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).]

I'm a sort of Willy Nilly collector too George, not trying to get them all. I especially enjoy having the ones I've visited. Also enjoy having different styles and colors. And I'm sure we're all partial to the ones in our region.

Mombo

George,

I started collecting one HL for each state I
have lived in (5). Then a regional focus on
DE,MD,VA, and then one HL for each state that has a LH. I know I will always find a reason ( read Justify ) to collect HL. Only
missing 2 form DE,MD,VA and about 8 states so
I am already thinking of new reasons .

Lonnie
on the Delmarva Penn .

Hi George,
I started out collecting lighthouses that I had visited. It soon turned out to be all the lighthouses in the states that my husband or I had lived in (CA,SC,NY). When the HL fever struck, I decided to just get them all. Having all regions is a good excuse to plan another vacation to visit a new lighthouse!

George;

I primarily try to find ones that I have visited. But I am also looking for west coast, California particularly, and Florida. I have visited most of the lights in these two states. Occasionally I buy one just because I like it. I have 20 now with three more on the way. the only thing that keeps me from buying them all is money.

Dale

Isn't it interesting that we all started out with a very logical plan in buying Harbour Lights, and almost all threw caution to the wind to become "wacko" collectors, if not wacko posters on the forums?!

Barb

Thanks George,
This is a great thread. It's been interesting reading other people's thoughts on this. I personally have a three pronged attack. My first approach was to buy by region, being from MD, I was partial to the mid atlantic; then I got bored with that and started down the southeastern coast and along the gulf, (where I am now). Then as I read about how it was getting harder to find 5500's so I changed tactics to head towards these. So now I have no idea which ones to obtain first, HELP!

My strategy has been and always will be to buy the ones that really appeal to me. You know, the ones that you keep staring at as you pass the HL's display for the 10th time (but don't they all). I should say that I concentrate on the U.S. lights, but with this years Christmas piece, it looks like that strategy is going down the tubes also.


Digger

at first, I tried to collect lights that I had visited. Then I had to buy La Jument because my son thought it looked cool; then I was on a hunt for Middle Bay because my daughter loves cows (finally got 1 last week) and then oh well, I am afraid that the HL bug bit me HARD. I have been collecting since April 99 and now have 13 and am only held back by the size of my allowance!

We gotta say that we feel like such nice, normal HL Wacko's! Thank God for this forum!
We would be wondering if there's others out there like us!! Seems like everyone is in a bit of a quandry over which HL's to have.

We had been buying just the HL's we liked. We didn't care for Holland or Grand Haven South Pier until we saw the real things - then we couldn't get to our dealer fast enough, once we were back from our "trip-to-see-lighthouses". Now, they are proudly on display and we love 'em. Same thing wih Burrows Island - we saw it and had to have it.

So, anyway, we feel okay. . .we're just normal HL Wacko's!

Seattle Sailors

I can't believe you guys are so wishy washy with your decisions!

Here is my specific progressive Game Plan and revisions as it has developed since August 1998:
1 - Long Island LHs
2 - North Carolina LHs
3 - New York LHs
3a- Lighthouses I have visited
4 - Christmas LHs
5 - Screwpile LHs
6 - Maryland LHs
7 - East Coast LHs
8 - Spyglass
8a- Thumbnails
9 - Christmas Ornaments
10- Collector Society and Member pieces
11- Southwest LHs
12- Pt Arena and Alcatraz
13- Hawaii LHs
14- ...

See, it's easy if you have a plan!

LOL

George,
I kinda of feel like you. I am kinda of a hodge-podge buyer. It first started this summer buying Big Sable because I liked it. Then I found two HL117 Boston Harbors at retail. That sent me on a search that mainly would pick up the LE-5500's that I knew one day would just be harder to find as days went on. Every now and then I would also buy because I got a deal on them. (Most of my 23 pieces have come below retail, all MIB)Ex.I bought LeJument on the internet for $35, so that made it easy to buy. I know I probably will never get them all, but bottom line, I like you like them all. So long story short, I first decide on the 5500's, then price, then whatever.

Rusty

George,
I kinda of feel like you. I am kinda of a hodge-podge buyer. It first started this summer buying Big Sable because I liked it. Then I found two HL117 Boston Harbors at retail. That sent me on a search that mainly would pick up the LE-5500's that I knew one day would just be harder to find as days went on. Every now and then I would also buy because I got a deal on them. (Most of my 23 pieces have come below retail, all MIB)Ex.I bought LeJument on the internet for $35, so that made it easy to buy. I know I probably will never get them all, but bottom line, I like you like them all. So long story short, I first decide on the 5500's, then price, then whatever.

Rusty

You sound so much like me. I first got started with a HL as a Christmas present. That was all it took. I love them. I live in the East and have visited many on the East Coast. I try to collect those and any others I like. They are all wonderful to me. I wish I could find the retired pieces. I plan on collecting any and all I can.

Amber