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Got Shells?

Do you have shells you would like to donate to our Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club?

The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club is interested in your duplicate shells or shell collections. We are interested in all types of shells, marine or land, and all genera and species. We’re also interested in new or used books on shells as well as items related to shells such as artwork, storage cases and tools. Your donated items will be used to generate income to support the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club’s Grants Program that focuses on marine research.

As a 501c(3) organization, all donations to our Club may qualify for a tax write-off. When we receive your donation, we provide you with a letter which describes the items and which may be used when filing your taxes. While we cannot provide a value, donations of up to $5,000 do not require a written appraisal. Since tax laws change regularly, we recommend that you check with your tax accountant before relying on any information provided here.

If you have items to donate to the Club or if you have questions, please contact Club President Karen Silverstein at newtard1234@gmail.com for more information on how you can help the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club.

We thank you for your support!

Comments 4

  • How do we bid or buy?

    • We’re looking for donations of shells, books, display cases, etc. so we have some great items to auction off at our upcoming fall and winter Shell Club meetings. Our next meeting on Sanibel is planned for October, so there’s nothing to buy or bid on quite yet. Stay tuned for more details!

  • Don’t know if you got my reply but I was questioning if were interested in shells that were not quite perfect, holes, ragged edges, chips.

    • That’s a great question because we all pick up shells that don’t end up staying in our collections. Beautiful doesn’t have to mean perfect, but a good use for broken, imperfect, unwanted shells is to return them to the sea so they can be reworked by the waves and made into sand. Hermit crabs and barnacles may even find they like your returned shells.