Whew...there's a powder keg question: Does the Signature series mark the end of the Golden Age of Harbour Lights?

I think it's fair to say that this so-called Golden Age has indeed come and gone. 1993 and 1994 were phenomenal years for the company. 1995 introduced the Collector's Society, the Christmas piece, and the early retirement of Point Arena. 1996 Introduced the "Event piece" and superstars Alcatraz, Cape Canaveral, and Thomas Point. The first half of 1997 saw a flurry of near-immediate retirements.

I think the Golden Age ended around the second half of 1997. The UPS strike dealt the company a blow. The problems with their Asian manufacturers at that time didn't help. And it seemed to me like the Anchor Bay line didn't help the company, either. 1997 seemed to end not with a blast from the HL fog horn but a tinny toot.

So 1998 rolls around and suddenly the edition size increases to 10,000. From a marketing standpoint, I think they should have made it 9,999. The addition of that 5th digit makea huge difference in the mind of the consumer (it's why stores price things, for example, at $9.99 instead of $10.00). It's been said that the extra 500 pieces wouldn't make much difference. Yet Cape Florida has been endangered for months. Grand Haven should be endangered by now, as should Sturgeon Bay but they're not. Considering that the number of people joining the Collector's Society continues to grow, this lack of retirements bears some study.

We also get a whole slew of GLOWS which dilutes space on store shelves and take the focus off the limited editions. The Signature Series (2 more GLOWS) debuts to lukewarm response. While Cockspur outdoes Amelia Island as the society gift, Sea Girt, while nice, is rather plain compared to the utter charm of the previous three exclusives.

It's nearly the end of October and there have been no retirements of 1998 pieces. Further, nothing has retired at all in 5 months. The last gap that lasted that long was between the retirement of Cape Hatteras and Sandy Hook between 12/93 and 5/93!

Having said all that, no golden age can last forever. With its early retirements of Coquille and Burrows Island, and the resculpting of Assateague, Harbour Lights blasted onto the scene, storming past its competitors as it charmed its customers. Now the company and the market have matured. The days of early retirements and flag errors are probably gone. The chance of someone dropping a Gold master mold AGAIN is remote at best.

Furthermore, collectors are maturing, too. Many people are running out of room and can't buy every single new piece that comes out. They're getting a little pickier about what they buy. So that might be having some effect on sales. Maybe.

But none of the above points have diminished my respect and admiration for the company, nor my love of their product. I continue to pester my dealer about the arrivals of new pieces ("Is it in yet?? Is it in yet??") even though I might not buy them all.

So rock on, Harbour Lights. I'm sure you'll find a way to usher in a second golden age. My guess it will happen when Lady Liberty appears on store shelves.

[This message has been edited by Bill Harnsberger.]