I am late again.
But I have alot of reading for you.
I added what I feel is the Market value. This is just what I feel the Lighthouse is worth. This is more of the long term value, like the value you would insure your lights for. As you can see it is not always the same as ebay prices.
I welcome anyone else’s opinion on their worth.


1. Coquille River $2,259.57
It comes in its original white box that came from the factory that way, has never been displayed. This is a limited edition lighthouse. This lighthouse has a lightning rod. The edition number is 54 of 5500. It has a white sticker that says Coquille River Oregon#111Harbour Lights 1991.
There are 3 indented squares in the door. The catwalk is brownish. The lighthouse roof is black and the house roof color is dark greenish. It has the green flocking that does not go to the edge.

Okay here’s my opinion
1. It is definitely from a California mold. The 3-pnl door proves that and the low number reinforces it.
2. The uncompleted figurine was sent to Canada where the Green flocking was added.
And then shipped out in a white Castle Studios box.
3. There is no Canadian Sticker, which supports it coming from the Canadian Factory during the early years of production and supports the low number. The sticker may have been lost but I doubt it.
4.Heavy antiquing supports it being a California or early Canadian.
5. Heavy blue lantern also supports it being a California or early Canadian
6. White windowpanes are associated with it being painted in Canada or at least the windowpane was painted in Canada.

I have logged two other 2-digit coquilles with lower numbers than this one and both of them had white window pains and green flocking that fell short of the edge. They also had the three-pnl door. The one had a number of #34 and just went for $2500.
There was just a Coquille for sale on the forum by Randy with a number of 204 and it had a green windowpane and the Canadian green flocking. On this forum and according to the green book we have been associating the green windowpane with a California paint job. But the lower numbered Coquilles are showing up with the white windowpanes.
When it comes to the gray felt the only one that I have heard of so far is an Artist proof that was talked about on this forum a few years ago. John or other collectors may have seen one with a gray felt but I have not heard of any.

This is the theory about the Coquille. When first produced in California the Coquille was so unpopular that only a few were released, if any. When production was switched to Canada all the painted and unpainted Coquilles were all shipped out to Canada. Even the molds.
The unpainted and the partially painted were then painted in Canada. They were then all stored for shipping. When the numbering came about there was no magic in the order. A Canadian painted Coquille might have been given a 2-digit number will the California painted one was given a three digit. This is why we see painting variations in random numeric order. The fact that the Coquille#54 came with a white Castle Studios box and not the brown means that it was at the factory until the brown boxes was used up. This shows how unpopular the coquille was and why Harbour lights killed the production of it thinking no-body would miss it.

With all of this in mind I feel that the #54 Coquille was made in California sent to Canada where it was numbered and boxed. As far as the painting part I think it was first painted in California and then touched-up in Canada, but because of lack of enough information I would not rule out it being totally painted in Canada. The information I need is the color scheme for a true blooded, Made and painted in California with full gray felt and plain brown box. Then we would be positive what the California made looked like and judge the early Coquilles accordingly.

I feel that it when for the appropriate price.
Value for a 2-digit California Mold with Original box ………….$2250 to $2500


2. Cape Hatteras 101 5021/5500 $474.99
In excellent condition and has original box and was never displayed.

This is on the low side of the ebay going price.
Ebay prices last year $238 to $700
Market value $550 to $650


3. Burrows Island #108 $387
Number 479 of 5500.
This is definitely high for a Canadian Burrows except for one major difference.
If you look at the tag you can plainly see that it says Burrows Island OR.
Owner never mentions that it is the rare OR version and probably didn’t know.
But with 11 bidders and 34 bids it is obvious that some collector noticed.
This is the first time in history that a Burrows Island OR was won on ebay.
It did go out in a large packaged deal with other lights, but never by itself.
It was offered several times but never reached the reserved. I believe that it reached as high as $600 in the past, but the owner informed me that his reserve was $800.
This is definitely a bargain and must have gone un-noticed by many collectors.
This is a highly Sault after Harbour Lights and is a void spot in many collections.
Highest price on ebay $600 (reserve not met)
Green book value: $1080
My opinion of value: $600 to $800


4. Pharos collection $380.12
This collection consists of the following lighthouses:
PC101 Portland Bill, England Flag # 2221
PC103 Trwyn Du, Wales Flag # 2204
PC104 Needles, England Flag # 2341
PC105 Ballinacourty, Ireland Flag # 2111
PC107 Bell Rock, Scotland Flag # 2306
Probably the going price but I would never sell one for less than $750
This is a true Harbour light sleeper and will be the Coquille of the Millennia.
My opinion of value $750 to $1000


5. West Quoddy 103 $355
Number 752 of 5500. This item is in its original box and in excellent condition.
This is an extremely high price for A Canadian West Quoddy. On ebay a Canadian West Quoddy goes for $100 to $150. The only thing that I can see that brought in the high price is the heavy brown spots on the walls and tower. This was done on some of the early lights to make them look more realilistic. The idea didn’t sell and Harbour lights quite the process. The painting looks old and I hope that the bidders didn’t confuse this with a California. This is definitely a Canada mold and not a California, you can tell by counting the windowpanes in the second story. A California mold has six while a Canada and Malaysian has eight. The highest number found with a California mold is 423 and it has the standard Canadian paint style.
With all that said. This is a nice looking Lighthouse and has the antique paint job on it. Jim Rutherford in his early books said the Harbour Lights with antiquing should not be considered a variation and hence no value difference. Those days are gone and the modern Harbour light collectors loves oddities. Looks like the heavy spots make a lighthouse more desirable and should be classified as a variation.
Of all the Lighthouses that I saw on ebay that had the heavy brown spots all went for around $350. But one major difference they were Pure California with a low number.
Value: $355 until proven otherwise.


6. Cape Hatteras 101 4202/5500 $330
Comes with Original box and bubble bag packing. It is in excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Also comes with stamp.

This is a bargain
Market value $550 to $650


7.Rose Island #614 ɧ $234.70
Comes with original box.
Matching set of a limited edition piece and a 'mini'. Both pieces are number 459 out of the 700 produced

This is pretty much the going price on ebay. A set went last month for the exact price.


8. ST. AUGUSTINE, FL- RETIRED - #138– $202.50
#1031 OUT OF 5500. IT COMES WITH CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IN BUBBLE BAG PACKING IN ORIGINAL BOX. IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH NO CHIPS OR CRACKS.

This is the going price.
Market value $250 to $350


9.Hilton Head $199
Comes with paper work and original box.
Going price on ebay.


10.New Point Loma $175
Figure is MIB with papers, comes with certificate of authenticity and original box with styrofoam packing. This is a limited edition #309 out of 950 and was introduced August 1, 1997 and retired August 31, 1997. This figure is in excellent condition and has only be out of the box for inspection and photos and is signed on bottom of felt - B. Younger 8/97
New point Loma was glorified as being one of the top ten key pieces in the late 90’s.
With a production of only 950 and being the first reunion piece it only seemed logical that that it would demand a high price. Well it did for a while.
The following events brought its price down.
1. The obvious being ebay. Every body is secondary market dealer with ebay.
2. The next obvious is that the general popularity of harbour Lights dropped.
3. New Point Loma was saturated into a group of Harbour light collectors who bought extras. All the big collectors all ready has one.
4. Things that made it popular at the time are just regular stuff. Like the skeleton light.
5. Long time since a reunion. A reunion sparks more interest in collecting especially the reunion pieces.
6. Harbour light lighthouses on the west coast are generally less popular than those on the east coast. Reason is that there are more people on the east coast and most collectors want the lighthouses they been to.
7. There doesn’t seems to be very many new collectors to replace the old. As the old collectors sell off or leave this world, their collections are left for the next generation. If there is no demand with our new collectors than the prices will keep falling.

Value $350 to $450

Daniel, ...I must say your efforts to update the "Top Ten on eBay" topic are very much appreciated. Your efforts should be applauded by all who visit this thread.

Your work is very interesting and factual. I may go as far to say it is the most interesting thread of late.

Keep up the great work!

Bob

Terrific report Daniel, Very informative and enlightening!
I love your historic perspective as I am only beginning to learn of many of the points you mention.
This may be the time to fully support an idea that appears in these Forums from time to time: a complete history of HL production.
I know its quite a task but the information appears to be out there either already in print, cyber-space or the steeltrap minds of the WACKO NATION!!!
Thanks again!
Rick

Outstanding report. Did you ever consider authoring a book? You might call it "The Survival Guide to Harbour Lights Lighthouses". Your reports are much more enlightning then the author of that now defunct publication.

Who might that be so we can drag the dead horse out and beat it up a little more? LOL!

Bob

Daniel,

Once again you submitted a masterful piece of work relative to your analysis of the EBay Secondary Market pertaining to Harbour Lights. It's an insightful piece of work.

Thanks once again.

bobo