East Riding Museums

A Tiger Cowrie shell (Cypraea Tigrus), from the Indian / Pacific Ocean. Shiny surface, white, mottled brown. Part of the Pamplin shell collection. There are around 200 species of cowrie, mostly found in tropical waters, near coral reefs. Their china like shells are prized by collectors and they can sell for large sums of money. They were once also used as a form of money in some parts of Africa and the Pacific islands.