brilliant for years. Don't ever use shellac, lacquer or varnish.
Get a reference book from your library and identify your shells.
Keep an account of when and where you collected them.

Store your shells in closed containers to protect them from
sunlight and dust. Almost any set of small drawers or a cabinet
will do. Matchboxes or pillboxes are excellent for small specimens.
For display purposes, glass-covered cases are best to prevent
handling of the shells. A shell's beauty is often deceptive. Many
unattractive and drab shells are worth hundreds of dollars while
the most colorful are frequently valued at a dollar or less. The
rarity of a species determines its value. A truly valuable shell
may come from deep, inaccessible waters or remote lands--or it may
be one of an extinct species. A Slit Shell collected 100 fathoms
down in waters off the British West Indies is valued at $1000.
Another undersea treasure, the Glory-Of-The-Seas, was first found
in 1771 and one time would bring the conchologist $1500. The
greatest rarities, however, are truly valueless and are not for
sale.

. . .And there it is, the fascinating hobby of shell collecting.
It's a lot of work--but a lot of fun, too.

[figure captions]

Take a SIEVE. Or an orange sack. Besides carrying your shells,
it may help you catch them. A few pint BOTTLES will hold delicate
ones.

MASK (or goggles) is essential for looking underwater. Bathing