EVENTS
Annual Events (Scroll below for current year's EVENTS CALENDAR)
- The Shell Auction held in April is a combined social event and a verbal auction, silent auction and discount shell table(s). Please see a detailed description of the SDSC auctions below the current year's calendar (scroll down on this page).
- The Shell Bazaar held in July is an informal gathering of shell enthusiasts to share shells and shell collecting stories with one another. Many attendees bring shells for sale or trade.
- The West Coast Shell Show held in August is hosted by the San Diego Shell Club. There are award winning exhibits, experts available to answer questions about shells and dealers selling shells from around the world. All children receive a special shell gift just for being a part of this special event compliments of the Club and its members. Please scroll to the bottom of this page for more information about the West Coast Shell Show Registration, Rules and Judging, as well as directions to Balboa Park in San Diego, where the show is held.
- The September Pot Luck Party is a social gathering at one of our member’s homes where we discuss the progress of our club and plan for the upcoming year.
- The Shell Auction held in November is a Club hosted luncheon with socializing followed by a verbal auction, silent auction and $1 and $5 tables. Please see a detailed description of the SDSC auctions below the current year's calendar (scroll down on this page).
- The Holiday Party held in December is an evening event where we enjoy dinner, memorialize the events of the previous year, and usher in the New Year with a presentation by a special guest speaker.
PLEASE NOTE: The San Diego Shell Club enjoys taking pictures of its events! We post them in the "Picture Gallery" on this site. Sometimes we post them in the SDSC Facebook page. If you do not wish to have your photo taken at any event, please speak to the relevant club members at that event, making your wishes known. Thank you.
Board of Director Meetings - Open to General Membership
Please request the Zoom link from the President or the Corresponding Secretary of the club through [email protected]
Please request the Zoom link from the President or the Corresponding Secretary of the club through [email protected]
Schedule of 2026 BOD Meetings:
- January 4, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- February 8, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom (date rescheduled due to Super Bowl)
- March 8, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- April 12, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- May 10, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- June 14, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- July 12, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- August 9, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- September 13, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- October 11, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- November 8, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
- December 13, 2026 at 4 pm Pacific Time, via Zoom
2026 Club Events Calendar
Please be aware that there may be changes of dates, times and/or locations of events, so check back here regularly if you plan to attend an event.
JANUARY: General Meeting, Zoom Presentation of a Special Speaker. January 17, 2026
Please be aware that there may be changes of dates, times and/or locations of events, so check back here regularly if you plan to attend an event.
JANUARY: General Meeting, Zoom Presentation of a Special Speaker. January 17, 2026
FEBRUARY: IN-PERSON General Meeting: "Mini-Auction and Social Gathering". February 21, 2026
- This will be a relaxed social gathering with shells as the central theme (of course!). There will be a Mini-auction of SDSC shells, a $5 table, and members are encouraged to bring shells that they might show off or sell, and there will be pizza and drinks provided. Feel free to bring your own beverages, and also, feel free to bring dessert or snacks to share.
- The Mini-auction bid list is attached here. Most of the shells for this Mini-auction are from the John Vedder Collection, from Portola Valley, California.
- Please plan to bring a personal check to pay for SDSC items with (and not cash). Cash may be used for private transactions though.
- Also, it’s recommended that you bring a chair in case all the available chairs become occupied.
- If you plan to sell shells, or have a lot to show off, please bring a table or tables, as well.
- If you need directions, please request them from [email protected]. Or reply to this email with a directions-request.
- Please RSVP if you plan to attend - by replying here or to the email address above.
MARCH: General Meeting, Zoom Presentation of a Special Speaker. March 21, 2026
Topic: "Historical Base Line Studies of Nudipleura Densities, with Interprovincial Comparisons"
by Hans Bertsch
12 Noon Pacific time
ABSTRACT
Part 1: An Historical Study Comparing the Densities and Diversity of Intertidal Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) Communities on the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts of Panama, with Additional Inter-Provincial Density Data.
Part 2: Base Line Historical Studies Comparing Nudipleura Densities and Diversity from Three Subtidal Sites in San Diego and Ensenada.
Part 3: Intertidal vs. Subtidal at Point Loma.
Additional details to be posted soon
by Hans Bertsch
12 Noon Pacific time
ABSTRACT
Part 1: An Historical Study Comparing the Densities and Diversity of Intertidal Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) Communities on the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts of Panama, with Additional Inter-Provincial Density Data.
Part 2: Base Line Historical Studies Comparing Nudipleura Densities and Diversity from Three Subtidal Sites in San Diego and Ensenada.
Part 3: Intertidal vs. Subtidal at Point Loma.
Additional details to be posted soon
APRIL: Shell Auction (no General Meeting). April 18, 2026
Details to be posted soon
MAY: General Meeting, Zoom Presentation of a Special Speaker. May 16, 2026
Speaker: Ed Petuch
12 Noon Pacific time
Details to be posted soon
12 Noon Pacific time
Details to be posted soon
JUNE: IN-PERSON General Meeting: "Member's Auction and Social Gathering". June 20, 2026
This will be the third annual Member's Auction!
Additional details to be posted soon
Additional details to be posted soon
JULY: The SDSC Shell Bazaar & General Meeting. July 11th or 18, 2026
Details to be posted soon
AUGUST: Annual West Coast Shell Show (No General Meeting). August 29-30, 2026 (Open to Public)
Details to be posted soon
SEPTEMBER: Fall Party and Potluck. September 19th or 26th, 2026
Details to be posted soon
OCTOBER: General Meeting, Zoom Presentation of a Special Speaker. October 17, 2026
Details to be posted soon
NOVEMBER: Shell Auction & General Meeting/Elections: November 14, 2026
Details to be posted soon
DECEMBER: Holiday Party and General Meeting: December 5th, 2026
Details to be posted soon
Additional Information About the San Diego Shell Club's Auctions
Live, in-person auctions are given twice per year, in April and in November. The club endeavors to provide the highest quality shells for these events, and participants may view the verbal auction and silent auction offerings for about an hour in advance of the auctions. A bid list will be emailed out to members in good standing one or several weeks in advance of the auctions. Sometimes photos of some of the shells available at the auctions will be made available online for advance viewing. Additional details about the auctions will be emailed to all members in good standing!
A note about collection data and auctioned shells: From time to time the club will acquire a large private collection of shells. Sometimes there is a "database" of collection data associated with these collections. Below are link(s) to sets of data associated with particular private collections. If a winner of a shell in unsure of which collection the shell came from, that winner should feel free to reach out to a shell club contact member or through the contact form on this site for additional information.
Data Sets for Specific Collections of Shells. These data sets are also available in the Resources section of this site (click here).
Pratt Collection Data (click here to access pdf).
A note about collection data and auctioned shells: From time to time the club will acquire a large private collection of shells. Sometimes there is a "database" of collection data associated with these collections. Below are link(s) to sets of data associated with particular private collections. If a winner of a shell in unsure of which collection the shell came from, that winner should feel free to reach out to a shell club contact member or through the contact form on this site for additional information.
Data Sets for Specific Collections of Shells. These data sets are also available in the Resources section of this site (click here).
Pratt Collection Data (click here to access pdf).
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Additional Information About the Annual West Coast Shell Show
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West Coast Shell Show Registration, Rules and Judging
If you are considering entering the West Coast Shell Show, please see the Registration Form here:
San Diego Shell Club 2025 WCSS Registration Form pdf West Coast Shell Show Announcement, Rules and Information about judging can be found here: 2025 WCSS Information Packet.pdf Directions to Balboa Park and Casa Del Prado
1. Take Hwy 163 South to Park Blvd Exit. 2. Turn left at Park Blvd and the left onto Village Place. 3. The closest parking would be the Carousel/Spanish Village lot or the lot adjacent to the Natural History Museum. 4. You can also take the Balboa Park Tram to the Prado stop and walk east along the Prado to the Casa Del Prado. |
A few selected images from past Shell Shows
(see link above for more photos)
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