I have been collecting shells since I was a child visiting Stone Harbor, NJ in the 1950's.
In 1980 I started saving the shells and documenting them in binders.

I have collections from Florida, Hawaii & California in the USA.

Foreign locations include Little & Grand Cayman Islands, Belize, Akumal & Puerto Penasco, Mexico, Bahamas, Grand Turk Island, Costa Rica and Ireland.
Many of the shells were collected on beaches, but I also snorkel and was a SCUBA diver.
All of my shells are self-collected and were found dead with no cute hermit crabs inside :-)
I have been lucky to live in Islamorada, Sanibel, Venice & Nokomis, Florida.

PS...The photo is me on sea turtle patrol; at dawn, on Casperson Beach, Venice, FL in 2016. I was privileged to be part of a state permitted turtle patrol program for two summers.