Ocracoke War

There is an Ocracoke currently on E-Bay with 40 bids so far and the high bid at $380 with two days to go. I don't recall an Ocracoke going this high is some time. Ocracoke

40 bids but only from 4 different people. It seems "mrflames89" is really hot to get this piece and will bid whatever he has to to win.

Ocracoke is a hard to find piece. You don't see very many of them making it on to eBay. I suppose if you need this piece, and you have some expendable cash, now is the time to make your move.

Bob

OK, so what would be a reasonable price for an Ocracoke today? I have an opportunity to buy one. No price has been mentioned yet. And I don't want to pay too much. I don't expect the man to give it away, but I don't want to over pay for it ether.

Stephanie

In today's market, I would say an Ocracoke would be worth around $200-$300 depending on the overall condition and if the original box comes with it. Other factors to be considered would be where it was made and how low the flag# is.

It all boils down to how much a person is willing to pay and what the seller considers to be the rock bottom selling price. In most cases, the price will be determined by what the seller originally paid for it and his or her need to part with the piece.

Ocracoke is really a "plain Jane" but is often hard to find for sale. Strike while the iron is hot! Make him an offer he can't refuse.

Bob

I paid $275 for mine 3 years ago.

Ocracoke's official value listed in the 2003 Collector's Guide is shown as $495.00. This information was compile by Matt Rothman using 2002 figures. I'm sure that Bob's figures are much closer in today's market but for insurance purposes the guide is what insurance people are looking for.

Bob
Usually I agree with you on your values of Harbour Lights.
But you are far off on this one.
The value of an Ocracoke is more like:
$350 to $400 Malaysian
$380 to $430 Canadian
And $250 to $300 Malaysian no-box

The Ockracoke is Hot and will only get hotter until Harbour lights makes a GLOW of it. Then it will fall into the Price range of what you are saying $200-$300.

By the way I paid $180 for mine in 1997. It is nice to see some of my collectables go up in value, instead of going down. Apparently I should have bought all Ocracokes instead of trying to complete a collection of all the 5500’s

I remember some lucky Collectors still finding them retail in 1997. I also remember fellow collectors helping other collectors to find them retail on the AOL Lighthouse collectable site. Does anyone else?

I just took a quick look at the last three Ocracokes that sold on eBay. The highest paid was $395, and the lowest was $282.

From the people I've been dealing with, I would say the $282 price is more normal. The seller who got $395 should be in church thanking the Lord. In his or her case it was a seller's market. In actuality right now, it's a buyers market.

By the way, I purchased my Ocracoke for $250 from a fellow forumite and friend, Randy Kremer. At the time I purchased it, that price was a super deal. You're the best, Randy!!!

Bob

Bob
As you know, you have to read between the lines on ebay.

The Ocracoke that went for $282.14 had no box. That is a high good price for an Ocracoke without a box. The seller even had three neutrals on his feedback.
The Canadian Ocracoke that went for $381.00 didn’t have the original White box, but a blue box. A white box would have brought in over $400. I believe I have one marked down at work that brought in around $435 with a white box (will check)
The Ocracoke that went for $395 had the box and paper work. That is more like the standard going price for a Malaysian with box.

Here we go AGAIN!!!! THE BOX-THE BOX-THE BOX....Tis the season of brotherhood and good cheer. Give the box a break. And hurrahs for those who purchased what they wanted with or without the box and enjoy.Happy Holidays

Kona Satch,

First glad to have you with us from the lovely isle of Hawaii. I made a short visit there this past Summer.

Second, while I agree with you basically about the box- it doesn't matter what we think. There is a general rule in almost all collecting- the more original the item is- including all packaging- the more it is generally worth.

You can get a bargain if you don't care about this concept, but if you want to sell later it can be difficult to get your purchase price if you don't take the box concept into account.

It doesn't have to make sense. A box is just a place to store something, but it does have intrinsic value in Collectibles, sometimes way beyond it's actual value.

Dennis

Boxes schmoxes. I've got a hundred or so boxes in my attic. They're yours for the great price of $20 per box. I'll keep the lights thank you very much.

Boxes are only important if you are at a certain stage of collecting. New collectors usually don't care if they have the box or not. This also applies to people who collect what they like or visited and have no real intention of selling the HL's in the future. Usually you're just happy to have the piece.

Then comes the collector who might take things a little more seriously because they have reached a level where they are close to getting them all, or might have them all. They are the people who will go out and buy a double because the one they have doesn't have a box. (You can't see me but I have my hand raised.)

It all boils down to the right deal. If you are getting an extreme value for your dollar, you can live without the box.

Bob

I will pay twenty bucks for any white or brown box

So if I sell you a brown box for $20 and the box I ship it to you in is also brown, do I get $40?

When collectors use the term “white box” they are referring to a White Harbour Light box with the writing Castle Studios on it.

When collectors refer to the term “Brown Box” they are referring to a brown Box that the early Harbour lights were sent in. Most had Castle Studios written on them a, few didn’t.
If you have one without the Castle studios written on it. It would have to be certain dimensions and have a circular box stamp with California written on it.

To answer you question:
If you are selling two original Harbour light brown boxes that was used to ship one of the original H.L. in. Yes I would give you $40 dollars.

If you are selling me plain boxes: NO I get mine from Office depot.

That's a good one, Frank, LOL!

I've seen empty boxes for older Lionel Trains sold on eBay before. I was amazed that people would buy an old box with nothing in it just to say they have the original box for a particular Lionel piece. Hard core collectors, I guess.

Bob

just a comment from the person that paid the $282.00 for the "BOXLESS" Ocracoke. I'm just plumb tickled I have it. Started collecting HL in 98, visited Ocracoke on the OB's in 2000 and have been trying to get this jewel in my collection since then. My collection just went over the 100 count and not one box is in the curio cabinet. The boxes are all in the garage and I'm considering dumping the foam like Paul did.... just havent' got to it yet.
As for resale with or without the box.... I hope that's a problem for my kids.

Forget eBay for Ocracoke! Get you cursor up to the New Marketplace here at the CF! Randy has one in the box for $300.

I've dealt with Randy for years and his HL's are about as perfect as you can get. If I hadn't already bought an Ocracoke from Randy, I would be emailing him right now to take advantage of a great price of a super hard-to-get piece.

Bob

I can't believe that an Ocracoke just sold on E-Bay with "Buy It Now" for $600.00. Sold Ocracoke . I didn't expect to even see a bid on it because the opening was set at something like $400. Can't remember the exact figure. There is still one listed starting at $100 with no reserve Ocracoke

Unbelieveable price! Bob is quite right about the market place and Randy. I have also bought from him and have been well pleased. Not to say that eBay isn't good, but here on the marketplace and especially with Randy you can't beat the deals.

Thanks guys! It's still there for the taking!!!

If I wasn't unemployed at the moment, Randy, I'd take you up on it, in a heartbeat!

An other Ocracoke hits ebay.
Ocracoke Island NC.#135 #4078/5500 signed by Bill Younger with its original box and paperwork went for $405 on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3260948112&category=11132

I bought an Ocracoke, Made in Canada #351 three weeks ago for $381.00 and sold this Malaysia piece for $405.00 last week. I bought this Malaysia Ocracoke 2 years ago for $365.00. This piece is still holding its own for now. If you have extras you better sell 'em before the GLOW hits. I got lucky with the Canada piece I guess. Go figure!

Just paid $250. for the one I got for Christmas. Guess I got a good deal, high number but just glad I got one!

Stephanie

How do you figure out what makes Ocracoke worth more than other HL's? It certainly isn't the fanciest or most unique sculpture. Let's face it, it's a plain Jane. Yet again it is hard to find for sale and still commands a respectable price when it does sell.

Who knows? (Maybe the Shadow knows?)

Bob

Three theories from this 'shadow of his former self':

1. Dispersion theory. It wasn't a 'beauty' like the other Southern Belle sisters so it didn't get snapped up by speculators and so those who DID buy it were collectors (or locals) who bought ONE. When fewer are in the hands of speculators, prices go up...

2. Of the Southern Belles, Ocracoke is probably the most REMOTE, so the least known until it came out; least visited maybe.

3. Finally, as others will no doubt argue strongly, NO GLOW. If you want to have an Ocracoke in your collection, it's this or something much smaller (Spyglass, Ornament, or Little Light).

Ya takes your pick...

All good points John but the one that hits home with the hardest punch is the GLOW theory. As was stated several posts before yours when it was said, if you have one to sell, sell it before the GLOW comes out.

Not picking on you, Bob...this is the "popular" description voiced by collectors.

I believe it is an impossibility to visit Ocracoke (the "real McCoy") and come away feeling it's a "plain Jane".

If we were to rate all lighthouses according to "beauty padgeant" standards, this lighthouse would easily come in the top 30%.

If it wasn't such a pretty lighthouse at such a lovely setting, than why would so many couples get married on the grounds?

I'm also a proud owner of a HL Ocracoke, purchased at retail price with a low flag#. (I didn't even pay shipping costs!) It holds prominant display space in my collection. This is not because I know the phenomena of it's increased value, but because it holds a special place in my heart.

Ocracoke is one of those lighthouses that gives me extra "warm fuzzies" when I pull my car into one of the limited parking spaces for the "umpteenth" time. It's such a pretty setting, you can't help but be in awe. It's a magical place. In no way is this lighthouse a "plain Jane".

My grown son, a CPA, is the person who will inherit my HL collection some day. He knows the special $$values of some of the pieces I have, and he can do as he sees fit. However, with the appreciation he has of them now, I would be surprised if he looked at them for their monetary value.

Judy

John has definitely covered all the reason why the collectability of the Ocracoke is scarce. But there has to be something else that initially brings the people to the Ocracoke.
Bob is right, there is nothing special over it compared to the st Auggie or Simon’s lighthouse but its secondary market is running almost twice as much. John’s exclamations probably covers most of that, except for what turns on the switch?

I think what turns on peoples switches to even look for an Ocracoke collectable starts with the Hatteras effect. Cape Hatteras has been attracting people to the outer banks before lighthouseing was popular. Once the tourists are in the area they look for other tourist attractions. Probably for years tourist missed the Ocracoke since it is off the beaten trail and wasn’t well publicized. But now with Internet, many new lighthouse books and tourist books listing the Ocracoke lighthouse as a tourist site, it is no longer hidden from the public. Once people have seen the Ocracoke light their switch is turned on to have a representation of the Lighthouse and then all of John’s exclamations kick in.

What is there about this “plain Jane” light that after people see it consider it one of their most rememberable lighthouses?

Ask Lighthouser or anyone else that has visited it.