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5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80389 09/22/99 10:20 PM
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Bob M Offline OP
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I've visited a few HL dealers lately and noticed the conspicuous absence of any of the 5500 limited editions. Could it be these "moldy-oldies" are finally gone from the shelves?

I would be curious to hear from other collectors who often stop by HL dealers. Are the 5500's gone from your area also? If they have truly disappeared from the dealer's shelves, can we expect an increase in their value?

Inquiring minds on the East Coast, where it's 52 degrees and clearing, would like to know.

Bob

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80390 09/23/99 10:25 AM
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Bill Harnsberger Offline
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I see some around occasionally, but they are definitely dwindling. The ones I most often see are:

Cape Blanco
Port Isabel
St. George's Reef
and once in awhile Yaquina Head

Not meaning to give them a plug, but if you're looking for 5500s and you're not real picky which ones they are, Lighthouse Depot in Wells still has some.

I have no doubt that in years to come the 5500s will be viewed much the same way that the earliest Hummels were: Extremely rare collectors items. The edition size, when you think about it, is truly tiny. Eventually, they'll end up in the hands of people who have no intention of re-selling, and values will go up accordingly. I don't think it'll take too long for that to happen.

[This message has been edited by Bill Harnsberger (edited 09-23-99).]

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80391 09/23/99 11:13 AM
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MtnHkr Offline
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Bob, I agree with your findings. 5500 LE's are a scarce commodity, at least in this area.
I'm not sure what that will do to the value, but I'm glad I have what I need, except for one, and that's Nauset.

I'll continue to look though as I enjoy just going in and seeing the HL's wherever I can.

By the way I'll send you a sepearte e-mail as we've met before on a number of occasions and never once discussed lighthouses.

Bert


Bert

No mountain is too tall if your first step is belief. -Anonymous
Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80392 09/23/99 12:01 PM
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WackoPaul Offline
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We have been to over 125 stores this year, probably closer to 150 stores in 14 different states. The ‘‘5500’’ lighthouses are not only disappearing but they are totally gone in most stores. During one stretch we went to 5 straight stores without finding one lighthouse on my retired@retail check list, which includes more than just the ‘‘5500’’ lighthouses.

At one signing this year two or three early arriving collectors headed straight to the stores Harbour Lights display and bought all the ‘‘5500’’ lighthouses the store had, before they did anything else.

Another signing we were at was a Northport, MI, we arrived in the area the afternoon before the signing and before we checked into our motel in Traverse City, we stopped to chat with the owner and check out the lighthouses before the signing for retired@retail.

They had 8 or 9 of the ‘‘5500’’ lighthouses on the shelves. The next morning when we arrived for the signing (an hour before they were to open officially) I noticed that none of them were out on the shelves. I asked the owner and he said someone had called and bought all of them and wanted them signed by Bill. I then changed my list of retired@retail for their store.

Two stores in the Indianapolis area had some of the early Northwestern United States ‘‘5500’’ lighthouses, until I checked a month ago and they had been sold when they displayed them prominently, instead of hiding them on the bottom shelf.



SaintWackoPaul'
Keep the Flame


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80393 09/23/99 12:40 PM
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Rock Offline
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Still some here in San Jose...New Canal, Umpqua River, Cape Blanco, Bolivar, Port Isabel, Biloxi...

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80394 09/25/99 11:04 PM
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RMau Offline
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The '5500's' are definitely just about gone. The ones most readily available through Retired@Retail are the last four, Bolivar, Isabel, New Canal and Biloxi. Of those, Biloxi is the least available.

Earlier this year R@R had a run on the Oregon lights. Now there might be a lead or two for each of them, except the one with six sides .

Occasionally R@R unearths a gem or two. For instance, Michigan City, Split Rock and Thomas Point have all been available within the past month through R@R. Stop in and check the lists once in while.

http://www.harbourlights.com/retired

Collect 'em because you like 'em.
Rick

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80395 09/28/99 03:17 AM
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Richard W Offline
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I went back to several retailers after about a year & all 5500s are gone. Still plenty to be had near (& many times below) retail on Ebay. Don't think it will be this way for long. Get them while you can !!

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80396 10/12/99 03:38 PM
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Bob M Offline OP
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I just returned from Long Island, New York and while I was there I stopped by a few HL Dealers. I was surprised to find many 5500 LEs still available at Marissa's in Port Jefferson. If my memory serves me correctly, they still have Cape Blanco, Umpqua River, St. Georges, North Head, Yaquina Head, Port Isabel, and a few others. I guess there are a few out-of-the-way dealers that still have the 5500's.

Bob

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80397 10/12/99 04:27 PM
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rscroope Offline
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Hi Bob, encroaching on my territory? lol
What you didn't notice at Marrisa's in Pt Jeff is that they are not at retail!


LONG ISLAND BOB
Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80398 10/12/99 06:00 PM
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Rusty Offline
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I have been to over 24 stores in the last 2 months in the southeast. They are definatly dwindling. Seems to have even happened in the last few weeks. I have been able to purchase quite a few of them. But if I do find some on the shelves they seem to be beat up. Found an Old Mackinac recently and was going to purchase it at retail, until I saw the chips in it. (Probably why it was still on the shelf)

Rusty

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80399 10/13/99 12:20 AM
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Bob M Offline OP
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You know, Bob...you're right! I never asked what the asking price for the 5500's were. I was so surprised to see them I just tried to make as many mental notes as I could before I had to jump back in the car to make it to Orient Point to catch the 3:00 p.m. ferry. I did manage to take 9 rolls of film on the trip. 95 % of the pictures were of lighthouses.

Bob

Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80400 10/13/99 10:34 AM
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rscroope Offline
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Hi Bob,
Did you happen to bump into the 58 members of the Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Club who spent 4 days lighthousing last weekend! I wish I knew you were around, we could have hooked up. I was at the Museum at Stony Brook Friday, and Huntington Harbor and Eatons Neck Sunday.
Did you happen to notice Plum Island while you were on the ferry?
http://216.46.163.97/forums/Forum5/HTML/000160.html
Next time!
Bob


LONG ISLAND BOB
Re: 5500's..going once...going twice...gone? #80401 10/13/99 05:42 PM
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Bob M Offline OP
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Yes, we were at Huntington Harbor and Eaton's Neck on Sunday too, in the rain! At first we were intimidated by all the signs on the road to Eaton's Neck referring to no tresspassing, etc., but we called the USCG via a number given to me by Bob Muller and finally got permission to "come on down!" Now that's a beautiful spot! It's sad they had to put all the housing directly around the light.

Bob


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