Boy Looks For Seashell for money

I think the boy was looking for the perfect leopard or tiger cowry/cowrie shell. I thought the story took place in Florida, but was someplace where there were beaches. It might have been a Scholastic paperback, and was probably published in the 1950s or 1960s.

I've been searching but cannot find anything so far.

Could it be The Lion's Paw by Robb White? My dad read it to me when I was a little girl.

It's not, but thanks for trying. I only recall one boy in the story, and no other siblings.

I recall something about the shells not being worth as much if the spots were blurry or something like that.

I could only find this 1948 Scholastic book. Girls Know Best by Michelle Roehm mentioning cowry shells, which is not what you're after, so it may not appear when Scholastic is in the publisher field of searches. It appears cowries is plural but when searching both come up, and "cowrie shell" is also used along with "cowry shell".

Hmmm. My mom read me a lot of books about seashells as a kid and this one seems pretty familiar. I'll be racking my brain.

Trying a different angle on searching. I have a hunch this is what you're after.
scholastic shell, 1950 min to 1979 max
You Searched For: Keywords: scholastic shell Year Range: 1950-1979
abe.com
Carl Carmer, Hurricane Luck
Scholastic, 1968. (There are various earlier Scholastic reprints.)
A young boy, living in Pine Island Sound Florida, would like to help his father buy some new fishing equipment. He hopes to find a rare Junonia seashell or maybe win a fishing contest to help.

Hurricane Luck by Carl Carmer, TW120, Scholastic 1968, 79 pages. Illustrated by Jerry Robinson.
Back cover blurb: “Bad luck. That’s all Peter’s father has had lately. Peter Tebo knows his father is the best fisherman on Pine Island. If only Dad had enough money to buy the right tackle. And if only Peter could help!
When Peter finds the rare shell, he almost believes in hurricane luck. But it will take more than luck to win the Junior Fishing Contest -- and the money Dad needs. Can Peter do it?”

bookel, you did it! That's the book!

You are da BOMB-diggity! Woo!

By the way fuzzi, is the storm in this book, Hurricane Luck by Carl Carmer, as the title suggests, a hurricane? I haven't read it.

I am not sure, it's been so long since I read it.