How do you decide?

I was wondering how you decide what HL to buy? I know some have or are trying for a complete collection. Some just buy HL that they visited the LH. Others a certain geographic area. It seems I don't fit into any of those. I think I am a willy nilly buyer. If I have some HL money I buy what is on the top of my want list if I can find it. When I go out to buy a HL I am going to come back with one even if it is not on my list. I envy you guys that have complete sets, congratulations! I wish I had the discipline to concentrate on certain areas or those LH I visited, but I can't. When we have company many times I am asked why did you "get that one". All I can say is I like it, even though there may be models I like better.But I never met a HL I didn't like. So I have a hodge podge of HL from all over the place that I really love. What decides what you buy?
Take care,
George

For me it is a very simple decision. I only collect New York State Harbour Lights. Though I did buy Cochester Reef, but that is in Vermont (almost NY} and is one of my favorite lighthouses. If you have never been to the Shelburne Museum, you need to get there someday.

http://www.shelburnemuseum.org/nflighthouse.html


"TheLightkeeper"

[This message has been edited by TheLightkeeper (edited 10-18-99).]

Well, I thought I had asystem. I decided that I was not going to be able to get an entire collection, so I decided to concentrate on a specific area- first it was all the Society pieces you recieved for joining, then all the redemption pieces, then the redemption ornaments, oh and while I was at that I decided to get all the ornaments from the east coast, then I decided to concentrate on all the Event pieces and other special issues... I think you see where this is going. I added as many of the lights I had visited or planned to visit in the near future and before I knew it I had in hand or in transit over 50 items. The best laid plans oft go astray. The only part of the plan that is intact is the part that I do not plan on getting everything, but I am buying most new items as they become available- I have a long wish list for Christmas. I do have one savinig grace- my daughter has a friend who works at a HL dealer and is able to buy a few at cost and she knows nobody else personally that collects. I need a bigger room.One point that I forgot to include- I do decide which ones to buy by how I like the looks of the LH. Not always, but sometimes. Dennis

[This message has been edited by wheland (edited 10-18-99).]

I collect the Lighthouses that I have visited. I have not visted every one in my collection since HL sends a free piece for renewing annual membership. I will tryo to get to Cockspur Island one of these days though .

John

I am definetly collecting by region.

New York list are first, then East Coast lights. Once I have an East Coast light from every state, then I'm going to try for one in every state out of my region. The society pieces are bonuses. After that, who knows??

George,

I collect mainly the lighthouses from the New England area. But I have to agree with you on one thing, I buy the lighthouses that I like. So my New England collection is being added to on a regular basis. Who knows maybe BobM and I will somehow annex all these other places and make them all a part of New England. Why not!

Bert

My decisions on which HLs to buy came about like this:

Summer 1994 - purchased Southeast Light Block Island.

September 1997 - purchased Brant Point
October 1997 - purchased Castle Hill & Beavertail and begin to suffer from HL pre-wacko syndrome.

November 1997 - October 1998 - purchased HLs that I liked especially if they had anything to do with the color red.

October 1998 - present - after attending the reunion, I totally lost my mind and decided to buy them all.

October 1999 - Only missing Cape Hatteras 1&2, Coquille River, Portland Head, Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Ocracoke, and many thousands of dollars!

Time (and money) flies when you're having fun!

Bob

PS: I'm going to try to encourage Bert (Mtnhkr) to follow in my footsteps....LOL!

Hi all,

I started with the attitude of purchasing ones I liked..and if I had any extra money,purchase older pieces.Then I did purchase hatteras 2,Burrows,Tybee and some others...Now,126 lighthouses later..lol..I am trying to get them all..now,I need just a few thousand dollars and I can probably do it.:-)

First, I was only going to get the Oregon lights (my home state)...then I saw Alcatraz and decided to get only West Coast lights (as I currently reside in the Bay Area of northern California)...then I saw Minot's Ledge, Block Island, Ponce de Leon, etc., and decided I just had to have all of the 5500's...well, 125 lights later I have slowed WAY down (due mainly to space limitations) and only go for a light that has some special meaning to me, strikes some kind of harmonious chord, or that is a certain favorite yet to be made...I've never wanted them all...so far in 1999, only Hillsboro and Kilaeua have found their way into my curio, but I will be getting Cape Disappointment soon because I used to vacation on the north Oregon coast as a child, and East Quoddy because I have all of the Xmas pieces so far and because it looks really cool!

Started out I wanted only NY state, then I decided NY and Florida. Now if the price is right, and I like it, it's mine no matter where it is located.

Joanne

This is a regular topic of discussion in several of the forums and a question many a collector has asked him/herself at one time or another. Some folks believe there a ways to go about collecting that can help you reduce your cost over time. Here's some links from BTN to get you started:

HL Factoid #11 part 1 - What to Buy?

HL Factoid #11 part 2 - What to Buy?

HL Factoid #11 part 3 - What to Buy?

Rgds,
__
/im
[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 10-18-99).]