Does an autograph from Bill, Nancy, Kim, or any Harbour Lights representatives that come to stores and shows increase the value of the piece? In collecting hockey cards, the autograph often ruins the value of the card itself but creates a value of the person's signature. I've heard mixed reactions for collecting HL. Some say that the piece increases in value, and others say that the value (even with the autograph) is the value of the piece itself.

The answer to this question is like the answers to tyour other questions- it depends.

There are some who might pay more for an autographed item, but with the relative ease of getting your HL pieces signed by Bill the added value is not monetary.

It is not a scarce item to have a signed piece, therefore it does not add much value in most cases.

There were several special signings- like the rededication of Cape Hattereas after the move where the new Hatteras On The Move was first available at that might increase the value if it had the specific date on it.

Otherwise- not really.

Dennis

I have very few signed HL's. I do not bring HL's to Harbour Lights events, but I will have a piece signed there if I purchase one or win one in an drawing.

Whether a piece is signed or not doesn't effect my desire to purchase something if I want it.

Bob

When we went to the signing event last year in Toledo, we took our "Ape Hatteras" gift piece with us to have it signed. We knew that Paul would be there taking pictures and had Bill sign it to more or less "authenticate" our good fortune. We still haven't heard of anyone else having one of these error pieces. I think this increased the value of the piece if only in my mind.

I have to agree that the value of a signed piece is in the eyes or minds of the actual collector. I take pieces to signings only if they are special to me or special in my mind to me. The majority of my everyday pieces are not signed. I try to have the Society pieces, Christmas pieces and any piece in the 5500 series signed. The rest are catch if catch can. Would I pay more for a signed piece? No way, since I can get it signed myself.

Rich

I think signed Harbour Lights will be like a signed painting they will be worth a lot when the signer departs this earth,and I for one never want to see that day.

There are 3 lights that have "special" signatures or labels on them, in reference to what Dennis mentioned. The Cape Hatteras on the Move pieces that were sold the first day and signed at Cape Hatteras have a special add-on from Bill. The Sapelo piece and Tybee OE had special stickers added only on the day of the event. (working from memory here). They would be a little rarer than a normal HL.

I have Edgartown and Sunken Rock store event pieces that are NOT signed. I would think a Bill event store piece that is not signed would be in the minority, but again I don't think it really has any added value.

We have had Bill sign all sorts of wierd items for people's collections. Things that come to mind have normally been for Saint Rod, collector of HL mis-prints, one-offs, goofs and assorted other things no one in their right mind would want. (But that is a whole thread to itself. . .)

Dave

Jakers and I have signed a few pieces. Surely they must be worth a lot!

Priceless Sue! In any case, I have seen the same pieces on eBay (signed and not signed) go for the same price. As with anything, authentication of a signature may be the key in the future. Down the road, a rare piece that has been signed may bring in more money, but again, I personally believe authentication (photo of the signing) may be needed. Let's face it... there may be those down the road who may purchase a Sharpie and forge Bill's name. Proof is in the pudding. I have many signed pieces. I don't have them signed because of the possibility of "worth growth". I have them signed because it marks an occasion of an event that I was able to attend and see Bill personally. imho

Tim

Signing may decrease the value.... if it wasn't signed on the bottom and/or if the name was spelled incorrectly...

Sorry...

John

This also brings up the point, do Bill and Nancy both sign on the same piece? I would think Nancy's signature would be worth more since she has less events than Bill. After all she's the boss


Chuck

I think the autograph increases value, it's like an artist signing a painting, and Harbour Lights, definitely, are great pieces of art!!!

I don't know if a signed piece increases a lighthouse in monetary value, but I personally like signed pieces for my own satisfaction. In fact I would like to offer an invitation to Bill that he come down for dinner and wine next time he is in the area, and sign all my pieces. This would make me happy, and I promise not to sell any of them till after I die, or at least until I die. I think it is pretty special to show friends a signed piece and tell them about the person who signed them.

All things considered, I doubt if it increases the value at all. But, like Dick said....I think that its nice to have it because it adds alittle "human interest" to the piece. I've got 12 LE's that are signed by Bill and enjoy telling the story behind each....if they want to hear it, lol!

Actually, I try to get all my LE's signed by Bill. Last year was the first year I saw Nancy signing so I asked her to sign all the previous siging event pieces next to Bill's autograph. I do take pieces to in-store events but never more than a dozen. At an event last year, someone brought 100 HLs to be signed. The store owner had them set up in a back room and Bill would do a few at a time and then come to the front room to meet the walk-in crowd.

Pete, having a rep sign your piece certainly wouldn't add to it's value.

But maybe someone affiliated with a particular lighthouse would?

I never really thought that a signed one was worth more; BUT.
If two lighthouses of the same model are side by side and both are for sale. You can bet the signed one goes first. So with this in mine I suppose the signed one may be worth a little more, because eventually the one that didn’t sell would then be discounted. I would put a monetary value of about 5% to 10% more for a signed one depending on the model.

Signatures that I feel would be of more value would be a lighthouse of eight years old or more and has the signature with the same date it was released. If you follow that theory, that may eventually put more of a value on the signed ones as they grow older. I always try to get them signed the same year they were released. But, that is not always possible. Signatures that I feel would be worth less would be recent signatures on lighthouses of 8 years or older. If my older ones are not all ready signed I will leave it at that. This is totally my preference. Probably no one else’s.

An other signature that I would offer more money for would be one signed by Kim before 1995. Some of the older ones have been signed by Kim at collectors shows. There may even be a few out there that were signed by Tori Dawn. I think I heard of one on ebay a few years back. I do know that she did sign some collector Buttons. So did KIM. I am looking at them right now.

The buttons that is.

In 1997, I managed to locate and buy a regular edition AB 105 Pleasure Cruiser Motor Yacht "Kim" #A9, it is the lowest number in my collection as well as being the rarest since only 13 regular edition Kim's (the other 12 were numbers over A1279) were released....

It is signed by Kim, which makes it more valuable, in my eyes at least!

Awesome
I agree This rare find and with Kims signature would only add to its value.

There one other HLs that are floating around with Kims signature on it. The hl 519. They came all ready signed from HQ.
Harry and others signed most of them. But a few are around that was signed by Kim.

I don't worry so much about having them signed for their monetary value as much as I have them signed by Bill for the conversational value! Anyone who has ever attended a signing knows how much fun it is to visit with Bill while he is signing away! I have approximately 25% of my pieces signed, but I never had any of them done to increase the value of my collection -- only to increase the value of my Harbour Lights memories!

chris g