Our special video series looks at some of the more unique shells at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel, ...

1,200 BC: Cowrie Shells The first use of cowries, the shell of a mollusc that was widely available in the shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, was in China. Historically, many ...

The cowrie, a type of marine snail, has very colourful shells which were used as money. It seems that it wasn’t just the colours that made the shell appealing - its small size and durability ...

Most of the cowries had a white shell with a yellowish tint ... The mantle or the layer of flesh that covers the live Money Cowry is said to be grey-black with yellow streaks and spots. So they would ...

The Cowrie shell, part of the Cypraeidae family, is found in Western Australia and is known for its glossy exterior and spotted pattern. This particular shell is extremely rare, with only a ...