Hi Guys!

[Nakapfao]

When I was younger I was a huge fan of LEGO, especially the Star Wars theme. For about the last two or three years I just stopped playing and buying LEGO sets, but now I've gotten back into it. Since I am now old enough to get work, at least over the summer, I've also got a little cash set aside and I'd like to invest some of it into LEGO. So this is not only my introduction thread but also my request for advice! If I set my limit to around 150 bucks, which sets should I buy? I earlier had my eyes on the two 2012 battle packs, as the Battle Packs seem to always have good appreciation. However earlier today I went by WalMart and saw 9615 Jabba's Palace on CLEARANCE for $79.99. This is a huge discount obviously, but it also looks like what the set SHOULD be selling for (with 717 pieces). However, even at it's ridiculous $120 MSRP, it maintains a 4.7 average review on LEGO.com and I've heard mainly good things on forums. Anyway, my question is; would it be a good buy if I'm looking for some gains? I am kind of worried that since it's overpriced, when it gets discontinued it might go DOWN from it's MSRP. But since this is my first time, give me some advice! Thanks, and I want to personally say to the creators and administrators of this website: WOW! This is a really great and inspiring experience. The website is well put-together and very useful, thanks for putting tools like this out there for people like me to have a great place to get started. Cheers and happy holidays to all, Nakapfao.

[Rich B]

Welcome to the site!! Also I dont think you can go wrong with Jabbas Palace for that price, that's a great price in my opinion.

[Ed Mack]

Hello and welcome to the site. That is a good deal for Jabba's Palace, no doubt. Are you locked into STAR WARS sets? STAR WARS sets used to be the darlings of LEGO investment and might be again with the new STAR WARS movie launching in 2015, but for now there might be other sets themes that are better investments, maybe some Monster Fighters or Ninjago sets?

[stephen_rockefeller]

79 bucks is definitely a good buy......just remember though that its a new set so it will be some time before you will see big gains. Be patient though this set is a winner!! Make sure you grab the rancor pit as it attaches to the palace.

[Nakapfao]

Hello and welcome to the site.

That is a good deal for Jabba's Palace, no doubt. Are you locked into STAR WARS sets? STAR WARS sets used to be the darlings of LEGO investment and might be again with the new STAR WARS movie launching in 2015, but for now there might be other sets themes that are better investments, maybe some Monster Fighters or Ninjago sets?

Thanks for the reply!

No, I am not quite locked into SW... I've actually been considering Diagon Alley, which is probably one of the safest bets for returns from the current line of sets of most of the themes. However, I'm not sure I'll pick that one up. Basically, I thought I'd focus on picking up a few smaller sets; I hadn't considered anything as big as Diagon Alley until I saw the great deal on Jabba's Palace. I was more aiming to score a bunch of SW Battle Packs, perhaps the Architecture line's White House, and hopefully the Minecraft set (if I can ever manage to get my hands on one.

So not quite locked into SW, but I am a huge fan of the franchise and the LEGO line itself, and simply because I have the most experience with those sets I thought it would be a good focus for my first time investing in LEGOS. The other two sets that I mentioned, I will most likely pick up. As for Ninjago and Monster Fighters, thanks for bringing those to my attention... I hadn't really thought much about them until now. Any ideas of a few that look promising? Both the Target and the Walmart that are close by me are literally almost ALWAYS sold out of LEGO Star Wars (today when I went to Walmart the two Jabba's Palace sets that I mentioned were the only SW ones available), but I guess that's just what people like around me, and the Monster Fighters and Ninjago sets are definitely more often in stock, sounds promising!

Thanks again!

[Ed Mack]

Thanks for the reply!

No, I am not quite locked into SW... I've actually been considering Diagon Alley, which is probably one of the safest bets for returns from the current line of sets of most of the themes. However, I'm not sure I'll pick that one up. Basically, I thought I'd focus on picking up a few smaller sets; I hadn't considered anything as big as Diagon Alley until I saw the great deal on Jabba's Palace. I was more aiming to score a bunch of SW Battle Packs, perhaps the Architecture line's White House, and hopefully the Minecraft set (if I can ever manage to get my hands on one.

So not quite locked into SW, but I am a huge fan of the franchise and the LEGO line itself, and simply because I have the most experience with those sets I thought it would be a good focus for my first time investing in LEGOS. The other two sets that I mentioned, I will most likely pick up. As for Ninjago and Monster Fighters, thanks for bringing those to my attention... I hadn't really thought much about them until now. Any ideas of a few that look promising? Both the Target and the Walmart that are close by me are literally almost ALWAYS sold out of LEGO Star Wars (today when I went to Walmart the two Jabba's Palace sets that I mentioned were the only SW ones available), but I guess that's just what people like around me, and the Monster Fighters and Ninjago sets are definitely more often in stock, sounds promising!

Thanks again!

Check out the BRICKINDEX. Basically it shows you the top appreciating set across all themes and within the themes. Good info.

[Nakapfao]

Thanks for the reply!

No, I am not quite locked into SW... I've actually been considering Diagon Alley, which is probably one of the safest bets for returns from the current line of sets of most of the themes. However, I'm not sure I'll pick that one up. Basically, I thought I'd focus on picking up a few smaller sets; I hadn't considered anything as big as Diagon Alley until I saw the great deal on Jabba's Palace. I was more aiming to score a bunch of SW Battle Packs, perhaps the Architecture line's White House, and hopefully the Minecraft set (if I can ever manage to get my hands on one.

So not quite locked into SW, but I am a huge fan of the franchise and the LEGO line itself, and simply because I have the most experience with those sets I thought it would be a good focus for my first time investing in LEGOS. The other two sets that I mentioned, I will most likely pick up. As for Ninjago and Monster Fighters, thanks for bringing those to my attention... I hadn't really thought much about them until now. Any ideas of a few that look promising? Both the Target and the Walmart that are close by me are literally almost ALWAYS sold out of LEGO Star Wars (today when I went to Walmart the two Jabba's Palace sets that I mentioned were the only SW ones available), but I guess that's just what people like around me, and the Monster Fighters and Ninjago sets are definitely more often in stock, sounds promising!

Thanks again!

Check out the BRICKINDEX. Basically it shows you the top appreciating set across all themes and within the themes. Good info.

That is really neat. Thanks so much! I think I will pick up 5 - 10 of The Swamp Creature. Aiming for smaller sets to start off with

That being said, this 2013 AT-RT might be another one to buy multiples of at the end of this year. Even at retail price, it's got one of the lowest $ per piece that I've seen in a good looking Star Wars set in a long time. Plus, it's from such a great part in the TV show (although I know it gets a lot of negativity).