As I said in my previous post, I am a hard core collector. I only collect one item: Harbour Lights limited editions, but, I have them all. I decided when I started collecting Harbour Lights that I would buy all the limited editions put out so I could have the entire line. There were a lot of sacrifices on my part to get the early limited editions that were already retired when I started in 1994 and a lot of planning was put into my plan to keep up with the current releases while, one by one, buying the more expensive early retired pieces. When a person spends between $1000.00 and $2000.00 a year, depending on the amount of LE put out, you are a hard core collector. There is no other reason behind spending this money except to be hard core and a true lover of lighthouses. Bill asked me years ago "what would I do if Harbour Lights lighthouses never increased in value? Would I still be happy with my collection". I told him yes because my years in the Coast Guard made lighthouses special to me. I still feel that way, but, I'm not happy with the direction I see Harbour Lights taking and when it's not fun to collect anymore, then it's time to get out or just shut up. I'm not the kind of person to shut up after being in the Coast Guard for 23 years and now a first line supervisor with a aerospace company, so, I have decided to stop collecting at the time I retire if things do not change. I will then become a part time buyer (Florida Lights, Christmas Pieces and Society Pieces) and will sit back and enjoy my collection and visiting lighthouses. A hard core collector does not think he/she is superior or better then the occasional buyer, but, at least I feel that I should not be left out because there are no more important lighthouse to sculpt.

In the case of GLOWS, Guardians and LLOM, while I have no interest in them, they do have a place in the overall realm of things. They are available for the hard core collector that is starting out now and cannot afford to buy retired limited editions, or the occasional gift for relatives, friends, etc. and for the collectors on limited budgets or with limited space.

I do not mean to insult anybody or to imply that I am better then other collectors. I am only saying that myself and others like me helped to make Harbour Lights a success and it seems that Harbour Lights is getting away from their roots that made them a success, the limited edition. The only thing that I hope is that Harbour Lights does not start resculpting their limited edition line to help sales. The limited editions are just that, Limited Editions.