North to South Sand Dollars

By John Murray

Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock.com

A vivid memory was etched in my mind when I had my first childhood encounter with a sand dollar. As my mother and I walked hand in hand within the ankle-deep water along the ocean’s sandy shore, she paused for a moment and reached into the warm water. What she withdrew from the ocean and placed within my hand has forever mesmerized me. I was gifted with a beautiful unique treasure from the Atlantic—a sand dollar. According to the seafaring lore of sailors in history, sand dollars are believed to be the lost currency of mermaids that swim throughout the ocean, and whoever is fortunate to find a sand dollar will be bestowed with good fortune.

Learn about different members of the sand dollar family›

Five sand dollars, small to large.

Commonly called sand dollars throughout the North America region, in other parts of the world they have been bestowed with the names of sand cakes, snapper biscuits, sea cookies, and pansy shells. Regardless of where they are found and the different names they may be called, the top portion of all sand dollars are laced with a similar intricate pattern that is incredibly beautiful as if they were lovingly painted by Poseidon. Depending on a person’s individual perspective, some people perceive this pattern of having the shape of a flower, and others perceive the pattern of having the shape of a star.

As pretty as it is, this intricately shaped pattern atop the sand dollar isn’t there for decoration—nor for enhancing our viewing pleasure—this pattern actually has a functional purpose. In the scientific community, these patterns are known as lunules. The lunules are pressure drainage channels and help prevent the lightweight sand dollar from being pulled up from the ocean floor and washed away by pulsating ocean waves.

Present along the sandy ocean shorelines of the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and the Caribbean Sea, sand dollars are truly fascinating creatures. Sand dollars are a species of sea urchin that makes its home on the sandy or muddy ocean floor, and they can be found in intertidal zones and further outward to depths of nearly 7,000 feet. Encased by an exoskeleton made of calcium carbonate, sand dollars burrow into the sand or mud to protect themselves and forage for food, and their favorite foods are tiny aquatic larva and microscopic algae. Sand dollars have two distinctive colors depending on their life status: a white outer exoskeleton after they are deceased; and a brownish-purple color when alive. Sand dollars have few predators in their ocean environment, and they can often live from six to ten years. As they age, sand dollars increase in size, so it’s an accurate assumption that bigger sand dollars are more advanced in age. In our travels to locate sand dollars, we have seen minuscule sand dollars that are truly juveniles, often less than a dime size in diameter. The largest full grown sand dollar we have encountered was four inches in diameter.

Sand dollar located while riding bike on the beach, mostly concealed by sand.

During our journeys, we have found ample quantities of sand dollars along the east coast of the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida. Some of the memorable prime areas we’ve searched for sand dollars include the Ogunquit beaches in Maine, the Cape Cod Bay region in Massachusetts, Shackleford Banks in North Carolina, Kiawah Island in South Carolina, Jekyll Island in Georgia, and Ponce Inlet in Florida. For sand dollar discovery, this is just the tip of the iceberg, because sand dollars can be found in numerous other regions as well.

Sand dollars found on the Pacific Coast.

For example, on the Pacific Ocean side of the United States, Ocean Beach in San Francisco is the mecca for sand dollars. With ample nutrients present within the ocean waters of Ocean Beach, sand dollars are very numerous, and it would be a challenge for one not to be able to locate a sand dollar somewhere along the shoreline.

In our experience, the best searching for sand dollars occurs along coastal areas that experience dramatic tidal events. An especially low tide exposes a vast expanse of shoreline that was previously concealed by a higher depth of seawater. Even with ideal conditions, sand dollars do not readily reveal themselves. More often than not within the low tide beach area that is now devoid of water, sand dollars will be mostly covered by the sand, with only a protruding corner portion being visible.

Low tide is also an excellent time to search within the ocean water that is now considerably shallower. Depending on water clarity, less than knee deep water depth provides the searcher with more visibility, and a lull of calm water uninhibited by wind is a substantial advantage for enhancing visibility as well. Most windless calm water periods occur in the early morning or at the end of the day, so when combined with low tide, this is prime searching time. Wave action can get really ramped up as the temperature of the day increases.

A rainbow over the ocean indicates the presence of sand dollar treasure. The ocean just gifted this pretty sand dollar.

The movement of outgoing water in tidal zone areas will often transform the sandy bottom beneath the water into having an appearance of slightly raised ripple lines in the sand. These ripple lines will be close to adjacent ripple lines, and sand dollars will be sticking outward from the edges of the raised ripple lines. Walk very slowly through the water and train your eyes to look for the corner segment of the sand dollar. It’s more advantageous to search within the water during periods of low light. If sunlight is present, search with the sun at your back to help reduce water glare, and a good pair of polarized sunglasses will enhance the underwater visibility.

During windy days with heavy wave surf, it will be virtually impossible to search in the shallow water for sand dollars. If that is the case, do not be completely disappointed, because the increased surf presents another option. Sand dollars conceal themselves underneath the sand, so the waves disrupting the sand will help expose them along the edge of the surf line. Sometimes the punishing ocean waves crashing into the beach will break up the sand dollars into fragments. If numerous pieces of sand dollars are located, this is a tell-tale indication that you are in a good search zone for locating sand dollars at another time when the waves subside.

Heavy storms can also generate increased odds of finding sand dollars afterwards. The rough tumbling waves of storms tend to dislodge and lift sand dollars from the sand beneath the water, and then deposit them closer to the beach. Often, large numbers of previously inaccessible sand dollars will be relocated close to the shoreline during major storm events. When conditions subside afterward, sand dollar hunters can experience epic searches.

It’s vitally important to harvest only the deceased sand dollars. Harvesting live sand dollars could potentially have a negative impact on reducing the population of sand dollars. It’s a very simple process to determine the deceased sand dollars from the sand dollars that are still alive. Deceased sand dollars are white, and living sand dollars are different shades of a purplish-brown color. Another consideration is that it is illegal to harvest live sand dollars in certain states. Some states like Florida have laws that require a recreational fishing license to harvest live shellfish, which includes live sand dollars. Anyone who is intending to embark on a quest for sand dollars in a foreign country should consult the legalities of harvesting, removing, and transporting sand dollars.

When you do discover a sand dollar, handle it gently, because these pretty ocean gems are fragile. Never place them in a pocket, as they will not be likely to emerge intact when withdrawn. It’s best to use a mesh shell bag for temporary storage and transportation of sand dollars, and stack them carefully within this bag. It is not wise to add other types of seashells or sea glass to the collection of sand dollars inside the bag, because the sand dollars can become damaged by the additional weight.

There is something almost magical about searching for sand dollars along the expanse of a shoreline. The ocean, where life began eons ago beckons, reawakening childhood as you embark on a magnificent quest to find hidden treasure. When you find that sand dollar and hold its fragile beauty within your hand, you have truly been gifted by the ocean.

Learn more about seashells

Learn more about identifying shells, the history of seashell collecting, great shelling beaches, and the lives of the animals who make the shells we find on the beach. Articles ›

No live shelling: Be sure shells are empty and sand dollars, sea stars, and sea urchins are no longer alive before you bring them home.

All photos by John Murray except as marked.