The nautilus is a curious mollusk that’s been around for millions of years. They’re still around today, but you won’t find a living nautilus inStardew Valley. However, you may come across both nautilus shells and nautilus fossils, which are different items you find in different areas.
TheNautilus Shellcounts as a forage item, and unlike the nautilus fossil, you won’t need to donate one to the museum. However, there are a few places where you can use nautilus shells inStardew Valley, so it’s a good idea to know where to find them.
Updated by Usama Ali on August 03, 2025: In addition to introducing a bunch of new content, Stardew Valley’s Update 1.6 has made some small but noticeable changes to the Nautilus Shell. These subtle shifts offer new avenues for interacting with the shells and finding them, making it an even more engaging item to find and use on your Stardew Valley farm. We’ve updated this guide to reflect these changes, so you can figure out all the new possibilities this oceanic treasure now holds.
Where to Find Nautilus Shells in Stardew Valley
The simplest way to find nautilus shells is to search the beach region during winter. Nautilus shells appear on the beach exclusively during this time of year, aside fromthe days when the Night Market is in town.
Something else to keep in mind is that nautilus shells are a rare sight even when they do appear. Be sure to check the beach every day if you’re looking to grab one.
There are also a few other ways to get a nautilus shell. They aren’t as reliable as combing the beach, but you might get a shell faster using these methods depending on where you are in the game.
All of these methods make the Nautilus Shell slightly more accessible throughout the year, rather than relying solely on beach foraging.
How to Use Nautilus Shells
Nautilus shells don’t count as fish (or food in general), so their main purpose isto sell them for cash. A basic nautilus shell sells for 120g, and an iridium-quality shell has a value of 240g.
Aside from selling, there are a couple of places whereStardew Valleyasks for a nautilus shell. The first is the Field Research Bundle, which is one of the Bulletin Board Bundles in the Community Center. The second is the last sturgeon fish pond quest that increases the population cap up to 10. Sturgeon are the only fish whose roe turns into caviar, so keeping your sturgeon pond happy is especially important.
One other way to use a nautilus shell is toadd it to the sewing machine. A nautilus shell produces a Strapped Top, although you can also get this item by using the easier-to-find coral or sea urchin.
Since it’s one of her Liked gifts, gifting the Nautilus Shell to Evelyn is a good way to increase your friendship with her quickly. Several other villagers also appreciate it. Another smaller but neat use of the Nautilus Shell is to place it inside your Fish Tanks as a decorative item.
This allows for further customization of your farm and house, letting you showcase the unique items you’ve collected.
Where to Find Nautilus Fossils
To be clear, nautilus shells and nautilus fossils are separate items. While they look and sound similar, the way you find them and the way you use them is completely different. Here’s how to find a nautilus fossil:
