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    Brickpicker blog articles on LEGO investing, news, reviews, evaluations, discounts and more...
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    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      So I think most everyone here would agree that every investment has it's pros and cons, I think there are still a lot of people who are hesitant about trusting toys as an investment. I think everyone can agree that it is better to put your money in a situation where it can grow over a place where it can't (like a savings or checking account) because with inflation, that large sum of savings you have can be worth a lot less later on.
      But what makes all of us so attracted to Lego investing over all of these other types of investments? Since I have some experience investing in several different normal investments, I thought I would compare and contrast the pros and cons of a few of these so a few of you who are a little worried about getting in could rest at ease a bit more.
      Increased interest Savings Accounts
      These are accounts that are offered by the bank when you have a checking account. Most of the time these require a balance of somewhere near $10K and have an interest structure based on how much money is in the account at any given time (the more in the account, the more gaining interest). Currently, to get 2% in these types of accounts is pretty phenomenal. Here are the pros and cons of these types of accounts:
      Pros
      Guaranteed growth: Because your money is in a guaranteed growth account, you will never lose money (unless the bank goes under which is a whole other conversation). You will have small growth, but guaranteed money coming in and you can rest easy that you aren't taking a chance. You have access to your money at any time – you can pull out of these accounts assuming you don't break the minimum. Even if you have to withdraw everything, you can do it with a very small penalty. These types of accounts make it really easy to take out other loans for things like cars, as they can act as collateral. They are a direct asset you can use in debt negotiations, unlike Lego sets. Cons
      Growth is always the same: There is no sleeper, no fluctuation which means with the very low interest rates, you aren't getting a whole lot out of your money. Think about buying a Lego set that you knew would have a CAGR of 2% for the next 5 years. High minimum balances to get the interest rate: This means you always have to have that giant chunk of money in the account to get the interest rate. If you do have to pull money out, your interest rate will go down. The market also somewhat controls these so it will still go down without you doing anything. You don't have a whole lot of control over your investment because it is bland gain – no risk, no reward CDs and Bonds
      These are accounts you open with banks or other financial entities where you commit to basically have them hold the money for a period of time (the longer and more money you put in, the better interest rate you get) and they guarantee a certain amount of gain while they have it.
      Pros
      Guaranteed growth just like the savings account. Can be used as assets for collateral. Safe from market problems as the interest rates are fixed and don't flucuate. Cons
      Interest rates currently are under 1% unless you put in a large sum of money. This means almost anything that nets you positive money is better than the CD you are investing in. Interest rates don't fluctuate, meaning if they go way up, you don't benefit until your CD matures Money is bound to the CD. If you break the CD, you will pay a penalty on your money and most likely forfeit all of the interest you gained. This also takes a trip to the bank and paperwork which means your investment is not very accessible. The Stock Market
      This one is obviously the most popular because of the possibilities of making insane amounts of money at any point in time. Everyone will use this at some point; if you have a 401K you are already involved with it. This is a very time consuming activity, but can net some serious rewards.
      Pros
      You control your investment. You can pull money out and put money in at any time (although you do pay fees). Invest at the right time and sell at the right time, you can make more money than you can ever dream of. There are a wide variety of investment types available and a wide range of companies to choose from to invest with. There is more information than anyone could ever actually use because of the popularity. Con
      This is where the bubble lies. One second, you have millions, and the next, you have nothing. Volatile, as the last point suggested, because it is based on so many outside unpredictable factors like asset freezing, government spending, company decisions you don't hear about until after they are made, and most of all speculation. Though there is a ton of information, everyone is saying something different. There are too many opinions to really be able to perfectly compare each and every stock. Proven track records mean very little. See Apple Inc. Tons of work involved for the investor. You have to pay attention to tons of market factors you can't control at all times. There is no off-season. There is no clearance. Mutual Funds
      These are like savings accounts based on the stock market. You give your money to other people and they invest it for you and grow your portfolio without you having to choose investments and do research.
      Pros
      Normally advertised gains are usually around 10% or more. Very little work from you. If you are going to invest in the stock market, these people are the ones who actually know it (or should anyway). Cons
      Someone else has your money and you aren't controlling it. If your money is lost, you have no recourse in most situations. Just as volatile as the stock market. You don't see up to date statics of your money constantly so it's hard to know when to remove your money. Money is not accessible. Lego Investing
      So why is Lego, in my opinion, better than all these? First off, the Lego market is not near as volatile as these other markets. Yes, there are ups and downs with the economy, but Lego as a company has a proven track record and popularity is only growing. There are many less outside factors involved making your money safer. Where as if a company went under you might lose all your money invested in it, if Lego went down, while hampering future gains, all our sets would immediately go through the roof!
      You also have control over your money to choose your investments and it is much less time consuming than the stock market. You have sites like this with statistics and other proven investors to help you in what to purchase. Because this is dealing with one type of item , these statistics matter a lot more. You can actually draw correlations because there are so many data points that are similar and there aren't a bunch of random outside factors that can make a set go down in value. Generally these outside factors only make set's values go up (like a controversy or an early retirment)
      You can say, if you want less volatility, what about the CDs and the savings accounts? The returns are the problem. Even if you invest $100K in these accounts, at 2% you are going to come out with $2000 in one year. Lego's average theme CAGR is over 10%! And, while some sets definitely don't hit this, there are a very small number of sets that actually lose value. If you get sets on sale in general at the right price, you can avoid risk completely as being a fixed price investment, event he worst doesn't lose too much money and can generally never become worth nothing.
      Here are the pros and cons as I see them:
      Pros
      You control your investments You have statistics and experiences you can learn from that actually provide data you can trust Dealing with one product and one company, not a bunch of different companies Outside factors generally only help increase the value, not lower it. Fixed price investment so the price can not go down near as easily unless a set is super discounted. Average CAGR is over 10% Cons
      Though growth is pretty low risk, it is not guaranteed. Takes more time than savings accounts and CDs to manage. Money is not readily available and can not always be used to count as assets. Increased Investors can thin out the market. Can't get rich quick. As always, you should make your own decisions, but I wanted to offer up why some of us, even newer investors, are so sure this market will be there. Hopefully this can help you decide what is the best for you, and rest easy with your choice to invest in Lego.
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
    • comicblast
      After a shocking release of a remake of a Star Wars UCS model, the question in everyone's heads is "Who's next? What's going to be remade next?" I did a little analysis a couple days ago, and want to share my results, and why I made the predictions that I did.
      7181 TIE Interceptor - 2000
      This is a very epic model of the TIE Interceptor, and has very nice black box, that many investors and collectors miss. Unfortunately, it seems that LEGO's partnership with Star Wars requires all Star Wars products to have the same icon in the upper right corner of the box, depending in the time that the product was released. Sets after 2006 have all had images in the uper right similar to other Star Wars products, not only LEGO, making them stand out less amongst others. I eliminated this set from the list of potential remakes because there seem to be better choices for remakes, as it is not as popular of a vehicle than many others through the Star Wars galaxy.
      7191 X-Wing Fighter - 2000
      I doubt that we will be seeing another remake of this set quite so soon. As one of the first UCS models ever to be made, it seems fitting that it should be remade after 13 years of its release. The X-Wing is one of the most iconic sets in Star Wars, and has 12 sets with "X-Wing" in its name. Should it be remade again in the near future, I seriously doubt, unless The LEGO Company makes it habit to remake UCS models more often, which might be the case, with the large quantity of remakes we have seen, especially in the Summer 2013 LEGO Star Wars sets.
      10018 Darth Maul - 2001
      I think that a bust of a character in Star Wars is imminent, whether it be Darth Maul or a Clone Trooper. There have only been three "brick" models of Star Wars characters in the UCS line, Darth Maul, Yoda, and R2-D2. Since R2-D2 has been released so recently, it seems that The LEGO Group is picking back up the "busts" of characters. I don't think that Darth Maul will be remade, but a similar structure of him will be soon be released probably.
      10019 Rebel Blockade Runner - 2001
      The Rebel Blockade Runner would have been a great possibility of a remake, except that the Tantive IV set was released in 2009. Though there is still a possibility, I think it isn't as likely as other candidates. TLG has released UCS models while non-UCS versions of the same vehicle have been in production though, so having one several years after a non-UCS model is possible.
      7194 Yoda - 2002
      Here's the second "brick" model of a character from the Star Wars saga. Rather than a bust of Yoda, this model is a full bodied model of him. Like I said in the analysis of Darth Maul, I think an "brick" model of a character is very likely, but of Yoda, probably not.
      10026 Special Edition Naboo Starfighter - 2002
      One of my personal favorites of the UCS line, since it proves that bigger is not always better. I think a remake of this set is unlikely because TLG has a big habit of making thousand piece UCS sets. This is a one-of-a-kind UCS set, so remaking it would be a shame, IMO. Also, if LEGO were to remake this set, I'm pretty sure that it would not have chrome pieces, as those seem to be getting rarer and rarer.
      10030 Imperial Star Destroyer - 2002
      I struck this one off my list immediately, because of the Super Star Destroyer, then quickly rethought. The Imperial Star Destroyer and Super Star Destroyer and just about as close to remakes we have had in the UCS sub-theme, before the X-Wing remake. LEGO has been very systematic with the models of Star Destroyers, releasing one every four years. I don't think that we will see another UCS version of a Star Destroyer in the next couple years, but a non-UCS version is very likely.
      10129 Rebel Snowspeeder - 2003
      This set is ranked #2 of potential remakes in my book. One of the coolest vehicles IMO in the Battle of Hoth, save the AT-AT's. On my analysis, I wrote "many minifigure-scale sets", but I didn't strike it off the list because the X-Wing Starfighter has behaved similarly. I think in the next couple years, the Rebel Snowspeeder will be a big competitor for more UCS treatment.
      10134 Y-Wing Attack Starfighter - 2004
      The Y-Wing is the most likely UCS model to be remade. Along with the X-Wing, and TIE Fighter, the Y-Wing is among the most popular in the whole Star Wars universe. Though 2 less sets with "Y-Wing" in name, it is still a widely made, and remade set, making it a big contester for a remake. The 10134 Y-Wing is on the smaller side of UCS models, so I expect a larger one to be made in the near future.
      10143 Death Star II - 2005
      The Death Star II is one of the most expensive and valuable Star Wars sets out there, and for good reason. Though no minifigures are included in it, it is a huge set, and a great display. This UCS model had very odd pricing, the only to my knowledge to be priced at $298.99 rather than $299.99. This being the second largest UCS model makes it an unlikely candidate, but its recognizability makes it a prime possibility for remaking.
      10174 Imperial AT-ST - 2006
      There have been a surprising amount of AT-ST's made throughout the Star Wars line, with 6 made with "AT-ST" in name. This set isn't a big contender for UCS treatment, because of its more recent appearance as a UCS set, and because it wouldn't be a large set.
      10175 Vader's TIE Advanced - 2006
      Not a likely candidate IMO because it is recent, and there are many other TIE Fighters. What I am anticipating is a UCS TIE Fighter, that isn't a TIE Advanced or TIE Interceptor in the near future. Look out for one of them, people! I am surprised one hasn't already been made because there are 10 sets with "TIE Fighter" in name.
      10179 Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon - 2007
      Though many investors and collectors would be heartbroken if the Millennium Falcon were remade, I think that even if it were, it would not be nearly as epic or eye popping than the 10179. Maybe a smaller version is in the makings with 2,000 pieces or less, but not a larger one than that. I think that many LEGO designers respect the beauty and iconic-ness of this set not to remake it quite nearly the same.
      10186 General Grievous - 2008
      This is the first Technic UCS model, and it is pretty cool. It doesn't include a whole lot of pieces, but it does convey a much more accurate picture than could have been made using regular LEGO bricks. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I don't think that a Technic General Grievous is going to be remade in the near future, but a model of a different character, maybe C3PO is highly probable.
      10188 Death Star - 2008
      I've never heard of a remake of a set that hasn't retired, so I think it's safe to say that we won't see a remake of the 10188 Death Star. Wouldn't it be great if there was, and it lasted just as long? I'm sure many investors would absolutely love holding a set for 5+ years!!
      The rest of the sets in the UCS line, I decided not to write about because they were to recent to be remade, or still in production.
      10212 Imperial Shuttle - 2010
      10215 Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter - 2010
      10221 Super Star Destroyer - 2011
      10225 R2-D2 - 2012
      10227 B-Wing Starfighter - 2012
      10240 Red Five X-Wing Starfighter - 2013
    • Fcbarcelona101
      Since its original introduction more than a decade ago, the Star Wars LEGO theme has been the single most successful line of products in TLG portfolio. The fan base is just huge and the same goes for the content itself: hundreds of books, toys, 6 films (soon to be 9), miniseries, etc.
      To tap even more into the SWs market, back in 2009 the company decided to offer a little something extra to those Star Wars LEGO fans as part of the May the 4th promotions, and that was the beginning of a series of promotional give outs that, along with the discounts, would be the center of attention and discussion with LEGO fans for several weeks before the even. Let's take a quick look at all of the May the 4th promos that have been released so far:
      2009

      Comments: As mentioned before, this was the promo that started it all. A very nice and collectable poster showcasing most of the SW LEGO minifigs that had been released up to that point. I have had a really hard time finding any listings of this item for sale on eBay, something that is not unexpected given it has been around 4 years already and posters are definitely not in the same league as minifigs, they get easily damaged or lost. I assume that this particular one would go for a decent amount of money (for a poster), as it would be very popular with some collectors.
      2010

      Comments: In this second May the 4th promotion LEGO went one step further when it came to the exclusiveness of the promotion. Even though all qualifying orders got an exclusive sticker sheet with several Star Wars characters, the main incentive of the whole event was the chance to get one of the only 2 Bronze Boba Fett you see pictured above. Basically, only one person would randomly get this desirable minifig. I could not find anything about a sale regarding this particular one, but if Mr.Gold (5000 copies and made of cheap plastic) is selling consistently for $600, then you can only imagine how much this guy here would go for.
      2011

      Comments: In 2010 LEGO decided to do better than a poster and also go with something more widespread than just 1 minifigure in the entire world as a promotion: a LEGO Shadow ARF Trooper minifig was given away for free with qualifying SW orders.
      This was actually the beginning of a tradition that has been going on for the past 4 years, LEGO SW minifigs given out as a free item on the May the 4th events. This particular one forms part of the Clone Wars universe, even though from what I read it is not an actual character that is mentioned anywhere, just a twist on the regular ARF Trooper. The minifigure is currently selling at around $ 25 on eBay, and that is pretty good for something that cost you nothing.
      2012

      Comments: 2012 brought us the silver counterpart to C-3PO, the TC-14 minifig. This particular minifig was, in my opinion, a very good choice for LEGO to produce as their May the 4th exclusive, as it is a character that we do not often see and will retain more value as a result. The figure is currently selling for around $ 22 on eBay, so once again a pretty good performer in the year or so since its release.
      2013

      Comments: This year's offering turned out to be another Hoth variation of the popular Han Solo, and a major disappointment for a lot of people as well. Opposite to the previous 2 minifigs, this is a character that has been done time and time again in several different variations, including Hoth, and as such it is a lot more widespread and common. Again, getting it for free is always good, but if you take a look at eBay the last bunch have been selling for around $10 already indicating that this one may not be as popular as some of the others (something that was said a lot in the forums). We will have to wait and see for how much this one goes in the next months to a year to accurately say it was really a flop.
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      As you can see, the May the 4th promotional items that were originally posters or a special give away have changed into the release of an exclusive minifigure for the 1 or 2 days of the event. For investors, the inclusion of this extras gives an extra incentive to purchase at the LEGO stores and S@H during those days, especially when coupled with what sometimes are great discounts on expensive sets, like it happened this year with the 50% B-Wing or a couple years ago with the 25% 10179 MF.
      These promotional items can serve 2 different purposes depending on the investor. One, they can be quickly flipped the same or a couple days after the event for a decent amount of money in a way to reduce even more the costs of some of the investments purchased on the day. In order to maximize your earnings you should expect to make your purchases in the store and as early as possible, as this will give you some time to list the promo immediately and get the most money possible before there is a flood of them in the market, something that usually happens as more people get their online orders and get back home from the stores.
      Two, investors can decide to hold to the minifigures as an investment as well. It seems that the other 2 May the 4th minifigures that have been released are consistently going for over $20 after they have been out for at least a year, so one would hope most of the others that are released in the future will achieve the same kind of value. Having said that, this will also depend on how popular and really exclusive the minifigure is, as I don't think Han Solo (Hoth) will be getting the same amount of money as a never seen before TC-14. Something else to consider in this scenario are the opportunity costs. Even if the minifigure sells for $25 a year from today, you have to believe there are better ways to invest that money today that will guarantee you a more substantial profit.
      Let me wrap up with a couple of important, if sometimes obvious, points:
      On the day of the event, and if you have a LEGO store near you, try to be at the store as early as possible. The faster you get the promotional items, the faster you will be able to list them for and get a higher dollar amount. Break your orders into several smaller ones. Say this past May the 4th you had planned to buy 3 B-Wings at 50%, it would have made sense to make three different purchases of one each to get three copies of Han Solo. Evaluate the appeal of the minifig since its announcement. You can usually tell how really exclusive or interesting a minifigure is as soon as it is announced, and this two points are the most important determinants of value in this cases. Never seen before characters (TC-14) will probably do a lot better than variations of common ones (Han Solo) Take into account the opportunity costs of holding the minifigure as an investment. Those $30 you MIGHT get next year may be worth less than the $20 you can get today. Thanks for reading!
    • comicblast
      There are thousands and thousands of LEGO investors, and even more LEGO fans and builders. Wouldn't it be great to have a system of rating your fellow brickers? I compiled a list based on what I have observed, so it is highly opinionated. I also came up with a few nicknames for people of such catagories:
      Investing and Reselling:
      Polybag Investor - Has less than $200 in investment sets, and more than 10 sets.
      Rookie to the Game - $300-$800 invested into LEGO, but has invested less than a month.
      Hoarder - Never sold a set, and just likes looking at rows and rows of boxes.
      Loyalist - Invests and resells only LEGO bricks. No Barbies, no cosmetic supplies.
      Cloner - Tends to gravitate towards having multiple of a certain set rather than having a variety of different sets.
      TWIIL - Teen Who Invests In LEGO: When being a TFOL doesn't cut it! You must get to the next level!
      Old Timer - Has more than 30 "old" NISB sets from before 1995.
      LFFL - Lego Fan For Life a rival to Ed Mack's collection of NISB sets, of 2,000+.
      Dory - For those of you who have never watched Finding Nemo, or don't remember, Dory is the never-quit fish that sang "Just Keep Swimming". This is an investor who has a never quit attitude, but has never made a winning investment.
      Surgeon - The reseller who parts out sets, rather than selling NISB sets.
      Micro-manager - Invests on a small scale, and owns several larger sets, but not a large amount.
      The Hopeful - The reseller who combs retail chains daily, but never seems to find as great a deal as others.
      The Picker - The reseller who buys large miscellaneous lots of LEGO, then picks through for pieces, then sends it on to another person.
      That Guy - The guy who is there for the money.
      Picky, Picky - Only will invest in a single theme.
      Believer - Thinks that Chima speedorz might actually make a good investment.
      Collecting: The Librarian - The super organized collector who is the envy of all...
      The Builder - Loves to build once, then throw into the pile
      Man-Child - The adult who should be doing other things than on LEGO internet forums and buying sets, such as <according to his wife>, doing the dishes.
      Historian - Keeps a detailed list of all LEGO sets owned, and preserves instructions and boxes.
      Vaccuum - Sets go in, but are never seen again...
      The Mixer - LEGO's? MegaBloks? Kre-o? What's the difference?
      General Nicknames:
      The Romantic - Or not. The LEGO fan who ditches girlfriends when she can't tell the difference between LEGO's and MegaBloks.
      Girly Man - Friends sets? No shame!!
      I Feel for You - Quite literally. This is the label for all of you who feel through bags of CM's.
      A Hardened Soul - Stepping on LEGO's? No problem! The souls of my feet are hardened!
      The Nerd - Knows more than 50 set numbers and names from memory, without trying!
      I hope you like this list I put together. It was pretty fun for me to write and have a break from investing articles, but still write about something LEGO! If you have any other ideas, feel free to list them in the comments section below!
    • Quacs
      When I was a kid eons ago, there were only four Lego themes: Town, Space, Castle, and Technic. Amazingly, these three themes still exist to this day: City, Galaxy Squad, Castle and Technic are today's version of TLC's four evergreen themes. Lego was built on the backs of these themes, and can thank them for its ascent to the multi-billion dollar toy behemoth it has become.
      Although they are sometimes shunned by Brickpickers for newer, more complex, or licensed sets that have been designed to bring the sizzle, there are some GREAT looking sets hiding among these "old school" themes. Many times the unique, unusual and/or striking sets become the sought after sets, and eventually investment winners. To highlight some of the best of these, I thought I would borrow from Dave Letterman and assemble a top ten list of the most eye catching sets of the old school Lego themes that hide from us in plain sight every day. To clarify, the only sets eligible for this list are sets from the four evergreen themes that are currently posted on Lego S@H: City, Galaxy Squad, Castle, and Technic. Without further ado, here they are:
      10. 60008 - Museum Break-In
      We start with 60008 Museum Break-In, the only Police Subtheme set on the list and the most unique model among the current Police lineup. Museum Break-In includes a really cool building model that would make a great addition to any city MOC, two police vehicles (a car and helicopter), and a get-away van to transport some really cool loot: two translucent gems, a gold nugget, a gold plate and a gold katana blade straight from Ninjago. Lots of playability, two vehicles, and six minifigs combine to create an exceptional City set.
      9. 4204 - The Mine
      Clocking in at #9 is a personal favorite of mine, 4204 The Mine. The Mine resides in that wonderful, profitable rotating City subtheme that includes a number of unique models. Other notable residents of this subtheme include Farm, Construction, and Airport sets, among others. I think the entire Mining subtheme has flown a little under the radar, and its flagship has the best chance at post-EOL success. The Mine model includes an actual mine with a drill site, complete with stone, opening boulders, and a whole host of gold crystals and bars. It's reminiscent of a really old set from 1981, 6383 Public Works Center, complete with a crane and conveyor belt. The Mine also has three sharp vehicles including a great looking earth drill, a dump truck, a hopper that runs on a track, and four miner minifigs that complete the setting of a functioning mine. Uniqueness will carry the day for this set, and I'm fairly certain we will not see another City mine for at ten years.
      8. 70708 Hive Crawler
      The first of two Galaxy Squad entrants in the top ten, 70708 Hive Crawler just looks awesome. All of the bugs in the new Galaxy Squad theme are so underrated, but to me, the Hive Crawler bug's size and colors bring the set to another level. The set consists of the monstrous beetle-ish bug, two squeamishly cool larvae, and three minifigs: one alien bug, one Galaxy Squad troop, and one robot sidekick. This set rocks because of the alien bug's colors and its size and detail. Some of the pieces that comprise the bug's abdomen also appear to be unique to this set. Also included are two mini-vehicles for the Galaxy Squad figs that add a nice, playable feature to the set. This set is one of the smaller of the top ten, but righfully deserves its place among them.
      7. 9397 Logging Truck
      I love this set. The truck cab and log holder look great and the articulating arm looks awesome, although admittedly it's balky and not intuitive to operate. I also love the addition of the Technic log to the set. Yet, what really propels this set into the top ten is it's B-build: a mega-sized dump truck that includes a snow plow and a back bucket that tips to dump its contents. It also has Power Functions, a must-have Technic feature that immediately adds appeal to any Technic set. Getting two awesome builds for the price of one is great value, and propels 9397 to number seven on the countdown.
      6. 7939 Cargo Train
      What 7938 Passenger Train lacks in character, 7939 Cargo Train provides in spades. This model includes not only a great looking R/C engine with a realistic yellow and black exterior, it also includes three great rail cars with realistic cargo, a loading crane to put cargo on the train, and even a semi-truck that brings the cargo to the crane from your Lego City. This set is the result of a phenomenal concept that was really well executed. While this model checks in at number six on this countdown, I wouldn't be surprised if it provided the best return of all sets on this list.
      5. 70403 Dragon Mountain
      Another smaller set with a $50 USD MSRP, 70403 Dragon Mountain was my favorite set of all the newly released Castle theme sets. First off, I'm a sucker for dragons, and this maxi-fig doesn't disappoint. The dragon is a menacing red and black, and includes flapping wings, a rotating head, articulating limbs, and even a hole near the mouth to plug in some Lego fire. The tail appears to have two rotation points, and the arms appear to be spaced perfectly so that it can clutch a Lego treasure chest. If the dragon doesn't impress, there's also a small base for the Red Dragon army, complete with a prison and wizarding perch, that sits over a cave opening where the dragon can protect his treasure. The model also includes a beefy catapult, one knight and one spearman minifig from the King's Army and the queen minifig. The Red Dragon wizard and a Red Dragon soldier round out this robust little set. I believe this will be the best performer of the latest Castle theme due to the presence of this awesome dragon and the five minifigs.
      4. 8110 Unimog U400
      This set earns every bit of praise it receives. As one of the most expensive Technic sets ever made, Unimog has been designed to include a number of functions that demostrate the genius of Lego Technic. It's also huge, and a very challenging build. To round out the appeal of the set, it's licensed by none other than Mercedes Benz, an automobile icon worldwide. The cherry on the Unimog sundae is the pneumatic articulating arm that can load the utility truck. The pneumatic arm is phenomenal, although it has one wart: when loaded, the arm sometimes doesn't clear the side of the truck bed. A little reengineering wipes these problems away quickly. This Unimog will never be duplicated by TLG, so grab one if you can.
      3. 70709 Galactic Titan
      Everything that makes Galaxy Squad, and space themes in general, great is rolled into one phenomenal, brawny space tracker called the Galactic Titan. The vehicle itself is a space "plane" that interlocks with a wide buggy that allows the Titan to track around an alien planet. The design of this set is breathtaking: the complementary blue accent colors contrast beautifully against the snow white vehicle, the Titan itself projects the proper amount of sleek, brawn and power with its size and shaping, and it just looks cool. To add even more appeal to an already awesome set, the Galactic Titan is paired with a creepy-crawly looking centipede, and the only alien bug "base" of the theme (be aware it's not large), complete with two pods for capturing the Galaxy squad troops. The minifigs are great too, with two GS troops, a robot sidekick, and two alien bugs: a mosquitoid and the exclusive mantizoid. The set also includes one of those wriggly larvae, a nice finish to an otherwise kick-ass set. I actually think Galactic Titan could have some moderate secondary success, although I wouldn't count on a blow out for this model.
      2. 60014 Coast Guard Patrol
      I'm sure by now you've noticed a common thread linking these sets: high ranks go to sets with additional vehicles or vignettes that add depth to the set, i.e. the alien base of the Galactic Titan, or the three vehicles of The Mine. Coast Guard Patrol really brings this "value add" to a new level: in addition to the striking orange, blue and white ship, the Coast Guard Patrol includes a submarine, a sizable inflatable boat, a helicopter, a small lighthouse, three sharks, six minifigs, a dog, and even a crab! That's a load of playability and some serious depth for any Lego set, and this comes with one of the coolest ships ever introduced by Lego. On the ship itself, there's a level below deck, and a bridge above deck for the minifigs to roam, a helicopter landing pad in the front, and a submarine launch in the back. The submarine itself is an unmanned version reminiscent of Bob Ballard's Titanic expeditions, and is hoisted onto deck by a rack mounted to the back of the boat. All the vehicles, save the distressed boat, are designed in the emblatic blaze orange and royal blue of prior Coast Guard sets, and after all these years the color scheme still looks awesome. This set isn't just a boat, it's an entire Coast Guard fleet preparing to do its critical job of patrolling the seas. Rest assured, you will not find David Hasselhoff in this bay watch set...
      1. 60026 Town Square
      The #1 spot in our top ten list is occupied by a yet-to-be released set, 60026 Town Square. Town Square is a version of the previously popular 7641 City Corner on steroids. 60026 has two buildings, two mega-vehicles, and oodles of detail oozing out of box. The two buildings are retail shops: "Bike Shop" is a two story motorcyle/bicycle store housed in a corner building with two storefronts; and "City Pizza" is a single story, horizontally-oriented pizza joint with interior and patio seating. The city bus is phenomenal, sporting a newer, sleeker look and color scheme, while the mobile crane is equally impressive with a telescoping boom and stabilizing outriggers.
      While these buildings and mega-vehicles provide a firm foundation for the desirabliity of this set, its true magic resides in the depth of its detail. In addition to the previously discussed components, Town Square also comes with a slick little street sweeper, a motorcycle, two bicycles, a billboard, and countless other adds that really make this set appealing. There are also a gaggle of minifgs to round out the set, with eight residents populating Town Square. Finally, the piece-de-resistance of this set is the stone medieval statue: this finishing touch adds a historical context and classic touch to the City, and only needs a pigeon and some white poop stickers to make it more true-to-life.
      Town Square deserves the top spot in our rankings. While it's a throwback to yesteryear's Town sets, it doesn't come off as dated or dusty. I think the same holds true for every set in the top ten: it's easy to see the traces of prior sets that we 30-40 somethings grew up building and enjoying. Perhaps that familiarity is why we're drawn back to Lego - after 25 years, we still see and feel the echoes of our childhoods. While these ten sets have hints of models past, hopefully they will delight future generations of Lego enthusiasts and a current generation of Brickpickers!
       
    • Ed Mack
      One of the best ways to invest in LEGO is by buying polybags/small LEGO sets...To be precise seasonal/exclusive polybags and sets:
      • If you have old polybags from old promotions like Mcdonalds or TRU those would go a lot more than average polybags
      • Holiday polybags go more than average one
      • They are Halloween, Christmas , May the Fourth , Easter and Summer polybags
      • LEGO Brickmaster sets would go for a lot more than average because they were not for sale in stores
      • The only thing more than that is some sort of comic/toy con polybags/ sets from the NYC Toy Fair/SDCC
      • Polybags might not bring you crazy profits but it can help new LEGO investor invest.
      Also, polybags are excellent choices for LEGO investors on a budget. Many double or triple their purchase price months after the set is retired.
      Another positive feature of polybags is that they take up very little space to store. Storage is much simpler when investing in smaller polybags. This might help people living in apartments or small houses.
       
    • Grolim
      While I was writing a review for the 10174 AT-ST UCS set I came across a phenomenon that had me intrigued. It was quite evident that the set had experienced a recent surge in secondary market price growth. After finishing that review I have been researching other sets that seem to share this second wind renaissance.
      Firstly I’m going to repeat a bit of the information from the 10174 review to set the scene before moving onto a few other prominent examples of second wind growth.
      10174 AT-ST
      Looking a closely at the available data n the 10174 set page you can see that the return over the last 12 months has been 49.42%. A fantastic growth over just one year for a set that has been retired for some time now. That is on a sales volume of 193 new units sold on Ebay US so it’s not a small volume issue playing with the results here. In fact there was an 8.72% increase in the last month alone. What we are seeing here is a renewed price spike for this set. Lets investigate a bit further by graphing the price of the set over time using the data points we have available:

      The graph shows just what an extraordinary second wind this set has got over the last 2 years. I’ve taken the liberty of assuming a 25% price drop in the first year to simulate the discounting that was most likely on offer at the time. The line then climbs steadily over time to reach our first “real” data point that we have available from the 2 years ago time period. The price then climbs steeply over the next two years to reach our current market price. Care must be taken when interpreting this line as the time period scale on the x-axis is not linear i.e. the gap from 2010 to 2011 represents 1 year’s growth whereas the gap from 1 month ago to current is growth for just one month. To try and illustrate this better I’ve taken the liberty of annualising the percentage changes from one period to the next e.g. the growth of 8.72% for the last one month gets multiplied by 12 and the gap from 6 months ago to 1 month ago gets divided by 5 (because of the 5 month gap) and then multiplied by 12. In this next graph I've plotted the results:

      The recent growth spike is very evident in the above picture. Incredible stuff for a set that has been retired this long. It’s almost been a “sleeper” type set for a long time and now people may have awaken to this relatively cheap older UCS set as more and more become interested in Lego investing.
      Other Recent Growers
      Spotting other sets that follow this pattern is not straight forward. You have to look back at a set that has been retired for some time as you don’t want to confuse an initial post EOL price spike with a new surge in growth. We also have limited pricing data history going only back as far as Brickpicker came into existence. For this reason I looked at sets from 2008 and prior. The other fishhook to be careful of is sets with low sales volumes. There are plenty of sets that jump up in the pricing charts that are quite old and rare and they have only a handful of sales that make any meaningful inferences from their short term variations extremely hazardous. So for that reason I imposed an arbitrary volume of at least 25 sales in the last year.
      4483 AT-AT
      Let’s start with the big brother of the AT-ST, the AT-AT from set 4483. Here are the same graphs as above but for set 4483.


      Again we can see the recent acceleration in price growth. With this set being a decade old it really is even more impressive that it has experienced over 36% growth in the last year. This is well above its long term CAGR of 10.71%. Clear evidence of a new growth phase. Has the last month indicated a cooling though? Well it’s hard to tell just with one isolated month of growth so I’d caution against inferring that just yet.
      7194 Yoda
      Here’s another example from an older Star Wars set. The UCS Yoda was released back in 2002 and has had a solid 12.04% CAGR over the 11 years since it was released. But lets have a look at the charts and see how the recent performance relates:


      An impressive 76.72% increase over the last 2 years and a 34.57% increase in the last 1 year have seen the price growth accelerate well beyond the historical average. Growth of “only” 10.56% in the last 6 months has cooled things off a little as reflected in the dip near the end of the Annualised movement graph. Though the latest month may show things haven’t quite abated yet.
      8272 Snowmobile
      Here’s a non-Star Wars example now. The 8272 Snowmobile set released in 2007 has had a CAGR of a very respectable 15.86%. However, the recent growth has been far more impressive:


      Growth of 40.21% in the last 6 months has seen the set take off over recent periods. What we also get with this set is because it is a more recent one released in 2007 there is a clearer picture of its initial post EOL growth from retail up until 2 years ago in 2011. After which this set follows the pattern that many other sets do with a flatter growth, and in this case a small drop. Now we are entering a second wind growth phase, and I say entering as most of the growth looks very recent. This set could be a good option to invest in right now if you have the risk appetite.
      Conclusions
      There are plenty more examples of this phenomenon out there if you want to research for yourself. A couple that might be worth a look are the 10183 Hobby Trains and the 10143 Death Star II UCS sets, both of which have more than doubled their usual CAGR growth in the last 12 month period.
      What I think we can take away from this is yet another example of how retired sets can still be good investments long after it may seem their growth has diminished. Picking them may require more work and research than just grabbing some retail sets at a discount and waiting for them to EOL. But the rewards from doing so could be instant and impressive. The savvy investor could also use this strategy to diversify away from the herd a little. One thing you can guarantee with older sets is that their supply is limited and the growth starts from day one, which are two unknown factors eliminated immediately from the decision matrix.
      How do you pick them? Well that would be telling… but I will say it isn’t easy and that the risks are that you will be too late to enjoy any growth. Past success is not a guarantee of future performance, but it does hint at it. The best strategy may be to look at the 6 month returns and probably the 1 year returns as well and isolate the ones that are well above the CAGR. I’ll leave that research up to you though
    • Fcbarcelona101
      There has been discussion and analysis in great quantities about the Star Wars Ultimate Collector's Series ever since the investment potential of the sets was discovered a few years ago. Even though this great display sets have been greatly successful, I want to go ahead and bring the spotlight to a somewhat related kind of set: the play-set versions based on the ships that have been released under the UCS.
      I don't really want for this to become a sort of competitive comparison between the two, since I believe that by default the great majority of the UCS sets easily beats any released that is designed as a play-set. There are several reasons for this and most are out of the scope of this article, but the most important one to me has to do with the fact that play-sets are geared more towards young people that will usually not be able to afford a very expensive set even if it is retired, while the UCS sets are most appealing to AFOL's that are usually more willing and able to spend their money in collectible items.
      Another factor I did wanted to mention is that, up until the new 10240 X-Wing, no set from the UCS had been re-released, something that can't be said in the case of play-sets. Play-set versions tend to be re-made in a somewhat often basis, especially for those very popular sets like the Millenium Falcon, X-Wing, Y-Wing, etc. As it is usually the case with re-makes, the value of the older versions tends to decrease, sometimes by significant amounts.
      Having said that, I will place some of the stats of the UCS sets along with their play-set version, just for comparison purposes, and in some you may even be able to see that the difference in the numbers is not as high as one would expect. In my opinion, the most important statistic you can evaluate is the % Change Over Retail, since CAGR may be even more distorted by the difference in the time periods two particular sets have been released.
      From this point forward, here is what I will be doing: I will take the entire list of sets released under the UCS and look for the play-set counterparts for each set. In case a particular set has more than one play-set version, like the X-Wing and most others really, I will take the 2 or 3 largest ones when analyzing the numbers. Let's see what we find out.
      - 10026 UCS Naboo Starfighter


      Play-set Versions
      - 7141 Naboo Fighter


      Comments: This was the first version ever released of the big yellow ship, and as you can see it is actually quite old considering it still displayed the System logo. The set came with four minifigs, with the only exclusive one being a variation of Anakin Skywalker, and was built from around 180 pieces, making it also the smaller model of its type.
      Investment wise the set has performed very poorly, with a CAGR of only 3% and selling for only around $ 15 over retail after more than a decade of its retirement. Interesting that this set has really not done better considering it was released the same year the Phantom Menace was in theaters, which I would think would give it some sort of extra popularity. It seems clear that is just not the case.
      - 7660 Naboo N-1 Starfighter


      Comments: The second version of the ship was released in 2007, and different from its older version this one included one other ship besides the Naboo fighter, the Vulture Droid. Minifigure wise, the set included three minifigs with the most interesting one being kid Anakin Skywalker, only found in one other set. This version was also a lot less blocky and better designed that its predecessor, not that it seemed to help it much in the secondary market.
      Retired in 2009, this is yet another version of the N-1 that has not performed very well. Considering it has been retired around 4 years already and only presents a CAGR of 6% and a % change over retail only 40% (not much for a set with a MSRP of only $30), this set is another bad performer, and makes you notice that there might be a trend when it comes to models based in this particular ship.
      - 7877 Naboo Starfighter


      Comments: And we have come up to the latest remake that has been released of the Naboo Starfighter. This is the largest and most accurate model LEGO has released other than the UCS edition, and it included 6 minifigs in total if you count the destroyer droid
      This set was a Target exclusive, so that in theory should give it some sort of more limited availability than most other sets. However, we can see that the ship was retired by LEGO sometime between December 2012 and January of this year, yet the model is readily available at retail or even below retail and several outlets, including Target. I think this speaks volumes about the popularity of the set, and make me think that this one will be no different than the other ones that have been retired for a long time. In short, this will be an investment loser or at least take a very long time to be a decent sale.
      Naboo Starfighter Summary: It seems pretty clear that with the exception of the UCS version of the ship, none of the other sets that have been released as play-sets have been nor will be investment winners even in the very long term. I am willing to give the latest model the benefit of the doubt, but it really does not look promising for this set to still be available for under MSRP after LEGO officially retired it. The failure of these sets to take off in the secondary market may be related to the fact that LEGO has re-released this set three different times, but at no point any of these seems to have been selling for much more than they are now, and that makes me think the ship is just not as popular. Even when you analyze the performance of the UCS version, you have to remember that the model is actually the cheapest one that has been released under the series, was a very limited edition and included a bunch of chrome pieces that I believe we have never seen on any other set. These factors and not the ship itself I think played a very large role in the great growth that set has experienced.
      - 10215 Obi-Wans Jedi Starfighter


      Play-Set Versions - 7143 Jedi Starfighter


      Comments: This is really the only play-set that has been released depicting Obi-Wan's starfighter that I could find, even though LEGO has released several other starfighters used by some of the other Jedis like Anakin. This very small version of Obi-Wan's ship comes with only one minifig of Kenobi that is completely exclusive to the set and usually sells for around $8.
      The performance of this set is actually quite respectable, considering it was very small and basic looking. At this point, the CAGR of the set is close to 9% and the % change over retail ($20) is 154.48%. Oddly enough, this set has seen a huge increase in value over the past 6 months, going from around $34 to more than $50, an increase of almost 50% over the period.
      Obi Wan's Starfighter Summary: The really old and basic 7143 has performed a lot better than its newer and more expensive sibling. The UCS Jedi Starfighter is really not one of the most popular sets, and even though it has been retired for a little more than a year it has not been able to sell consistently over retail. Having said that, the ship itself really has no seen an exact re-release over the past few years, something that speaks volume as the overall popularity of the design.
      - 7181 TIE Interceptor


      Play-Set Versions - 6206 TIE Interceptor


      Comments: This has been the only significant play set version of the TIE Interceptor LEGO has released. There are some small and even mini sets, but I will focus on this one since it fits the most with what I am evaluating in this article. This relatively small set (212 pieces) was released in 2006 and included only 1 very generic minifig in the TIE Interceptor Pilot, so nothing of particular value on that front. Originally selling for around $ 20 this set has actually performer a lot better than several other play-sets based on UCS ships, currently selling for more than double and presenting a CAGR of over 12% since retirement. These gains may not seem particularly interesting for some, but a rate of return over 10% annually is really very respectable.
      TIE Interceptor Summary: The 7181 UCS Interceptor was one of the first sets released under the popular UCS line, and as such it has performed extremely well since it was retired, so it is really not even comparable to its play-set version on that front. Having said that, the 6202 version has done pretty well itself for being a somewhat small set with nothing especially interesting about it in the form of minifgs or exclusive parts. From the data, it also seems that the set reached a very high point within the first 2 years of its retirement, so someone who stocked up on these would have almost doubled their original investment relatively quickly.
      - 10174 AT-ST


      Play-Set Versions
      - 7127 Imperial AT-ST


      Comments: This was actually the first version (If I'm not mistaken) of the AT-ST LEGO released, and it was a pretty small and cheap model (107 pieces, $10). It did have a Chewbacca minifig, but other than that looking it now it really looks like a very bad recreation of the actual ship mostly due to the small piece count and the fact that LEGO really was not at what I consider the top of their game with some of these older models. Having said that, the set has performed decently in the secondary market selling for three times retail. Surprisingly, there are several of these (New) sold each month on eBay, probably due to it being the most affordable version that is not Mini scale.
      - 7657 AT-ST


      Comments: This is the largest stand-alone AT-ST other than the UCS version. The model is actually pretty accurate and also includes the only appearance of the AT-ST pilot minifig to date. With almost 250 pieces and retailing for $ 20 this set probably was the most affordable choice to get a decently sized AT-ST. Currently, the set is doing pretty good with a CAGR of 20% and a % change over retail very close to 200%. Some of the aspects that caused this one to succeed in the secondary market could be related to the exclusive minifig and its shorter duration on the retail shelves.
      AT-ST Summary: The AT-ST has always been one of the most popular vehicles from the Star Wars universe, and if you take a look at the number of 10174s sold in the past 12 months you will notice that it has been actually one of the top sellers of the entire UCS by far. The play-set versions have done relatively well, especially the newer one, but one can't really say they have exploded in value like in some other cases. I am kind of surprised LEGO has not released a larger version of this to bridge the gap between 7657 and the UCS version, as I believe that it would be a very successful product both in the primary and secondary market.
      - 10175 Vader's TIE Advanced


      Play-Set Versions
      - 8017 Vader's TIE Fighter


      Comments: The 8017 Vader's TIE was released in 2008 and included what at the time was the new version of the Darth Vader minifig. On top of that, LEGO randomly inserted a chrome version of Vader in some of the boxes in a similar fashion to Gold C-3PO. The set itself includes around 250 piece and it is, to the best of my knowledge the only play-set version of Vader's ship to date. The investment numbers for this set are very respectable, with a CAGR close to 28% and a % change over retail of 162%. Given its MSRP and its size, this would have been an excellent set to stock up on back in 2010.
      Something to note is that after a few months of very stable value, the set has experienced a period of high growth over the past 6 months, increasing around 20% over that period alone. What fueled that unexpected change of pace in growth is beyond me, but the overall conclusion is that the set has become more volatile for some obscure reason (it lost 15% in the last month too).
      Vader's TIE summary: I am really surprised this ship has not been released more frequently, as it seems to be very popular with SW fans. The UCS version has grown very consistently over the past 6 months as well, and is getting very close to $ 400. The play-set version has not much to envy about its larger relative, as it has done very well in the secondary market in the 3 years it has been retired. Considering it would have been much easier to invest in the smaller set rather than the UCS, an intelligent investor could have secured the same or more profits by investing in large quantities of the smaller version rather than in just a couple of the UCS.
      - 7191 X-Wing


      Play-Set Versions
      - 6212 X-Wing


      Comments: This version of the popular X-Wing was released in 2006 and included an exclusive variation of Wedge Antilles as well as 5 other more common minifigs. The set was available for around 4 complete years, and despite it being retired for around two years already, it has not performed well at all in the secondary market. 6212 has not even gone up 10% over its original retail price, in fact, it has lost value relative to where it was 2 and 1 year ago, as well as 6 and 1 month ago. A definite investment loser.
      - 4502 X-Wing


      Comments: Even though this set consists of more than just the X-Wing, I feel that it still deserved a place in the list. 4502 was a very unique set since it depicted scenes from Luke's training in Dagobah, while including Yoda's Hut as well as a more particular X-Wing with some foliage attached to it as a result of being in the swamp waters. The set also included an exclusive Luke (Dagobah) minifig. Investment wise, this has been an all out winner going almost 190% over retail since retirement. This is something we don't see often with X-Wing play-sets but, again, this one is a very unique model.
      X-Wing Summary: The X-Wing is one of the most popular ships and as one would expect it is also one of the sets LEGO likes to re-release the most. That fact alone is probably the biggest reason most of these play-set versions really don't do as well as others when retired, with the notable exception of the Dagobah model and 7142. The UCS version has been one of the best performing ships of the collector's series, and now that we have seen the first re-release of its kind with 10240 Red Five, we will have to see how much of an impact it has on the older model over the coming months.
      - 10219 Rebel Snowspeeder


      - 4500 Rebel Snowspeeder


      Comments: This is actually the last time LEGO released the Snowspeeder by itself on a set (2004 and not including Mini). Since then, the ship has been included in most Hoth themed sets. This model in particular including 3 exclusive minifig variations of Dack Ralter, Luke and a Hoth rebel, and has actually more than doubled in value since its retirement (to be expected considering its low MSRP and time out of the market). The interesting thing about this set is that over the past 6 months it seems to have picked up once again in value, growing 25% over the period.
      - 7130 Snowspeeder


      Comments: One of the older System SW sets (1999). For being the first Snowspeeder ever released I was really surprised to find that the set has "only" doubled in value in over 10 years. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that the colors are not really that accurate to the actual ship, or just that people are not interested in sets that are this old and not UCS.
      Snowspeeder Summary: This ship has proven to be an extremely popular one. The UCS version of the set is the 2nd set with the higher % change over retail after the more affordable Naboo Starfighter. Play-set versions have not come even close in any instance, and LEGO seems to have abandoned the idea of producing stand alone Snowspeeders in favor of including them in larger sets like some of the Hoth bases and others we have seen over the past few years. I really think that a relatively big stand alone Snowspeeder, even if not UCS, would be extremely popular both with fans and investors.
      - 10134 Y-Wing


      Play-Set Versions
      - 7658 Y-Wing

      Comments: The Y-Wing has seen its fair share of re-makes over the course of the years, but most of them have been produced along some other ships like the TIE or just too recently for us to analyze properly (the new version). This 07 version of the Y-Wing has performed poorly over the almost 4 years it has been retired, hovering very close to the original MSRP. None of the two minifigs are exclusive or interesting, to be honest, and I am sure that has something to do with the low numbers, but the main reason has to be, as with the X-Wing, the re-release of improved versions of this ships over relatively short periods of time.
      Y-Wing Summary: The Y-Wing is a popular ship in the SW universe, but it is certainly not the X-Wing or Snowspeeder. The UCS version has performed extremely well, as expected, but the play-set versions have had a hard time growing in value over the course of the years. While collectors and hard core fans propel the value of the UCS version into the skies, it would seem that kids and parents are nor particularly fond of paying large amounts of money for a ship that is constantly on the market. We'll see how the newer version performs once retired, but I don't expect too much.
      - 10227 B-Wing


      Play-Set Versions
      - 7180 B-Wing at Rebel Control Center


      Comments: Again, this is one of the older SW LEGO models that really have not taken off as much in price over the course of the years. The set has doubled in value, but relative to the time it has been retired and its MSRP that is really nothing to be very impressed about. For such as small model, the ship is pretty accurate, and the set also included a small control center that would in theory make it more appealing (as well as 3 minifigs, pretty generic ones to be honest), but that has certainly not been the case. Poor performer.
      - 6208 B-Wing Fighter


      Comments: Unlike the previous entry this all ship model has actually done quite good in the secondary market. It has a % change over retail of almost 200% and a CAGR of around 15%, so very good numbers for such a small set. Moreover, the ship has grown over 11% in the past 6 months, surprising for a set that has been retired for a long time now. More recently, it has been decreasing somewhat significantly, and it will be interesting to see if the massive price drop for the UCS version affects the numbers of this version in the coming months.
      B-Wing Summary: The B-Wing is one of the most obscure ships of the SW universe for the casual fan, and one would think that this would have an impact on the performance of the LEGO models. Having said that, the newer 2006 version seems to have done well, so it seems that there is definitely a market interested in the ship. The most important test will come with the apparently close to retirement UCS version. It would appear that the model is not selling well at MSRP, and the deep discounts it suffered on May the 4th have some people thinking it will take a long time for it to recover. I for one, am optimist, but we'll have to wait and see.
      - 10019 Rebel Blockade Runner


      Play-Set Versions
      - 10198 Tantive IV


      Comments: This is one of my favorite play-sets of ships from the UCS, along with the 6211 ISD. It is a very good replica of the ship and comes with some very nice minifigs to recreate the original scene from the SW movies, and with 1,400 pieces it is a really large model. This set was retired just last year and it already has gone up 50% over retail over the period, but I honestly expect it to be on part with the 6211 in the long run (more than 200%) as it is the only chance collectors and fans will have to get the set ship for a price significantly lower than the UCS version. This set went up over 10% in the last month alone, so it may be setting itself for a second period of high growth.
      Tantive IV Summary: This ship really did not have that much screen time, but I seriously consider iconic and one that every SW collector should own in either of the 2 versions released up to this date. I believe LEGO will not be releasing this set for a long time, so the play-set version may prove to be a great alternative for those, like me, who love this ship and don't want to pay the almost $ 800 the Blockade Runner is going for these days.
      - 10212 Imperial Shuttle


      Play-Set Versions
      - 7166 Imperial Shuttle


      Comments: This is another of the classic SW sets released back in 2001. This Shuttle included 3 minifigs, 2 of which where the popular Royal Guards. The set has done pretty well in the secondary market, with a change over retail of over 150% and a CAGR that still hovers close to 9% despite the long time it has been retired. In the past 12 months the set has experimented a lot of volatility, moving between $88 and $108.
      - 7264 Imperial Inspection


      Comments: As the 4502 Dagobah X-Wing, this set is not a stand alone IS, but rather includes several other positive aspects that more than likely played a role in its superior performance. Apart from the actual ship, the set includes some other small builds, but most importantly it came with an outstanding 10 minifigs! For $ 50, that was a great value for the money and now a great driver of growth in the secondary market. Currrently, the set presents UCS like performance measures, with a 350% change over retail and a CAGR of around 21%.
      Imperial Shuttle Summary: Even though the UCS Imperial Shuttle has only recently retired, it has become apparent that following on the footsteps of previous UCS sets it will become a huge winner in the long term. The play-set versions of the ship have done pretty good, especially the 10 minifig Imperial Inspection, and definitely beat some of the other play-sets that we have discussed in the article.
      - 10030 Imperial Star Destroyer


      Play-Set Versions
      - 6211 Imperial Star Detroyer


      Comments: A very large play-set with nine cool minifigs, this is yet another model that has performed extremely well in the secondary market. It was the first ever Imperial Star Destroyer released as a play-set, and so far remains the only one. To me, part of its appeal comes from the fact that a large amount of people are not willing or able to spend several hundred dollars in order to purchase the UCS version, and if they really want to add this iconic ship to their collection this might be the only realistic choice. A % change over retail of over 200% and a CAGR of 17% are testament of this set's popularity.
      Imperial Star Destroyer summary: This is one example of both the UCS and play-set versions of a ship doing very well after retirement. The ISD is one of the most iconic ships in the SW universe, and one that a huge amount of fans really want to add to their collections. The UCS version was one of the first and still is one of the most impressive sets LEGO has ever released, and as such it is currently selling for over $ 1000. On the other hand, we have the play-set version, that up to this date is the only one released and that came with a decent amount of minifigs and cool features. As said before, this is the only really affordable choice for those who missed on the 10030 or just those looking to play with their LEGO instead of only display them. Still, at over $300 the 6211 is no cheap set.
      - 10179 Millennium Falcon


      Play-Set Versions
      - 7190 Millennium Falcon


      Comments: To be honest, this is by far my least favorite version of the MF LEGO has ever released. To me, it just looks awful. I guess we can let it slip when we consider it was released over 12 years ago, but even then you have to wonder how is it possible that LEGO was able to release models like the UCS 7191 and could not get this one right. Anyway, the set has, surprisingly, performed decently with % change over retail of over 130%, enough to put it into the mid $200s.
      - 4504 Millennium Falcon


      Comments: A much improved version of the MF was released in 2004, but for some crazy reason this one seems to have performed very poorly once retired. There is no way to see exactly where this set was before the 7965 version was released, so the re-make effect may have strongly affected the market value of 4504.
      Millennium Falcon summary: The MF is more than likely the single most popular and iconic ship from the whole SW franchise, and often that has translated into great secondary market returns (7910 and 10179). In fact, the 10179 is not only the largest (size) and most expensive (MSRP) LEGO ever released, but also the one that has attained the highest secondary market value at around $2500 (and climbing). The play-set versions have obtained mixed results, but with the very accurate and popular 7965 I really think we might be up for some really nice returns in the near future.
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      That was a long journey. As you can see, there have been a lot of varied results when it comes to play-set versions of those ships that make up the UCS, but it is clear that the majority has not come even close to the returns of its larger siblings. Of course, this is a result of a bunch of different factors, like the sheer size of the collector's set and their appeal with AFOLs, the group that most of the time ends up picking up the tab when it comes time to get some "toys".
      To conclude, picking up the right SW play-sets is nowhere near as "easy" as picking up the right UCS sets, as there are a lot of other factors that need to be accounted for and that are not that easy to measure. Some of the most obvious ones include the popularity of the overall ship, exclusivity and quantity of minifgs and MSRP, but even these are certainly not a guarantee of future success. The most important issue to remember in this case is that LEGO loves to do play-set remakes, and those will for sure affect in one way or another the value of the previous version. Look for unique play-sets like the Dagobah X-Wing and the Imperial Inspection to have a better shot at better profits.
      Thanks for reading!
      * Lego still owes us a play-set version of the SSD, so it was not included in the article
      * DS 10188 has not been retired, and as such it was not included in the article
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      In previous articles, I touched on the best ways to set up Ebay searches and how to periodically check for items so that you make sure you catch those great deals when they pop up before anyone else does. I was thinking a while back, when I was setting all these searches up, that it would be nice if this messaged you much more often that new items matched your search. Then I wouldn't have to refresh the page 100 times.
      So I set out on Google to try to find something that did that very thing. My search was rewarded (don't we all love Google) with a website called Stuffalert.com! On this site you can set up Ebay searches and then it will periodically let you know throughout the day when it finds new items that match the search. It is also free to sign up!
      When you access the site for the first time, you can quickly sign up by clicking the register button at the top of the page. Once you input an email and password and verify your account you are ready to set up your searches!
      Once you have this set up, log into the website and then press the big “Search Now” button in the middle of the main web page. This will take you to a page titled “Create Ebay alert” where you can simply create a new alert. This keyword function is the same as the Ebay search function – you can use any of the Ebay syntax we have discussed in other articles in there. You can also select which Ebay site to use depending on your country.
      A note about the search function: StuffAlert is a really cool website, but it is not amazingly sophisticated either. Because of the way they search Ebay, they want you to keep the the search under a limit of 100 items initially – This is so they aren't sending you email every 5 seconds. The problem with this is they only have the ability to limit the search in a few ways: using the search syntax, selecting and narrowing down the category, and selecting Buy it Now or Auction (if you leave it off it is both). This may mean you need to split up some of the searches you have on Ebay. For example, I halve my UCS SW set search so that I am only searching for half the sets.
      Once you have the search set up, click the “find” button and it will search. If your search returns more than 100 items, it will ask that you limit your search better. When you have gotten your search under 100 items, it will show you the items it found so you can make sure you are finding the correct items. Once you are done here press “next”.
      On the next page, you can name your search and let the site know how frequently you want to be contacted. I have this always set to “standard”. I believe in this they check several times a day and email you.
      Once done here, press “Finish”. This will bring you to your “Alerts Page”. Here you can manage your alerts.
      One really nice function to this is the “pause” buttons. You can pause a search without deleting it if you want to stop seeing the emails while your bank account recovers for awhile . Another really great part about the website are the emails it sends. Instead of having to click to see items, it shows you the listings right in the email! Just simply open the email and then you are browsing the new listings. If you see one you like, you can click on immediately. I receive emails on my phone and it alerts me when I receive a new one. Even if I am out, I can quickly browse some new Ebay items and then take care of any good purchases I need to.
      So there you have it! Give it a try and let me know how you like it. Make sure to report any good deals you get back to us!
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      I wanted to reach out to everyone and write another article about drop shipping and the problems we are now seeing more and more with Lego sets. I had another drop-shipping incident I had to deal with and wanted to offer a direct personal experience with an issue. I wanted to offer a few addendums to the information on the site provided before by Talon in the article “Drop Shipping Lego: How to Avoid Being Scammed” which is a great article to have pinned to your browser as a bookmark while you are searching Ebay.
      Since eventually everyone will get hit with one of these, the following is an experience I just had with a drop-shipper on Ebay. This will show how to deal with it and that you can deal with it once you have already received the item. In the following story, the names have been changed to protect the innocent... and guilty (There are no names I just wanted to say that - anyone used to watch those old Wildest Police Chases shows?).
      I recently purchased a Lego Tower Bridge (10214) off Ebay for around $220 new which is a good deal but nothing incredible. I had been looking to find around a 10% discount on the TB as I wanted to add this to my investment portfolio. When I saw the listing, it seemed pretty normal. I went through my normal checking procedures for scams to check out the buyer:
      The seller had sold a lot of Lego sets before and most all around MSRP – they were mostly recent but most of the listings were fairly well written and weren't under priced. The handling time said 1 day which seemed legit. The item was not free shipping; free shipping can sometimes set you on the scent of a scam artist. The seller's feedback was 100% and none of them had mentioned anything about the shipping. The seller had no other items listed at the current time to compare with. The seller had been on Ebay for a while as a buyer and a seller – normally drop-shippers are only sellers. So I decided to purchase the item. I paid for it and waited for my set to come in. After about a week, the seller had not added shipping information and had not indicated in Ebay that it had been shipped. My expected receive date was the day I noticed this, so I decided to just send the seller a message. I sent the seller a message asking him if the item had been sent because I sometimes have issues with my neighborhood carriers and wanted to watch for it. The seller indicated it would be sent out the next day, that there was a delay. He didn't elaborate. The way the message was written made me a little uneasy.
      I decided to check through everything again and make sure I was right about him seeming legit in the first place. Everything checked out from above. I made a note to keep an eye on it, but right now I had nothing to prove something was wrong with it.
      A few days later, I still had not seen the package. I got back on Ebay to send the seller a message and I saw that the item he sold me had been re-listed (Ebay indicated a similar item had been re-listed by the same seller at the top of my purchased listing). I was irritated they had already listed another when I hadn't gotten mine yet so I clicked to see his other items to look at the listing. It was the same, but the seller now had two more Lego Sets – more than $40 under retail. Drop-ship scam alert went off immediately.
      It had now been more than ten days since the original listing, so I sent the seller an email that I had not received the item and I was contemplating just canceling the order. the seller sent back a message stating that he it had already been sent and the seller apologized that “my supplier had a delay”. I asked for elaboration – was it drop-shipped? He said it was not, that it was shipped from his supplier to me. I told him that this was what I meant by “drop-ship” and I asked him who his supplier was. He indicated it was Lego themselves...
      I did as Talon had indicated and asked once again for the order to be canceled. The seller insisted I would get the item the next day and he was not canceling the order. I decided to go ahead and open the case and put my part of the story out there ahead of time so that I would cover my butt as much as possible. I opened a case that I had not received the item. The seller responded to it very upset that I had opened the case stating that I should “wait until I get it tomorrow and then leave him positive feedback”. A bit zealous. I replied stating that his original listing did not mention the item would be drop shipped and I was not comfortable with it because I did not want to be involved in any possible fraud nor want an order in my name. He responded again saying that it was not drop-shipped, it was sent directly from his supplier. He also stated he was not involved in any fraud – He purchased this with his credit card and his multitude of extra Lego VIP points.
      At this point, I knew my only choice was to just wait to respond until I got the item and then do a bit of investigating myself to see if I could get it figured out. I received the item that afternoon and sure enough, directly from Lego and furthermore he had just finally ordered it the day before and spent $40 extra to have it over-nighted to me! $285 dollars spent on something I paid $221 for.
      Here is where everything got interesting. I called Lego to alert them and try to find out more. Maybe in some crazy universe, Lego was this guy's supplier and he gets them cheaper than the invoice says or something of that nature. I got on with Lego and of course the woman said my name was on everything. She was very nice. I explained the situation. She indicated they had been seeing this scam quite a lot lately – more than several times a day. She said that they were commonly getting people that were calling in asking about transactions on their credit card accounts they never paid for at all.
      In fact, this order was actually flagged as a potential scam! I asked her what that meant and she said that Lego would have emailed and asked for us to contact them before the order went out (I have had this happen legitimately before – May the 4th B-wings). She said that according to the order, it said I had called in and verified all the information on the order – they had sent the email to the seller's email address. I told her it wasn't me and she said they were working on a better way to verify things. The only thing that was different from my info on the order was the email address and the credit card info (though she said she couldn't see what the info on the credit card was – I am assuming it was pre-paid in someone else's name).
      So I told her I could verify if the seller was lying or not by understanding what all they paid with. I told her that the seller indicated most of the purchase came from VIP points. She said not only was that order not paid for with VIP points, she said the email address was registered with another Lego account (good way to hide your criminal activities) and they didn't have any VIP points! She also confirmed they have no supplier relationship with this seller.
      In the end, the woman said she was banning that credit card from use on the site, as well as the seller's account, the email addresses and his address and name posted on his account from ever using Lego's website. Lego Customer service is amazing by the way if you have ever spoken with them. I told her I was going to contact the seller and Ebay about it and then I would use the pre-paid return label to ship it back to Lego. I sent the seller an email indicating all of the above and that I was reporting them. I also told them I had reported them and all of their other listings to Ebay as well. I asked that they refund my item and would then ship the item back to Lego.
      About 5 minutes later my phone buzzed indicating I had received an email. I looked at it and the seller had closed the case by refunding my money – no message obviously. Shortly after the seller took down all of their listings. They were incorrect anyway as the seller had indicated that they had 100% feedback... which wasn't the case after I added a message to make it known what they were doing.
      I wanted to offer up this story that even if you do find yourself on the bad end of something like this you still have a lot of options:
      Send the seller a message asking a few simple questions to try and find out why it was shipped directly from a company. If the packing slip shows they paid way more than you did, politely ask them why they re-sold it for so cheap. Most will send you something back and just indicate they bought it with VIP points, or something of that nature which you can use to verify their story later. Use the order reference number and call the place that they purchased it from and just explain the situation to them. The few times I have had to deal with this I have seen that most companies know this goes on and understands it. Honestly the only one that hasn't been any help at all is Walmart. Ask them for the most information that they can give you. One of the best pieces to get is the last 4 digits of the credit card. You can indicate to the person you want to make sure they didn't steal one of your cards. They are allowed to give you this. Once you have it, you can go back and ask that the seller send you a picture of the card just showing the last four digits and the name as well as their driver's license with the same name. Most of the time the seller will just refund it as they know they are caught. If they send you the information, then they may be legit. Open up a case with Ebay indicating you did not want an item that was drop-shipped. The message will go to the seller, but in my experience most of the time if you keep with it they will relent and refund you so you can return the item. These people don't want to get caught up in the case structure as they are looking for quick money and not looking to deal with Ebay. Contact Ebay after you have contacted the seller and make sure they understand why you want your money back. Tell them the information you have so they can investigate accordingly. Chances are, Ebay buyer protection will refund your money and deal with the seller themselves. Ebay is all about protecting the buyer so they will back you up. Just wanted to reach out and offer a personal experience for anyone that finds themselves in a bad situation. Don't just keep the item because you feel like it is too late. You don't want to deal with the back-end of the issue. Like I stated, none of these sellers are looking to get into a big argument with you or Ebay. Chances are, you can get the transaction canceled with out too many issues.
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
       


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