Did the Montauk Point, NY (HL143) come in a "formed" styrofoam insert (like later releases) or was it packaged in peanuts (like earlier releases) within the box?

I have at least 4 or 5 in stock. They are all packed in peanuts. I don't think the styrofoam mold was used then.

Bob

All Montauk Point came with the big blue box and peanuts. The only lighthouses that changed from the big blue box and peanuts to the smaller box and the styrene inserts are:

Blue legacy
and
Big Bay

There were other of the older HLs that changed to inserts but they were not styrene inserts but a foam insulation with duct tape wrapped around it and I think they were the St George and the Yaquina Head and Cape Blanco. I will have to check with my collection to make sure.

Some Toledo's also had the " foam insulation with duct tape wrapped around it ".

Paul
You got me thinking.
I believe that the Selkirk and the great lake series started out with peanuts.
Not totally positive.
I was tracking on ebay which lighthouses change over from peanuts but that info was in my old computer that crashed last month. I haven’t checked my backups to see if I salvaged the info or not. So I am just going by memory.

Thanks for the info guys!

Regarding the changeover from peanuts to foam insulation (as well as styrene molded inserts), do we know with what lighthouse this changeover took place? and when? (1995-1997?)

I have a Wind Point, WI (HL 154) with an earlier foam insulation mold. The next earliest piece that I have in my collection Assateague (HL145) with peanuts. The next oldest piece that I have in my collection is Bald Head (HL 155) and I think that back with peanuts again.

If Toledo Harbour (HL179) was released in 1996, Perhaps HL was "experimenting" with the foam insulation for several years with certain lights to see how well it performed for the final molded styrene inserts.

It would be nice to compile a list of what packaging material (peanuts, foam, or styrene insert) came with what product from the factory. My hunch is that the years of 1995 through 1997 was the transition years.

The styrene inserts did not start until the production of lighthouses moved from Malaysia to China in 1994 with the Cape hatteras open edition being the first to use the styrene inserts. The paint did not stick well enough to the Malaysians to hold up to the abrasion of the styrene. China came up with a tougher material, cold cast porcelain that the paint adhered to better. As productions switched over from Malaysia to China in 1995 and 1996 the large box with peanuts was replaced by the smaller one with the styrene inserts. Eventually the Malaysians also were able to use the styrene until 1997 I believe all of the lighthouses were boxed with styrene inserts.

Others that had both types of boxes and packing were:

Highlands
Brant Point
Peggy’s cove
Scituate