Interesting thoughts from two Bobs.

Bob McKeon - how many pieces does that $29K represent? What is the average you would have spent had you bought them at retail?

And, continuing the 'what if...' of buying each at retail, if you had started in 1991 when Harbour Lights did, you would have spent an average of $2,100 per year or $175 a month.

Is that a reasonable amount to spend on a 'hobby' of collecting? If you were a smoker, it would have been about a pack-and-a-half a day.

There was a time when spending on Harbour Lights for me was 'a bit' out of control. But the priceless part of the addiction is not the collection, but the friends I've made since 'discovering' Harbour Lights in July of 1996 at the Monadock gift shop in Mackinaw City Michigan. You can't put a price tag on the trips to lighthouses with friends, the friendships made through the original AOL lighthouses board, later these forums, the 'Reunions', a few regionals and store events. Was all that worth whatever was spent on HLs, and lighthouse travels? Absolutely!

I have been fortunate that the interest in Harbour Lights and lighthouses has created some income as well as great friends and memories. I wouldn't do it any other way if I could go back to July 1996 and had the choice to simply walk past the gift shop.