I have always been an admirer of Bill Younger going back some 15 years. While I am very supportive of Bill’s efforts to make a generous donation to the “Smile Train campaign”, I would like to see the other objective reached. “To make available some rare and treasured pieces to the Harbour Lights Collector family.” Sadly for me, it seems that commercial investors are buying most of Bill’s collection. Wouldn’t it be nice if the average guy or girl collector, had a chance to purchase something that to them and me, would be a “VERY SPECIAL” and cherished possession.

For those of you lighthouse collectors who have been fortunate enough to win the Ebay bids on the truly Very Special and Very RARE lighthouses, I applaud you. You have my respect and admiration, I do not wish to offend you.

But some members have voiced their disappointment with their rejected bids. Please consider the following observation:

Based on available ebay information: roughly 2/3 of all the lighthouses sold in both of the first two releases, were dominated by only 7 buyers. They purchased at least 10 lights each and 3 of them purchased 15 or more. These buyers appear to have bought no matter what the price and no matter what the item. As the third group of lighthouses has been on ebay less than 12 hours, some of the same 7 buyers have already started the frenzy, putting bids on 30 plus items each. I don’t know if these 7 buyers are actual collectors or just indiscriminate profit takers. But I recall reading on this web site, when big ebay buyers would intentionally inflate prices just to charge more for resale later. Do we now have mostly commercial resellers buying these treasured items?

As an avid collector of Harbour Lights lighthouses with over 111 and still growing, I collect only those that have some meaning to me. Either climbed them, taken photos or just visited them over the years, but they are all special and have a story to tell. I have enjoyed and paid for several commercial and fund raising lighthouse tours. Almost 1/3 of my collection have been signed by Bill, Nancy or Kim and I even have some Founders Collection lights. Every lighthouse I purchase, is for my enjoyment and not necessarily intended to make a buck. I just hate to see Bill’s treasures go to persons who’s goal seems to be a greedy profit.