Conus gloriamaris or the Glory of the Sea Cone was once thought to be exceedingly rare. It was so rare, specimens used to sell for over $1000 each (back in the early 1900s when $1000 was huge sum of money). They were so pricey that an enterprising Japanese craftsman made two near exact duplicates out of rice paper. Ironically, the duplicates are now worth far more than the shell itself. In fact, the live shells are now found fairly frequently in the Philippines, given the advent of modern diving equipment and no longer command the high prices they once did. They are still every bit as beautiful, however. This photo was taken on top of the back side of a white bird of paradise leaf in natural lighting.
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