touches among our collection.