Shells

Shells are valued for their vivid coloration, which often fades after moderate to pro¬longed exposure to sunlight. Shells are rarely used as currency, but rare shells are sold for high prices to collectors (for example, the purple star cowrie). Bear in mind that price and resale value for rare shells vary wildly. Rare shells may be con¬sidered to be as valuable as gemstones — but only to collectors.
Note that the various helmet shell species are prized for cameo work, the price given for conch is paid only for large, unblemished specimens useable in cameo work, and cowrie prices vary according to color, pattern, and rarity, from 10 gp for pale tiger black-and-white specimens to 4,000 gp for purple star specimens.
Shambos is the name given to tortoise shell. This is a misnomer; the plates of shell are not from a tortoise at all, but from a sea turtle found in tropical waters. A single, undamaged carapace will yield 37 separate plates if properly handled. Thirteen of these plates are valued in gem work, and are known as "blades." The 24 remaining edge- plates are of little value and are usually damaged from activity during the turtle's life. The plates are separated from the tur¬tle's skeleton by heat, but the fire must be tended with skill, or excessive heat will darken the color of the shell, ruining it for ornamental use.
A special note concerning trochus (great top shell) and turbo (green snail) shells: The prices quoted in the table are for giant specimens. Turbo fetches such a price only when it has been polished to a pearly sheen. Smaller shells of both species are sold for as little as 5 cp per pound and are cut and polished to be sold as mother-of- pearl (the ordinary pearly material used for inlay work, buttons, etc.) or, if of "fire luster" are sold as nacre for similar uses.
Unio shells are simply unusually large fresh-water pearl mussels, drag-netted from rivers for buttons and similar uses. Gambling tokens in Faerfin are often fash¬ioned of such material.