The Glory of the Sea Cone

The Glory of the Sea Cone

1. Collecting seashells is a fun hobby, but did you know that some shells have more value than others? In fact, some people collect rare shells the way others collect unique postage stamps, coins, and comic books. Like these objects, one of the things that makes a type of seashell valuable is how uncommon it is.
2. One famous example is conus gloriamaris, a seashell that’s also called the Glory of the Sea Cone. Its beauty combined with its rarity make the Glory of the Sea Cone one of the most valuable seashells in the world. It may also be the shell with the most interesting story to tell.

The rarest seashell in the world

3. A rich golden color. An

   intricate

   pattern. A smooth cone shape that narrows into an elegant spiral at the top. Measuring just a few inches, conus gloriamaris is a treasure that can fit in the hand of any lucky collector.
4. The Glory of the Sea Cone was first discovered in 1777 by Johann Chemnitz. It was incredibly rare and quickly became a sought-after prize. Wealthy collectors were willing to pay thousands of dollars for just one. Museums offered top dollar to anyone willing to provide one of the beautiful

   specimens

   . It was known as the “crown jewel” of seashells, and even used as a form of money.
5. Because of its rarity and cost, owning a Glory of the Sea Cone became a symbol of wealth and status between the 18th and 20th centuries. There are legendary stories about conus gloriamaris, like how one collector bought one and broke it on purpose, just to maintain the value of the one he already had!
6. Even as recently as 1957, only 24 known specimens of Glory of the Sea Cone existed in the entire world.

The glory of a discovery

7. In people’s first encounters with the Glory of the Sea Cone, nothing suggests the shells were collected as living creatures. Early illustrations depict the shape and color of the shell, but there’s no mention about what may have lived inside.
8. However, in 1837, a British collector named Hugh Cuming discovered two conus gloriamaris on a Pacific reef, each with a live snail huddled inside. The Glory of the Sea Cone wasn’t just a beautiful shell. That shell was part of a sea snail’s body.
9. Shell hunters must’ve been excited about Cuming’s find. But soon after, the reef where he found live conus gloriamaris was reported to have been destroyed by an earthquake. Over time, word spread that the Glory of the Sea Cone was extinct. And of course, that only led to an increase in its value.
10. But conus gloriamaris wasn’t extinct or even threatened. Rather, its

    habitat

    had never truly been found.
11. The story of conus gloriamaris changed dramatically in 1969. That’s when two scuba divers came across over 100 live specimens sitting at the bottom of the sea in the waters near New Guinea.
12. In that moment, the known number of conus gloriamaris in the world more than doubled. It would continue growing from there.

Conus gloriamaris today

13. Researchers studied conus gloriamaris and, as diving technology improved, more and more specimens were discovered. While the Glory of the Sea Cone still isn’t exactly common, it’s now known that its habitat covers parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Knowledge of the shell’s habitat makes it much easier to find.
14. Today, scientists are studying the

    venom

    of conus gloriamaris. Sea cone snails produce a venom that may be useful in treating some medical problems. So, a chemical in the venom of conus gloriamaris could be used in future medicines.
15. As might be expected, since the discovery of its habitat, the Glory of the Sea Cone is not as costly as it once was. However, it remains one of the most valuable and treasured shells to collectors around the world.