Here there is a question that might me controvertial . Many shells are recognized to be rare and they are not . I do not consider a Lyncina valentia to be one of those . Just take a look at the market and you´ll see. Besides that it comes from Philippines, where an industry it has been settle down for many years .

To me a rare one it is something like a Cymatium femorale or a Cassis madagascariensis and spinella form . Thats something that could be easily found 10-15 years ago and it became something hard to get .

Take a look at caribbean species . These are those that shall run out first and it is still time to get some . Remember that is not an industry , at many places shell collecting has been baned . Happens the same with New Zealand and some Panamic .

So and for everyone that got the message when i wrote about Macrocypraea cervus and Hexaplex fulvescens , these were oly two of the examples what it is happening .

I did not reffer to Cypraecassis madagascariensis or spinella form; florida Muricidae ( bequaerti ; pazi ; nuttingi ) wich and as far as i know are not being collected in recent years.

These are rare to me , not to say precious and it takes labour and luck to get one . Not expensive at most cases , just a matter of patiente .

Thats seems everything is rare now . Even those that are not became as that. Do not trust everything you see,  and make out your own judgement .

[quote]

R. Tucker Abbott, one of the premier conchologists of this century, in his classic book Kingdom of the Seashell, wrote:

"It might well be said that there is no such thing as a rare marine shell, since any species living today must have a large enough population, certainly of several thousands of individuals, to sustain the species."