The Smoothest Shells

The golden cowrie is a marine snail — the largest of its kind. Its shell is smooth and polished; in fact, they protect their shell with their mantle lobes whenever they move. Golden cowrie shells were once used as currency and religious symbols in the South Pacific, and tribal leaders would wear one around their neck as a sign of status. Nowadays, these shells are considered treasure among shell collectors because they are some of the hardest to find.