The HL300's

I have been thinking of collecting the HL300 to HL399. Many of them are a challenge to find and since all of the dealers in my area were out of business by 2006 I have not seen most of these in person.

My wife tells me it is ridiculous since when I get a Harbour Light, I just put it in storage. My answer is, well it is just as any other hobby, like stamp collecting or coin collecting. You finally get your key coin or stamp and just turn around and put it in a vault and it is not to be seen again.

Now I do already have 25 of these with some of them being the hardest to find. but I have been considering to expand.

I guess collecting for me is the challenge and the hunt.
Does anyone else still have the Harbour Light Collecting bug?
Or has everyone Gotten Over it.

Yes Daniel, the collecting bug is still alive, though not as pronounced as it once was. We have numerous requests for Harbour Lights pieces and many sell just about as quickly as we can find them. Also have seen some former collectors like yourself who stopped collecting for one reason or another only to start up again and try to fill in the gaps from where they left off. We're doing what we can to keep the flame alive. It may no longer be a bonfire but believe me, the campfire still is flickering.

I for one have been fortunate enough to have rode Harbour Lights to the very bitter end and have a complete collection. However, I still occasionally buy a piece (like the reverse stripe HL102 Thick Tower Cape Hatteras) when the opportunity comes along. The bug never seems to go away and there is always something that you "just gotta have".

Roland
Thanks for the positive Harbor Light collecting information.

Daniel,

I just looked at my list of HLs and I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I was out of the 'gotta get them all' collecting mode right about HL296.

My vote, if you are taking votes, is go for it! I don't collect HLs these days, but I do occasionally look for other, smaller and less expensive 'things' to gather up. LEGO minifigs, state duck stamps that feature a lighthouse, and maybe a NASCAR die-cast replica, if the sponsor advertising (like Excedrine!) catches my eye.

Rick

RMau
You quit collecting When the HL was just stating to become a collectable again.

Daniel,

Well, I guess maybe I did.

Several Florida lights came out after HL296 and I bought those. And the Fresnels. But not everything. I just got much more selective. The piece had to have some personal connection before I'd buy it.

I'd maybe buy a new Florida light even today and figure out how to squeeze it into a spot on the shelf. What has stopped me from adding new lights, more than anything, is that outside of Harry's efforts, there aren't new pieces being done.

Rick

But here is the thing! The 300 series of lighthouses are as hot today as the original 38 lights were back in the heyday of Harbour Lights. The big difference is the amount of each piece that was produced. There is a big difference between 550-1,200 produced and the 5,500 produced of the original 38.

I have a couple of collectors selling their late husbands collection at low and moderate prices and one collector has Serial Number 1's at 80-100% of original retail. Double digits at 50-80% of original retail.

This is the time to fill out your collection of the later pieces.

I still have a bit of the bug left in me...and a few of the 300's...but I'm very picky about what I will buy and keep and display...

I still look but we limited our buying to just Michigan and Ohio when we just ran out of room. I do still have all the ones we bought though along with our Anchor Bay boats, a balloon, ornaments and lenses. We do still need a couple lighthouses from Michigan and Ohio.

Tom