Raffle

CONGRATULATIONS Heidi Hammel for winning the April Raffle!

Your financial support is essential to our work, and deeply appreciated. Our monthly raffle is one way that we generate funds to support educational programming, care and conservation of our collections, facility upkeep and improvements, and essential administrative tasks.

May Raffle: Shell Collector’s Delight

About Our Prize

May Raffle: Shell Collector’s Delight

This month, the Natural History Society of Maryland is raffling off a remarkable collection for anyone fascinated by marine biodiversity, shell architecture, and the wonders of the world’s tropical seas.  

The Shell Collector’s Delight features 27 striking specimens from tropical waters around the world, with a strong emphasis on the rich marine biodiversity of Subic Bay, Philippines, one of the most famous shell‑collecting regions on Earth. From elegant cowries to dramatic murexes to the iconic chambered nautilus, this set showcases the extraordinary variety of mollusks and their architectural genius.

To help display your new treasures, the package also includes a glass display box, perfect for turning your favorites into a natural history centerpiece at home or in your office and a list of the scientific and common names for each of the species. 

What’s Included

Primarily from Subic Bay, Philippines, with additional specimens from the broader Philippines, Florida/Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of California, and Indonesia.

1.     Ovula ovum, Egg Cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines

• 1.     Ovula ovum, Egg Cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 2.     Cypraea tigris, Tiger Cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 3.     Cypraea mappa, Map Cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 4.     Cypraea arabica, Arabian cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 5.     Cypraea talpa, Mole Cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 6.     Nautilus pompilius, Chambered Nautilus, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 7.     Charonia tritonis, Trumpet Triton, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 8.     Trochus niloticus, Polished, Philippines
• 9.     Chicoreus ramosus, Ramose Murex, Philippines
• 10.  Mitra eremitarum, Adusta Miter, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 11.  Sinum maculatum, Baby’s Ear Moon shell, Florida/Caribbean
• 12.  Tibia insulaechorab, Arabian Tibia, Indian Ocean
• 13.  Terebra areolate, Fly-Spotted Auger, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 14.  Terebra affinis, Similar Auger, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 15.  Cypraea capuserpentis, Snake-Head cowrie, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 16.  Cymbiola vespertilio, Bat Volute, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 17.  Turritella terebra, Screw Turritella, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 18.  Melongena corona, Crown Conch,  Florida/Caribbean
• 19. Cyrtopleura costata, Angel Wing, Florida/Caribbean
• 20.  Cittarium pica, West Indian Top Shell, Florida/Caribbean
• 21.  Nigrite Murex, Hexaplex nigitus, Gulf of California
• 22.  Phyllonotus erythrostomus, Pink-mouth Murex, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 23.  Tonna galea, Giant Tun, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 24.  Melo aethiopica, Crowned Baler, Indonesia
• 25.  Cassis cornuta, Horned Helmet, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 26.  Lambis chiragra arthritica, Arthritic Spider conch, Subic Bay-Philippines
• 27.  Turbo argyrostomus, Silver mouth Turban-Polished, Philippines

The winner will need to be able to pick up their prize at the Natural History Society of Maryland’s Overlea, MD, location, at a date and time mutually agreed upon. Shipping is not available unless the winner agrees to pay for shipping.

Raffle Information and Rules

1.    Your ticket purchase supports NHSM.

2. For every $5 ticket you buy, your name will be entered once (i.e., $5 = one entry, $10 = two entries, etc.)

3. The cut-off date to be entered is May 31, 2026, at midnight.

4. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on the NHSM website and on social media on June 4, 2026. The winner will also be notified via email.

5. The prize is for specified items only. No substitutions.

6. NHSM officers, directors, and employees are ineligible to enter the raffle. Immediate family members of NHSM employees (defined as spouse, siblings, parents, and children) are also not eligible to enter or win. Any entry from an ineligible person is void.

7. Raffle ticket purchases do not qualify as tax-deductible contributions, per IRS Publication 526.

Our past winners were: