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    • Quacs
      Every day, I read the forums and marvel at people that order 20, 30, and even 50 of a Lego set. I marvel because I am a hobbyist investor. Reselling isn't my day job, and it doesn't fund my 401K, or even my family vacation. I enjoy building Lego, so investing to me is a way to help fund my building hobby. My infatuation with Brickpicker has now encroached on my Lego building hobby (much to the detriment of my "Robo-Chicken" MOCs), yet my cash outlay is relatively minor compared to mega-sellers.
      First, I want to reinforce to each and every Lego investing hobbyist like me that doing this as a hobby is okay: you don't need to buy 75 Epic Dragon battles to validate your BP membership, and no one will revoke your investor badge if you don't buy 60 Haunted Houses. In fact, I find approaching Lego investing as a hobby can be liberating. Here are some of the true benefits to hobby investing:
      No pressure = more freedom: Do you like SpongeBob sets and think they'll be phenomenal performers even though the forum thinks you're crazy? Then buy one or two, or better yet, craft an approach to getting it at a great discount and then pounce when you find it. Because the stakes are smaller, and your children will still eat if no one buys that Galaxy Squad set on your shelf, you can feel free to pick and choose whatever you want. More freedom = more savings: The freedom to buy what you want also allows you to approach deals strategically. Even though clearance pricing comes across the forum daily, hobbyists aren't forced to find stock to flip, so there is less of a chance of getting stuck with 5 Atlantis sets bought only because it was on sale for 40% off. Smaller inventory = lower pressure: Investing in Lego as a hobby allows me to set and change my strategy on a whim. If I don't like the way the B-Wing looks next to the Friends box, I can sell it at any time (likely at a small loss if it's not EOL) and buy something else. I'm not shackled to ROI like those that do this for a living are. This also helps me maintain good marital relations - my wife needs room to store the Christmas decorations too! Hobby investing = more Lego: When I sell a set at a profit, I plow that money into more Lego. That helps my MOCs, my relationship with my son and daughter who love to help Daddy, and yes, even my sanity. That said, even if my sets don't sell, I can choose to add my sets to my collection (although this gambit would destroy my portfolio returns) - it's always a win-win! Lego Hobbying will not get you a visit from these guys...
      So, according to the list above, who wouldn't want to do this as a hobby? Well, there are some downsides to Lego investing as a hobby:
      Hobby = discipline: Hobbies, while they can become all-encompassing, exist to provide a respite from everyday humdrum of work and life, not to dominate it. The well-rounded hobbyist will prioritize work, a partner, kids, family, and everything else that makes life worth living, and lean on the hobby after all other priorities are addresses. As a result, the people that are successful in keeping Lego a hobby will, in fact, have to work around at least one finite resource: time. They can't monitor the forums 24-7 looking for the next $130 Haunted House or $120 Arkham Asylum. Most will have a limited budget as well. The hobbyist will always be balancing time and money more than those who rely on Lego investing as an income. Discipline = less freedom: While the hobbyist can take chances that other, more profit-driven investors can't, the limited resources of time and money tamp down the number of chances the hobbyist can take. Discipine = less rush: Much like hitting on the right number at the roulette wheel or hitting the point at the craps table, purchasing a Lego set at a great discount can provide a rush of excitement. Even better, purchasing 20 Millennium Falcons for $85 a piece can bring you a huge rush; in the mind of the buyer, they've already made the score and money is in the bank. For hobby investors, the need to be disciplined can really depress the thrill of the deal: hobbyists will typically purchase fewer sets, and not have the time to dedicate to finding those insane 'Imperial Shuttle for $150' deals. I find myself longingly reading the "What Lego Set Did You Buy Today" thread, imagining all the awesome deals that weren't available to me. To me, Lego investing as a hobby is more about the enjoyment derived from research, planning and execution rather than the thrill of the deal hunt. Don't get me wrong - I love seeing Potter Castle on sale for $85. But to me, I enjoy synthesizing a vast amount of research and sifting through the noise to craft an ideal portfolio. I also enjoy writing, and found extending my Lego hobby in a new direction very fulfilling. Remember, you don't have to spend money to enjoy a hobby. Participation on Brickpicker.com is proof of that. As a wise, old rocker once said, "life's a journey, not a destination." To me, Brickpicking's a journey, not a destination, and I will continue to enjoy it as such. I hope my fellow hobbyists do too.
       
       
         
       
    • Fcbarcelona101
      So here we have one of the worst performers in the Star Wars LEGO theme, and that is something that many would not have expected while the set was still being sold at retail. The Home One was part of a particular sub-theme (I guess we could call it that) named the Fan's Choice Anniversry Edition. This consisted of a fan voting period that would select the first SW to be produced under that label and, in theory, be part of a limited run exclusive to Toys R Us. The winner ended up being Home One, but my guess is the fans did not really expect this type set when they first learnt about the news. To understand what I mean, here is what I believe most fans expected to get, either as play-set (like ISD 6211) or as a display piece:

      And here is what they got:

      Pretty disappointing, if you ask me. It is very important that new investors take a look at this set and learn to really think well about their investment decision instead of just following the crowd and all the hype that surrounds it. Learn from this set to have some clear guidelines as to what kind of set you invest in. If you are very disappointed about a set, chances are a lot of other collectors are too, and that may be a sign to just let it go a move on to the next one. In order to achieve this, let's examine some of the negative aspects as well as the performance numbers of the set.

      As you can see from the chart above this set has performed very badly since it's release and subsequent retirement. If you had purchased this set at retail price and sold in at this moment you would realize a loss of around 22 %, or around $ 25. What has caused this set to perform this way? after all this is a Star Wars set of a somewhat popular ship that was after all elected to be produced by the fans. I will try to explain the reasons to the best of my ability and maybe give you some sort of prediction about where this set will probably be going in the future.
      To me, the main reason this set has underperformed so much is that, when you think about the real Home One Cruiser the first thing that comes into your head is the image of the huge ship as it was displayed on the movies and this is probably what some voters expected to get, even if at a reduced scale. Instead, the end product ended up being a play set that showcases the inside of the ship, while keeping in mind that the only real look we got at any of that in the movies was the command center, that is also included in the set. The rest of the set however, is just what could be considered a pretty generic ship hangar with an A-Wing that frankly does not bring anything to the table as far as making this set more accurate or interesting. So, I think disappointment over the look set is the real driver of such bad performance.
      Second to that, I would probably say that the overpricing has to share some of the blame as well. At a retail of $ 109.99 the set you get in exchange does not even give the sense you are getting your money's worth! As said before, you are getting a pretty generic looking playset that has almost no value as a display piece and even though it has some nice play features and minifigs it really is not unique in any way, shape or form. One of the things that make LEGO sets so popular is that most of them have a close resemblance to the elements/structures they are based in, and thus people are most of the time ok with paying some extra money to own something they remember or consider good looking. In this case, you are basically spending $ 110 for the half of the set you remember from the movies, because the A-Wing and hangar you will probably find cheaper on some other sets anyway.
      Lastly, the most popular minifig on the set that could have helped some reduce the drop in value was re-released by LEGO, and apparently the rest of the characters exclusive to this set are of no enough interest to people to shell out even a lower amount than what it originally retailed for.

      With all that out of the way, let me tell you my expectations for the future. Let's take a look at the charts from the past 12 months:


      As much as I want this set to recover and be a great investment in the future I really see no way this is going to happen, and if for some reason it does, I still think the profit margin will be so low that you are better off putting your money on some of the great sets out there before this one. We have to think about what could possibly make this set recover in the first place when it has already been 4 years after it was released. Any ideas yet? me neither. Even if this exact same ship makes a comeback in the upcoming episodes, this set will continue to be a disappointment as far as a recreation of the real Home One is concerned, that won't ever change. Even more, assuming that the issue is that investors stocked up on this set so much that the market is just saturated, for how long will it stay that way? I mean, it has already been a couple of years after retirement and you don't see even a slight increase in the price for this set MISB.
      Something even more worrying is the following. If you take a look at the eBay trends for December, a month when sets usually spike in value, this set turns out to be the complete opposite. According to Brickpicker data, on the month of December the number of Home Ones sold spiked up to its highest point in the whole year, with a total of 59 units sold (18 more than November and 38 more than October). We would expect that with the increased demand for this set over the holidays the price should at least increase a couple of bucks, but this set somehow managed to decrease in price in December! If you base on the charts, the set New was selling for around $ 82 pretty consistently over the whole year, while in December that value went down to $ 71. It has since gone back to close to $ 85.
      What does this tell you? even in the month of highest activity, this set manages to perform even worse than the rest of the year. This may be a direct consequence of investors trying to get rid of all the inventory of this model they may be holding up, but that makes you wonder for how long this will continue and if it will ever stop being that way on the first place.
      This set will be going nowhere price wise in the next couple of years, and you'll be really lucky if you manage to get retail for it in 3 or 4 years. And for those of you that currently own the set, take a look at the December data and maybe think about selling your stock well before then to try and cut your losses as much as possible.
      Thanks for reading
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      So the flavor of the last few years for Lego Star Wars while we are waiting for the new movies to come out has been to redo great sets in a (normally) better or different light. Some have been successes and some haven't. If they are going to do this anyway, I think they should ask us what we want redone next. So I took the liberty of putting together the 5 sets I hope they redo (if they insist on redoing sets).
      1. Cloud City (10123)

      Alright, before you jump on me about how awesome this set is, I totally agree. I honestly just want it without having to pay 800 dollars for it. In all seriousness though, I would love a UCS set for Cloud City. Think about what they could do with 4000 pieces. It would be amazing and it would fly off the shelves. The original has some awesome attributes but I would love to be able to have the whole feel of cloud city...along with an awesome place to put your Millennium Falcon to dock.
      At $800 and counting, its hard to understand how this set only has 698 pieces. A new one could have the same old scene, but add all of the great clouds and ships that make the scene from the movie iconic. Or maybe they could even make it so that the new one fit around the old set! That would really take off!
      2. Mos Eisley Cantina (4501)

      This is a great little set, but with the way Lego has done some of the larger sets, this screams remake with 2500 pieces. Think about all the extra minifigures you could have with the Cantina Band and Jabba in the corner – again with a place to put your Millennium Falcon. Honestly they could cut out the Landspeeder and just do the whole building scene.
      I would also love it if they made it a full building that opened up in some manner. The Star Wars theme really lacks a more modular set to give it a different feel and this could be one of those to go along with the new Jabba's Palace and Rancor pit. Honestly you could make a Jabba set of scenes from the early 200s and from 2013 to show how far Lego has come in 10 years!
      3. Watto's Junkyard (7186)

      Honestly this set never appealed to me that much. I really like the scene and Watto is a pretty fun character, but this set is a little too old and blocky looking for me. However, it has some serious potential to be redone.
      All of the different parts and aspects of the Junkyard could be redone with all the amazing detail Lego uses with their larger sets. They could have a few working Podracers along with some that are half taken apart. A bunch of extra parts would be included laying around as well.
      4. Destroyer Droid (8002)

      I hope everyone agrees with me that this is the sweetest droid in the Star Wars movies. Honestly I didn't love episode 1-3 near as much the first three (darn you and your dyslexia with episode numbers George Lucas), but this droid was my favorite part of the movies. Plus, I loved fighting against them in Star Wars Battlefront II all the time.
      What could really be awesome here is if they added a motorized part. Think about a shield that pops out around it and then it starts firing and walking towards you. The playability would be incredible along with its display-ability. Set it right up along that brand new UCS R2D2!
      5. Home One Mon Calimari Cruiser (7754)

      Honestly this is the set that made me think of this whole article. It is just... awful. I am convinced that Mega Blocks did it and paid Lego to put their name on it. The detail is not awful, but Calimari Cruiser is massive and amazing... and you put a couple of small rooms from it in the set along with a green A-wing?
      The new one needs to be the whole ship, the size of the 10221 Super Star Destroyer. The minfigures were all done pretty well so we could keep them, but add a dock/hanger for other ships that would fit some of the smaller models inside of it for playability. This set had so much potential and it just leaves so much to be desired – which is why you can still get it for $35 under retail. -6% CAGR isn't too bad right?
      So Lego, if you are listening, please do these next! And I will be happy to collect a “finder's fee” as well .
      What sets would you like redone? Do you agree with these?
      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 brought this up on the forums today and several people agreed and gave opinions about boxes and how they have changed for the newer sets. Lego changes their boxes every couple of years to give things a new look, but honestly this stands out more with Star Wars because they have redone so many sets. As new ones come out, you start comparing the actual sets to each other and you can't do anything but compare the boxes as well.
      After going through all the Star Wars sets, I was pretty surprised that there were actually plenty of sets with boxes that were much better than the originals. So I decided to create a blog with what I thought were the 5 best improvements and the 5 worst declines. They are ranked as well because who
      doesn't love rankings?
      5. Luke's Landspeeder (7110 and 8092)


      It's hard to compare because the second set has more minifigures and its naturally a lot better than the older one in terms of detail and looks. But if you just look at the two boxes, the second one is a lot better.
      Though it won't win any awards, the Landspeeder looks like it is actually moving much better than the old set. The colors on the new box compliments the sets colors a lot better and I really like the minifigures being shown all together on the front of the box.
      The Star Wars theme looks a lot better as well as the Star Wars characters being shown at top right hand side of the box.
      4. Death Star (10143 and 10188)


      I do like the old Death Star 2 box and the set is amazing, but it seems a little bland because the set and backdrop just don't match for me. If the Death Star were completely whole I think it would look a little better, but something about the openness of it just doesn't fit with the planet in the background. It could be that there is not a border around it at all.
      The new set's box has the same feel with the planet in the background, but besides fitting just a little bit better, there is enough going on that you don't notice. I love the left side and bottom that show close ups of all the sets features. The box is great to with Darth Vader at the top looking on and Darth Vader's Tie flying towards it in the foreground. This shows this sets playability and its display qualities off on the front of the box which is hard to find.
      3. Gungan Sub (7161 and 9499)


      To be honest, it's possible I am not being fair because the first set is a travesty compared to the nice sleek look of the new set. But hey, that's what time does. Looking at the rest of the box though it just looks very cheesy and more like a little kids toy than a underwater ship. The background is a little dull as well with the gray color that blends in with the front of the sub.
      The new one again has the lines that show movement and though there isn't much going on behind the sub itself, the colors make the ship stand out a lot more. Again, I really like the minifigures down the side and the Star Wars logo and Lego logo look a lot more natural. The colors on the box just really flow together. This is one of my favorite boxes.
      2. Jabba's Palace (4480 and 9516)


      Though I really love the old set, the box just feels like I need to squint to figure out what is going on. Jabba, the most important piece and one of the best minifigures of all time, is just chillin' out in the back and you can't really see him. The background colors really just pull the set in like all of it is in the background. It really looks like I am looking at it through a telescope.
      The new set looks way better because they gave it a natural looking background. Even though Jabba is not right out in the foreground, he has minifigures right next to him that are showing his size and impressiveness. The rest of the box has the blue and white which really work well with the tan set. I think this one is really done and one of my favorites of the new sets.
      1. A-wing Fighter (7184 and 75003)


      So, no offense Lego, but this box is just a mess. It may only be me, but in the left there is a minifigure which looks fine and that just transitions into... ship in outer-space? On top of that there is a lot of yellow protruding out the back of the ship which just seems overdone. When I look at this I just feel like it was made in 1970.
      Though I am not a huge fan of the new one's green color, the old one is just so bad that next to it makes this set like the UCS Millenium Falcon. The Yoda is pretty awesome up in the top right corner and the ship itself has much better lighting. The planet behind it is very tastefully done as well. The whole box looks more natural. We will give you a pass this time Lego
      Now for the sets that took a step backwards:
      5. Imperial Star Destroyer (6211 and 10030)


      The old Star Destroyer is great. The Lego set is flying out in space but is very well complimented by the background. Really though, the thing that makes this box for me is the giant planet in the background that is eclipsing a star. It gives it this elegant creepiness that just makes the set all the more daunting as you look at it.
      The new one looks too much like a toy honestly. The Death Star in the background is a cool idea, but it just doesn't look natural at all – it looks like a toy as well. I also don't like the lasers going back and forth from it. They just don't fit in with the set itself and the elegance of the Star Destroyer.
      4. Clone Turbo Tank (7261 and 8098)


      This one was always going to be here because the original has a part of the box where you can try one of the minifgures! That is game, set, match. The background is great to as it's rolling through the forest and all of the minifigures are participating in some manner.
      On the new box, the tank looks pretty good, but the background is just smokey looking. Its hard to tell whats actually going on in the background and it blends in with the color and line that were added to make it look like the tank is moving (wheels spinning). Plus you can't try anything and that is a crime.
      3. Rebel Blockade Runner – Tantive IV (10198 and 10019)


      This old set box is part of the three best boxes in the Star Wars theme IMO which are all coming up. This is modeled just like the Star Destroyer with the eclipse in the background and and it just gives a certain majesty to this ship. The lasers on this box are actually tastefully done as well and I think the engines on the back lighting up are amazing.
      The new box just has, again, that toy look. The pictures showing what it does on the front are cool , but there is nothing in the background and really nothing to make the ship look like more than a toy. Plus the engines on the back have that weird yellowish light from them like some of the other sets we talked about. They should have looked at the first box to see how to do it right.
      2. UCS X-wing (7191 and 10240)


      Part of my disdain with the new box for the UCS X-wing is that it looks a lot like the 9493 X-wing. This set just doesn't stand out on the box like a UCS set should. It looks like a bigger box for the same X-wing. The planet at the bottom is alright, but I don't love the lasers and the green doesn't fit well for some reason. It's not an awful box, but it just doesn't compare to the old one.
      The old box honestly looks way better than the actual ship. That glow in the background is awesome. The border makes the ship look incredible and I love the blueprints outlined behind it. The giant “X-WING” really makes a big difference too as it is close to the same color. The fully black background really makes the set stand out as well.
      1. Tie Interceptor (6206 and 7181)


      Alright, these don't compare well because one is UCS and the other is a smaller model, but I had to include this box because the old UCS Tie Interceptor is the best box of all time in my opinion. The newer model just looks like a small toy. Though the planet on the left looks ok, the explosion on the right is just too much flash. The Death Star 2 in the background just looks wrong ; it looks like a toy.
      The old box is incredible. The ship itself has great features but that awesome glow just perfectly supplements them. The angle is perfect for a symmetrical ship as you can see all of the detail of it as well. I also love the gold Star Wars theme in the top corner. I know if I ever crossed this in a store, I would have been immediately drawn to it. Again, I think I would have been drawn to the box more than the actual ship.
      That sums it up. What are your favorite boxes?
      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.
    • Ed Mack
      LEGO STAR WARS and CITY deals at Argos.ie
      Argos website : http://www.argos.ie/
      (All of the prices are in Euros)
      Lego star wars
      LEGO® Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter – 9493 : 49.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Millennium Falcon : 149.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Jabba's Palace : 101.49
      LEGO® Star Wars The Malevolence – 9515 : 88.89
      LEGO® Star Wars Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator – 7961 : 63.49
      LEGO® Star Wars Sith Fury Class Interceptor – 9500 : 63.48
      LEGO® Star Wars Rancor Playset - 75005. 62.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Tie Fighter – 9492 : 44.49
      LEGO® Star Wars Z-95 Headhunter Playset – 75004 : 39.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Republic Strike Class Starfighter – 9497 : 35.99
      LEGO® Star Wars A-Wing Starfighter Playset – 75003 : 31.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Saesee Tins Jedi Starfighter – 9498 : 25.49
      LEGO® Star Wars AT-RT Playset – 75002 : 21.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Desert Skiff : 21.49
      LEGO® Star Wars Droid Escape – 9490 18.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Clone Trooper vs Droidekas Playset : 14.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Republic Troopers vs Sith Trooper – 75001 : 14.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Tie Bomber and Asteroid Field – 75008 : 9.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Endor Rebel & Imperial Trooper Pack – 9489 : 9.49
      LEGO® Star Wars ARC Trooper and Commando Droid Pack – 9488 : 8.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Republic Assault Ship & Planet – 75007 : 7.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Twin Pod Cloud Car and Bespin : 7.99
      LEGO® Star Wars Jedi Starfighter & Planet Kamino 75006 : 7.99
      Lego city
      LEGO® City Fire Station Playset – 60004 : 69.99
      LEGO® City Police Station : 65.99
      LEGO® City Museum Break In Playset – 60008 : 59.99
      LEGO® City Garage – 4207 : 59.99
      LEGO® City Forest Police Station – 4440 : 56.99
      LEGO® City The Mine – 4204 50.99
      LEGO® City Off Road Command Centre – 4205 : 37.99
      LEGO® City Fire Plane : 33.99
      LEGO® City Heavy Lift Helicopter : 30.99
      LEGO® City Excavator Transport : 24.99
      LEGO® City Fire Emergency Playset – 60003 : 22.49
      LEGO® City High Speed Chase Playset – 60007 : 19.99
      LEGO® City Flatbed Truck Playset – 60017 : 16.49
      LEGO® City Cement Mixer Playset – 60018 : 16.49
      LEGO® City Tanker Truck Playset – 60016 : 16.49
      LEGO® City Dirt Bike Transporter – 4433 : 16.49
      LEGO® City Fire Truck Playset – 60002 : 14.99
      LEGO® City Fire Chief Car Playset – 60001 : 9.99
      LEGO® City Fire Pick Up Truck – 7942 : 9.49
      LEGO® 4x4 Fire Truck – 4208 : 16.49
    • Ed Mack
      I just wanted to bring attention to a new sort of Evaluation Corner article / Set Review that was submitted by Donotinsertinmouth(DNIIM)...
      75005 RANCOR PIT REVIEW
      The review is very similar to in depth LEGO set reviews that members do on the Eurobricks forums. I have always admired those sorts of reviews because of the time invested and the visual nature of the reviews. What DNIIM did was to take a Eurobricks set review and add a BrickPicker flair to it, with some investment data and analysis added.
      I enjoy all types of content and this sort of morphed Evaluation Corner article and Eurobricks set review makes for another option for BrickPicker members. I will place the high quality reviews on the BrickPicker homepage under the Evaluation Corner section and reward all the good ones with 500 Brickpoints.
      Nice job DNIIM...
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      So tons of articles on here are investment based articles and this is going to go right along with it. But I wanted to do something just a little bit different to see the type of response it got. So I decided to build a set as I was writing an article on it and take pictures along the way and then include them in the analysis. My starting set is one I have been waiting for a while to build: 75005 The Rancor Pit.
      The scene with Luke and the Rancor pit is one of my favorite scenes of all time from Star Wars. This is one of the greatest scenes because it has about half of the coolest Star Wars characters all in the same scene. When Lego announced a new Jabba's Palace along with a Rancor Pit to go with it, I knew I had to have both of them.
      I was a good boy and waited until I found a decent deal on both of them. I decided to go from the ground up so I started with the Rancor Pit first. I am going to walk you through the set as I build it as well as give you my outlook and investment thoughts at the end.
      First off, who doesn't love a Rancor? That is one of the most awesome monsters of all time and it really deserves it's own movie. However, when you look at the box, the set is only 380 pieces, so it seems like you are really paying for the Rancor which worried me that the rest of the set was nothing great. I got it with a Kmart deal and some rewards dollars so I paid about $43 for it. At $60 though its pushing $.20 a piece after you pay tax/shipping which seems a little high.
      However, when I opened the set, I was amazed at how much came with it. It seemed like way more that 380 pieces. This is what it looked like opened below:

      Looking through it, its because of more than just the giant rancor. The base of the “Cage” is made of giant Lego flat plane pieces. On top of that, there are column pieces which are two half pieces that fit together as the equivalent of about 10 normal Lego pieces for each column. Then you have the Gate, which is massive, so that the giant Rancor can fit through it. On top of that, there is an extra people-sized door. I definitely see the worth in it now; Price per piece just doesn't really do this set justice.
      I opened the pages and start off with the most fun part: The minifigures. The Gamorrean guard is awesome. If you have seen the original, he is a very nasty green color and doesn't have a lot of features. As you can see below, this one is way better looking. He is very detailed and has some awesome armor on him:

      Next was Luke, which comes with the bone he uses to fight the Rancor in the movie. This minifigure is the normal Jedi Fighter Luke, but the bone he comes with is actually pretty sweet as seen below. It's much bigger than the normal Lego bones and I think it adds a nice bit of playability to the set:

      Now for the best part, the Rancor. First off, this minifigure has all the makings of being a legendary minifigure. If you don't know, to be a legendary minifigure you must have at least three of the following attributes:
      Be huge –5 times a normal minifigures Have 10 or more pieces Be able to eat a normal minifigure Be a Rancor There are some Legendary minifigures that only meet the first three criteria, but this one meets all of them evidenced by the picture below:

      Just for good measure to prove my point:

      Lego Luke didn't stand a chance. The Rancor also stands up well unlike the Cave Troll in Lego LOTR Mines of Moria. On to the set.
      Really after you open those three minifigures, its a little bit of a letdown, not because the set is bad, but because most of the building is pretty normal block on top of block building. After you build the towers, you put in the giant gate which is really detailed and really well done. On top of this, you add a bucket and pitchfork on the side which I think really make the set. This is one of the reasons Lego is so amazing. They never forget to add the minor details that make something stand out:

      On to bag two and you get more minifigures. One of them is another exclusive mini to this set, Malikili. He is done pretty well, although his shirt is off just like in the movie. Luckily they didn't copy him too much as I think most people who saw the movie would have rather him kept his shirt on. The skeleton that comes with it is actually really cool. Though he looks like the ones that comes with the Mines of Moria set, this one is actually set up so you can move his arms and legs and make them stay in place. You can put him anywhere on the set you want!

      The rest of the second bag is pretty uneventful – just building the floor of the area that holds up the cage's columns. However, right at the end, Lego again adds those small details that make something amazing. There is a key and some extra skeleton pieces that you can stick inside a trap door on the back of the platform. Along with it, there is a Lego skeleton head for good measure:

      Bag 3 includes the columns. This is pretty straightforward and is the quickest bag by far:

      Bag 4 completes the set by having you add the top parts to the cage, a door on the side and some Lego torches at the entrance of the cage (again with the detail Lego!). The set put together, even without Jabba is pretty impressive:

      All in all its an awesome set to build. Its one of those sets that takes you the perfect amount of time. You can build it in about an hour or less, maybe two with a child, and there is nothing brutal or tedious at all. Since you build it from the floor up it stays together well. It's very sturdy too – I usually try to move my sets around and feel how well they hold up; this one seems like it could hold some weight the way it was designed (which makes sense if it has to hold Jabba). Here is a picture of how I am leaving it set up:

      So on to my investment thoughts:
      Absolute home-run.
      First off, before we get into numbers and analysis, you need to remember one thing. IT HAS A RANCOR IN IT. The Rancor is incredible, possibly the best minifigure out there – it rivals the dinosaurs and dragons. Going farther, the Rancor is exclusive to this set and it was just rebooted this year with Jabba's palace. Unless the Rancor makes an appearance in the new movies, which I doubt since he died along with Jabba, I think this will be the only one of all time. Looking back in the Star Wars theme, while there are plenty of sets that didn't do that well, the ones that did were typically the ones that were out of the ordinary (like something outside of the main story line but were still iconic) and the ones that weren't remakes of another set. I think this Rancor figure will be $60-$70 alone within two years.
      Along with that, it has 4 other minifigures which really adds to the value – especially the redone Gamorrea and the exclusive Malikili. Even though Malikili is not a hugely popular character, a lot of people who collect Star Wars will want him just to have another different minifig with all the remakes out there.
      Investment Data
      Finding comparable sets to this set is pretty rough. First off, this set has a small number of pieces, but a lot of minifigure value. Also, it is the first set of an iconic scene in the movies. Looking for that criteria, I only came up with three good comparable sets to look at in the same price range.
      General Grevious Starfighter (7656) – This set doesn't have the minifigures, but it is an iconic ship and it has one very iconic minifigure in General Grevious. The piece count is also fairly similar, though it is the least similar of the three I chose.
      Mos Eisley Cantina (4501) – Mos Eisley Cantina is much closer. It has 5 Minifigures plus a giant Dewback. It's also a very iconic scene from the movie and it was really the first set to show that scene (besides the old Landspeeder).
      Jabba's Palace (4480) – You knew this one was coming. The original Jabba's Palace has the huge minifig for us to compare to: Jabba himself. It does have a few less pieces, but is depicting an iconic scene from the movies that happens to occur over top of this scene. So let's see how these sets compare:

      Though the retail price is not really similar, adjusting for inflation, and the fact this set has a few more pieces, the prices make sense. I think this set will definitely see at least the same growth as these. I would actually argue that besides Jabba's Palace, this is the best one out of the 3. If the Rancor Pit hits the average of these three, it would see 16.6% CAGR. If we assume an investor holds this set for two years, this means the set is going to be worth about $80 at that point. Nothing amazing, but a good safe growth.
      However, there are a couple of things that increase this outlook in my eyes. Number 1, the Jabba controversy. Everyone remembers that a bunch of people thought the new Jabba's Palace was going EOL early. Everyone went nuts and these were sold out everywhere. I would say that there were a lot bought that will be circulating around now, but many will just be stashed away until the set EOLs. If people decide to stick with them, you have to get a Rancor pit to go along with it. Plus, with the price of the Jabba's Palace, this set really looks like a deal for an add on and makes the set all the more impressive.
      Secondly, I think this set is a big sleeper because its not a UCS set and is not an iconic Star Wars ship. I think it will be passed over quite a bit, especially with the way StarWars sets have evened out a bit over the last few years. I even think most people will go off of the old Jabba sets to think that the Palace will do better. However, in a few years when the movies start back up, we will have a new generation interested and watching the old movies, and this set will have just recently been EOL'd driving the price up.
      The last big x-factor here is playability. Besides us older AFOL's loving these set as a display, this has tons of playability for children. I can't imagine that kids don't have this Rancor eating every minfig in site. I know I did, and I am 26 years old!
      I think this set will really jump in the first year after EOL. Plus, there will be sales where you can get this set down to around $40 by adding it on with bigger sets in deals that include a % off your total sale, or something of that nature. At that point, you really can't lose. I think this set will end up being right around 20 CAGR after 5 years, but I think we are going to see 25-30% CAGR in the first two years. If this is correct, we will see it go for around $95 dollars 2 years after EOL. If you pick many of these up for about $45 each and pay $20 in fees (shipping and seller's fees), then you are looking at a 67% ROI in two years, which is excellent. Try finding that in a savings account!
      While it maybe isn't going to set records like the Haunted House or the Tower Bridge, I think it is a solid investment and will be perfect for an investor looking for safe bets and solid returns. Either way, if you like Star Wars at all or have children, buy this set! You will not be dissapointed.
      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
      OK, admit it. Whenever you hear the term "SpongeBob", in your head, you are humming the theme song of the cartoon show. You aren't alone!
      SpongeBob Squarepants, the TV show first aired on Nickelodeon on May 1st, 1999. It is the network's longest running show ever. The first SpongeBob LEGO sets were released in 2006, starting with the 3827 Adventures in Bikini Bottom, 3826 Build-a-Bob, and the 3825 Krusty Krab sets. In total, the theme has 14 sets in 7 years.
      You might wonder, how does such a minor theme:
      1. Succeed in general as there are so few sets?
      2. Fair as an investment?
      Let's start with Number 1: How does SpongeBob as a minor theme succeed in general with so few sets?
      Well, how many of you had the theme song running through your head after reading the first sentence or so? Probably at least 80%, and majority of you are adults and AFOL's. Now think of all the children who have grown up with SpongeBob merchandise like underwear, to SpongeBob advertisements. How many of them do you think had the theme song running through their heads? Probably close to 95% (hey, if you've ever worn Spongebob under your pants, it's pretty hard to forget him after that!). To give you an idea of how much SpongeBob has spread globally, I'll give you some numbers to think about: 43 countries, 80 stations. SpongeBob has spread to 43 countries and 80 different TV stations. This is truly impressive for a show about a sponge who walks around in his underwear.
      Number 2: How does SpongeBob as a minor theme fair as an investment? This is my favorite part of this article. SpongeBob has the 17th highest CAGR of all LEGO themes at around 16.32%. CAGR is basically the overview of how a theme performs.
      Since the SpongeBob theme has only 14 sets, it is fairly easy to say that the theme is a solid investment. Let's look a little more in-depth to figure everything out.
      3827-1: Adventures in Bikini Bottom Author's Analysis:
      The first of the SpongeBob has set a high bar. This set has been staying solidly above the $100 mark and has appreciated 178.14% above its original retail price. As the first set of the theme, I believe that TLG was “testing the waters” of the theme and market first, so they gave this particular set a fairly low Price Per Piece at only $0.07. This is arguably one of the most iconic sets of the theme featuring the unforgettable SpongeBob and his companions Patrick and Squidward, as well as SpongeBob's pineapple home and Squidward's moai home. This set has underperformed the CAGR of the theme slightly, but still has offered a very good investment increasing $90 above retail at times for those who where able to get one back in 2006.
      3826-1: Build-a-Bob
      Author's Analysis:
      One of my personal favorites in the SpongeBob theme, the 3826-1 Build-a-Bob had a $0.07 Price Per Piece just like the 3827-1 Adventures in Bikini Bottom with whom it was released alongside. This set has been hovering between $110 and $100 for the past year, so we shouldn't really expect this one to increase by much more. This is one of my favorite LEGO SpongeBob of all time, and is very similar to the busts from the Ultimate Collector's Series Star Wars line of sets.
      3825-1: Krusty Krab
      Author's Analysis:
      This is the final SpongeBob that was released in 2006. This set displays a very important part of the SpongeBob storyline: the place of SpongeBob's employment a.k.a. Krusty Krab. This set has been on a steady increase, increasing 16.4% in the past year, and 267.03% above retail. This one is showing signs of increase, so it might be the time to pick a MISB one.
      4982-1: Mrs. Puff's Boating School
      Author's Analysis:
      The fourth set of the theme and the first of the year, this set has an increased Price Per Piece, as TLG realized what a market the SpongeBob theme had, and nearly doubled the Price Per Piece ratio for this set. This set has done remarkably in the secondary market as many others in the theme, doubling in value. In 6 months, this set has increased by 30%, and 6.26% in the past month, so I would say it is time to pick this up, if you haven't yet! Not a must-have of the theme, but a very nice investment.
      4981-1: Chum Bucket
      Author's Analysis:
      A very cool little set, featuring the never-seen-before villain Plankton. For those of you who don't follow SpongeBob, the Chum Bucket is a restaurant run by Plankton, who tries to steal the secret recipe for the Krabby Patty. Obviously not as iconic of a set as others in the SpongeBob theme, but still a fairly high performing set increasing 2.67% in the last month, though it has been staying between $98 and $108 for the past year. Still a very solid investment if you had picked it up for its retail price of $34.99, giving you a 218.66% return! I do not expect this set to go anywhere in the near future, but still not a bad set to pick up in the future...For a good price, of course!
      3832-1: The Emergency Room
      Author's Analysis:
      This set hasn't really move for the past year, but still, as most of the SpongeBob theme, it has appreciated more than 150% above retail at an impressive 198.5%. As a build, really not all that impressive. As a location that plays a fairly small role in the whole of the SpongeBob theme, it is no surprise to me that it has not moved very much in recent months.
      3831-1: Rocket Ride
      Author's Analysis:
      Now here's our oddball of the theme: 3831-1: Rocket Ride. This one has still appreciated above retail at a generous 196.87%, but this year, it has gone down by 10.37%. Don't be fooled, though! I think this one may make a comeback, based on the prices that current listings are asking for, especially as the most recent two sold listings of this set sold for $142.99 and $119.00 respectively.
      3830-1: The Bikini Bottom Express
      Author's Analysis:
      As one of the cheapest SpongeBob sets at original retail, this one has appreciated 246.27% above its original MSRP, and has drove up 18.16% in the past 6 months, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Bikini Bottom Express arrives at the $80 mark in a couple months, though beyond that time period, I don't think it will increase in value much more.
      3834-1: Good Neighbours at Bikini Bottom
      Author's Analysis:
      This is probably as close as we will get to a remake in the SpongeBob theme. This is also probably the biggest “flop” in the SpongeBob theme also. Appreciating a meager 16.6%, it is hard to believe it comes from the same theme as the 3830-1: The Bikini Bottom Express or its predecessor 3827-1: Adventures in Bikini Bottom. I think this set could make a comeback, as the most recent NISB eBay sales have been close to $60.
      3833-1: Krusty Krab Adventures
      Author's Analysis:
      This is a downsized version of the 3825-1: Krusty Krab. Remakes/near remakes don't seem to do well in this theme, do they. Let's take a different look though: This set has increased by 52.64% in the past year and 94.1% up from retail. 4 years of retirement, and doubling in value in a year is a sure sign of an investment winner. Though down 1.6% in the past month, of the past 4 new listings, 3 were above the BrickPicker price, one of them $59.99! Definitely pick one up!
      3816-1: Glove World
      Author's Analysis:
      It's hard to look at a current set and predict its performance, but this set mimics battle packs of other themes, using 4 minifigures, and a fairly high Price Per Piece of $0.12. This small set could be worth $50 with time (2-3 years).
      3815-1: Heroic Heroes of the Deep
      Author's Analysis:
      A bit difficult to say the name 5 times fast is it? Featuring probably the most ridiculous minifigures of the entire theme, but we have a very surprising piece of information. This set sells for approximately $5 more than normal retail on eBay which is 30.09%. I will guess that this set will do very nicely upon retirement, just because of preliminary signs such as selling above MSRP.
      3818-1: Bikini Bottom Undersea Party
      Author's Analysis:
      Nearly a direct copy of the 3827-1: Adventures in Bikini Bottom and a similar set to 3834-1: Good Neighbours at Bikini Bottom, this set has skyrocketed in value for no apparent reason. Up 27.54% in a month to $62.28, or $12 above normal retail, this is a very odd set, in a good way. This could be a sign to be winner. I would pick up at least 1 as an investment, and one to build if you are a SpongeBob fan, as this is a cheaper alternative to other prior versions.
      3817-1: The Flying Dutchman
      Author's Analysis:
      This is probably my favorite of the current sets available currently. It has has a fairly detailed dock and seashore, plus it has a very nice variant of SpongeBob and Patrick who are both decked out in pirate gear. Also, as the first boat of the SpongeBob theme, this set will do well upon retirement.
      Conclusion:
      LEGO has had licensed themes be extreme successes like Harry Potter, but we also have had LEGO sets that weren't such big winners, like Toy Story. Lucky for us, we have a winner if we stand by SpongeBob. We see winners pass and if we are lucky we have a few of that set. Rarely do we know for sure what is a good investment, but by interpreting behaviors of sets, we can sometimes get a pretty good guess. Funny and popular cartoon, so why not a funny an popular LEGO theme? The theme might not be as large as Star Wars or as mainstream as Ninjago, but its still a winner. When these sets retire, they go unnoticed: Perfect getaways, and near-perfect investments.
      We can look at it from the sets of the past, and get a fairly good idea of how the sets of the future will do, and I have to say...we have pretty good odds. Though a LEGO minifigure in his underwear may not be the most pleasant sight to the eyes, I'll bet the green bricks that he will bring you, will!
       
    • comicblast
      Among the most reliable small LEGO sets that you can invest in are the beloved Battle Packs. Though not talked about as much as large sets like the Tower Bridge or even the non-UCS Millennium Falcon, money manages to take form in all shapes and sizes. In this article, we will focus on Star Wars Battle Packs, which first started in 2007, with two Battle Packs: 7655-1: Clone Trooper Battle Pack and 7654-1: Droids Battle Pack. Star Wars Battle Packs had kept up a tradition of having two opposing battle packs that could battle against each other. It wasn’t until 2012 that a battle pack included both sides of a battle. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the Battle Packs:
      7655
      This battle pack comes from the first wave of battle packs to be produced from the Star Wars theme, and set the stage for future Clone Trooper battle packs that used the pattern of 2 identical minifigures, one leader, and one specialized trooper. This set has done great in the several years that it has been retired, tripling in value! I wouldn’t expect another similar battle pack, but at the same time, I wouldn’t pick one up for $30, so I would not pick it up, and invest in other battle packs.
      7654
      One of my favorite battle packs because of the number, though if it had been 1234, it would have been better. LOL This battle pack has the most minifigures of any of the Star Wars ones, and has very fitting droid carrier. This set has been on an overall decline, but it shouldn’t get lower than the low $20’s.
      7668
      This is the first battle pack to include 4 identical minifigures. It has been on a curious decline over the past 6 months, and could fall down to re-investable levels. If it ever hits $17 or lower, I would pick up as many as possible, as it will make a bounce back up to the high 20's eventually. The number of units sold, and the sold price line graphs have basically mirrored each other interestingly. When the price goes down, the quantity sold also goes down, and vice versa. This seems to be caused because sellers are waiting for the set to increase back to former levels, though this is only a guess.
      7667
      This is the first Storm Trooper Battle Pack, and the first to include an airborne ship in it. Included are 3 identical Stormtroopers, and a Shadow Trooper. The build isn't extremely impressive, but it is a great set to build a Stormtrooper army! This is definitely a great set to do this, and it has appreciated to above $40! That's nearly $0.50 per piece! This set has seen good gains over the last 2 months, increasing about $10. I think that this could be the first battle pack to be worth $50 eventually. It being part of the Original Trilogy probably has something to do with it too...

      8014
      This is my #1 Battle Pack. Comes with 3 identical Clone Troopers and one Clone Gunner. There is also gear included that can be attached to one of the Clone Troopers to make him look like a commander, though I prefer him without. A great army builder, and was in high demand because for a couple months, a plain white Clone Trooper could not be found in any sets produced by TLG at the time. In May 2013, the battle pack made an impressive hop of 41.83% to the $22.14 mark, after a steep dip the month before, returning to basically its previous position. A great set to build, but I don’t recommend it as an investment at this point.
      8015
      This battle pack has the second biggest number of minifigures at 5. Like its counterpart, 8014, this battle pack includes 3 identical silver droids and 2 identical black ones. Though not a traditional battle droid, it still can serve as a army builder. This is the only battle pack to have a different price than its counterpart, costing a magnificent $2 less than 8014, a large difference for a $10 set. The value of this set is all over the place, but I expect that it will eventually plateau at about $20, because there are a bunch of these sets out there, but not as much demand as other battle packs.
      8083
      This is the part of the first set of battle packs not to be centered around the Prequel Trilogy. It has a normal pattern of minifigures, with two identical, one commander, and one specialized trooper. This set saw one of the longest production runs of all Star Wars battle packs, at exactly 2 years, most others only lasting about a year in production. This set hasn’t completely finished appreciating, and I think it will be above $20 after the holidays. I don’t think a $5 profit is worth it for this set at this point, but if you can get it at MSRP or lower, great!
      8084
      This set of battle packs was the last of those who featured separated forces, which is to say, all the minifigures in the battle pack were on the same side. This set is one of the more simple battle packs, with a speeder and fairly sparse control pad/center. It is only valued at $12.48 as of May 2013, so I expect that it will appreciate eventually, and it is a good time to pick it up if you haven’t yet. Like all other battle packs thus far, it will eventually reach the $20 mark.
      7913
      One of the most recently retired Battle Packs, and according to BrickPicker data, hasn’t appreciated that much, but I believe that this is mostly due to people selling the individual minifigures separately from each other, skewing data. In fact, this battle pack is worth on the higher end of $15 to $16, and is still on the increase. Though it doesn’t have any minifigures from the actual Star Wars movies, the minifigures do come from the Clone Wars, which should give them a little more attention.
      7914
      The Mandalorian Battle Pack is the first to have 4 identical minifigures. Each has a jetpack and three out of four have built weapons. It is pretty hard to guess the direction that this set will take, but my gut tells me that it’s going to be up. This is the first Battle Pack to feature minifigures that haven’t really been talked about at all in the Star Wars movies, though there were several Clone Wars episodes that included Mandalorians.
      9488
      This Battle Pack and the 9489 Battle Pack are the first to be released with 2 opposing forces within the same battle pack. To be honest, I didn’t really like the idea of this at first and thought that it was quite stupid for TLG to do this, but I do like that we get more variants of minifigures, instead of getting about 4 in the older version, we now get 6+. The most recently released battle packs have also taken these approaches, but it is yet to be determined how these battle packs will do upon retirement.
      9489
      This is the most recently retired Battle Pack, and is the first to retire without the other that it was released alongside, though it is easier to do this since the battle packs aren’t related that much. This is one of my favorite battle packs because it has a bunch of iconic minifigures, plus it has a fair amount of pieces. I think that by the holidays, it will be a $15, and then will be upwards from there.
      75000
      Along with the 75001 Battle Pack, this is the most recently released battle pack. This set includes 2 conventional minifigures, and 2 Droidekas, whom many deem not to be minifigures due to the fact that they use a lot of pieces. I think that this set will kick off, just like the 8014 battle pack because of the plain white clones, as it is a great army builder.
      75001
      This is the first Extended Universe Battle Pack, and the minifigures are largely unrecognizable unless you have read one of the books. I don’t think that this will appreciate as much as the 75000 battle pack, so I would try to steer clear of these EU Star Wars sets, though some, such as the Rogue Shadow, have done well.
       
    • Ed Mack
      Deals in Ireland stores
      SMYTHS
      Smyths website :http://www.toys.ie/
      Star Wars on sale:
      LEGO Star Wars: free lego planets when you spend 10+ LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon 7965 LEGO Star Wars The Malevolence 9515 LEGO Star Wars Rancor Pit 75005 LEGO Star Wars Z-95 Headhunter 75004 LEGO Star Wars Ewok Attack 7956 LEGO Star Wars TIE Fighter 9492 LEGO Star Wars Saesee Tiins Jedi Starfighter 9498 LEGO Chima on sale
      LEGO Chima Equilas Ultra Striker 70013 LEGO Chima Boulder Bowling 70103 LEGO Chima CHI Waterfall 70102 LEGO Chima CHI Battles 70113 LEGO Chima Target Practice 70101 LEGO Chima Razcals Glider 7000 LEGO Chima Eris Eagle Interceptor 70003 LEGO Chima Ring of Fire 70100 LEGO Chima Ring of Fire 70100 LEGO Chima Ultimate Speedor Tournament 70115 LEGO Chima Craggers Command Ship 70006 LEGO Chima Lavals Royal Fighter 70005 LEGO Chima Lennox Lion Attack 70002 LEGO Chima Wakz Pack Tracker 70004 LEGO Chima Crawleys Claw Ripper 70001 LEGO City: None
      LEGO Ninjago: None
      LEGO Super Heroes:
      LEGO Spider-Man Daily Bugle Showdown 76005 LEGO Spider-Man Spider-Cycle Chase 76004 LEGO Technic:
      LEGO Technic Excavator 42006 LEGO Technic Pick up Tow Truck 9395 LEGO Monster Fighters:
      LEGO Monster Fighters The Mummy 9462 LEGO Monster Fighters The Werewolf 9463 LEGO Monster Fighters Vampyre Castle 9468 LEGO Monster Fighters The Ghost Train 9467 LEGO Hero Factory:
      LEGO Hero Facotry Breez 6227 LEGO Hero Factory Core Hunter 6222 LEGO The Bat vs Bane Tumbler Chase 76001


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