75192 - UCS: Millennium Falcon 2017

[Ed Mack]

1 minute ago, flynnibus said:

First.. correlation doesn't mean causation.  Lego was in trouble and it wasn't due to lack of inflated sales due to speculation.  Sure the new speculator sales help immediate revenue, but like all sugar rushes, it's not real, nor is necessarily healthy.  Lego pivoted in what they were selling and what brands they were licensing - that is what turned Lego around... not scalpers.  

People have been buying "boxes of plastic" for entertainment for decades.  Speculators don't create a market - they obfuscate it.  If anything, one would argue it's more harmful as it creates a false view of the market that is unsustainable.

I bet 99.999% of Lego buyers have no idea they can resell their sets when they are done as anything but "a box of misc legos".  Sure, the UCS and other limited run sets are a different market and those buyers are different.  But I'd wager that most fans still don't buy with the idea of flipping or 'selling for appreciation'.  Most just know there are secondary markets where they can get sets that are NLA.  The "investor" crowd only works when you are ahead of the curve or can influence availability.  With Lego re-releasing sets, the availability angle disappears.  With the decade or so now of the flipper behind us... there is no more 'ahead of the curve'.

Lego isn't producing for the speculators...  so when someone groans about their piece that used to be an exclusive showing up in other sets.. boohoo.

Don't underestimate how knowledgeable LEGO fans are about their passion and/or when money is concerned.  The internet is a powerful tool that has informed many to this fact.  LEGO produces sets for speculators all the time.  They might call it "collector,"  but you get the point.  All you have to do is go to any Comic Con or convention and see how LEGO feeds the market.  Collector this.  Limited that.  Ultimate Collector Series was the start.  

We can discuss the LEGO secondary market all day...It's origins and effects on the primary market.  It's my opinion there is a connection between the secondary markets and LEGO's recent success.  Not only did they pivot with brands, but they pivoted to adult buyer's tastes and pocketbooks.  Sets got bigger and more complex.  This set has "adult collector" written all over it.  Sure, people buy boxes of plastic all the time, but obviously, LEGO didn't sell enough boxes of plastic in the 80s and 90s because they almost went bankrupt.  Don't discount how important a smaller group of uber passionate collectors/investors are about LEGO sets.  They buy much more than a "regular fan."  

As for resellers/specualtors, many view this as an opportunity.  Their sugar rush has been going for well over a decade and they will figure out ways to make it continue.  I for one sit on the proverbial fence.  I don't like the remakes...but I love LEGO sets and appreciate the improvements.   To me, crying about the value of the 10179 dropping is a waste of time.  People have had years to resell that set.  Once again...welcome to the site. 

[Ed Mack]

13 minutes ago, flynnibus said:

Anyone have any good display ideas for the set?

The ugly bottom still persists....   Anyone have great ideas besides "put it on the dining room table"?  ?

Leave it in the box.  

[boliramirez]

40 minutes ago, Villager Chris said:

Can anyone, apart from cash-rich AFOLs and investors, afford 2 or 3 of these?

Sure....

[flynnibus]

3 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

Leave it in the box.  

That's for these guys

 

[Guest TabbyBoy]

3 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

Leave it in the box.  

... and buy a 2nd to build.

... and buy a 3rd to sell after EOL or during TOOS to subsidise the first 2.

So... limit 3 in UK makes perfect sense ;-)

[CNH1974]

The coffee table idea looks good and keeps the dust off. This set may have as long as run as the Death Star.

If you want a UCS MF as an investment, I agree with Jeff, buy a 10179 on the downswing and wait for the upswing. But you will need a lot of patience.

75192 is a flipping set for this Christmas or one to - shock/horror - open the box and build.

In the meantime, I'll continue to concentrate on the more limited lines; Technic Ideas etc....

[Ed Mack]

12 minutes ago, flynnibus said:

That's for these guys

 

So you are one of those "collector" characters....

[Ed Mack]

I really just want one of those LEGO boxes with wheels and a handle.  If I have to buy one of these sets to get one, I guess I will suck it up.  

[BrickSamurai]

It's fine by me and since I haven't or rather didn't save an original UCS 10179, I'll add this to my collection and possibly another 1 or 2 but we'll see.

And as Ed mentioned how can you pass up the wheels and handle on the Lego box to wheel it out of the TLG B/M store j/k ?

 

[Guest TabbyBoy]

Dragging this beauty along the street will turn a lot more heads and raise more eyebrows than the finest luggage that Louis Vuitton can offer. I can see myself now posing outside Harrods with one!

[Ed Mack]

5 minutes ago, TabbyBoy said:

Dragging this beauty along the street will turn a lot more heads and raise more eyebrows than the finest luggage that Louis Vuitton can offer. I can see myself now posing outside Harrods with one!

Drag it?  Who said drag it?  Those wheels will never hit the pavement when I buy one!  Too nice to mark up.

[exciter1]

6 minutes ago, TabbyBoy said:

Dragging this beauty along the street will turn a lot more heads and raise more eyebrows than the finest luggage that Louis Vuitton can offer. I can see myself now posing outside Harrods with one!

...or you'll get shoved in front of a bus.

1 minute ago, Ed Mack said:

Drag it?  Who said drag it?  Those wheels will never hit the pavement when I buy one!  Too nice to mark up.

Did you watch the video?  They are on disposable cardboard. lol

[SLL]

37 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

I really just want one of those LEGO boxes with wheels and a handle.  If I have to buy one of these sets to get one, I guess I will suck it up.  

buy the box for $800 and you can get a free UCS MF, perfect

[scatttcat]

1 hour ago, Val-E said:

Limited to the number of Falcons made.

 

1 hour ago, ad2001 said:

So there is a limited edition VIP card when purchasing the MF ... 

YESSSS, I am a sucker for well designed plastic cards!

[Janvantende]

Oeeffff, how can you say no to a set like this one? A lot of money but is there any doubt that this will not top the old falcon?

[ad2001]

Who in the US is waiting for the next Prime day?

[t_mafia]

If ordering this set from SAH will lego take extra precautions to make sure the box stays nice? To spend $800 (+tax) and get a damaged box would be a bummer

[KvHulk]

2 hours ago, ad2001 said:

So there is a limited edition VIP card when purchasing the MF ... 

 

[Ballers]

Anyone have any good display ideas for the set?
The ugly bottom still persists....   Anyone have great ideas besides "put it on the dining room table"?  

I really like the glass coffee table idea - definitely looking into that. Also remember seeing a video on YouTube of a guy who, I suppose you'd say moc'd the underside of his 10179 so it would hang on a hook flush against the wall - looked impressive displayed like that.

[jaisonline]

4 hours ago, exciter1 said:

I think long-term will be a big hit.  10179 will never reach 2k - 3k levels again.  We will be lucky if it rises to 1k again.

Agreed.  Why would anyone (another then completionists) spend $800+ for new or old 10179 when a superior version is available at retail for $800.

4 hours ago, Ed Mack said:

The same could be said for this set as well...I am not expecting the 10179 to hit levels it did in the past, but there will be a point where the bleeding stops and it starts to appreciate once again.  I could make a case that the 10179 First Edition is even more collectible than this set.

Not sure even if a special boxed edition will help. While first edition boxed 10179s might be more collectible than regular 75192s, it won't help with investment appreciation. I still can't see many folks spending more than $800 for a 10179 when a better option is available at the same cost.

 

[BrickLegacy]

Apologies, noob here. When is this available for VIPs?

[ISO8T0]

14th. Sep.

[Ed Mack]

11 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

Agreed.  Why would anyone (another then completionists) spend $800+ for new or old 10179 when a superior version is available at retail for $800.

Not sure even if a special boxed edition will help. While first edition boxed 10179s might be more collectible than regular 75192s, it won't help with investment appreciation. I still can't see many folks spending more than $800 for a 10179 when a better option is available at the same cost.

 

Right now, there is no helping the 10179.  It's a race to the bottom.  People who keep it, want it and won't sell it anyway.  But at some point, the bottom will be hit and a buying opportunity will arise from the ashes.  Some prudent investors/resellers/speculators might take advantage of this and do well with the 10179...a second time.  There will be people who want them all.  To an anal LEGO elitist jerk like me, displaying them all is the only way to go.  Go big or go home...

[flynnibus]

9 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

While first edition boxed 10179s might be more collectible than regular 75192s, it won't help with investment appreciation. I still can't see many folks spending more than $800 for a 10179 when a better option is available at the same cost.

Yup.. the "originality" vs re-issue price motivator only works when the item is perceived as collectable or seen for it's originality.  If the price driver for an item is purely lack of supply or the item is bought to be consumed (vs put on a pedestal as a hands off collectible) ..  when the equivalent remake is available, the bulk of the market will follow the "best available" instead of necessarily the most collectible or original.

The Lego set is valued for it's value as a toy and it's lack of availability - not as a antique or collectible.  "Quality", "condition", "access", "cost" will all outweigh "originality" for most buyers.  Hence, most will readily chase the easily available or significantly cheaper remake.

Its like the 10188 Death Star now...  the availability of the remake (even tho its more expensive) puts a hard cap on the value of 10188 because it's readily available and the equivalency of the toy is close enough to prevent 10188 from demanding a higher premium.  Here, 727913 will be seen as an upgrade over the original...  so only those wanting the original because they perceive it as a rarity in itself.. will value a higher price for it.  The re-release will drain the demand pool of everyone who just wanted the toy.

[Sandwraith]

2 hours ago, flynnibus said:

Anyone have any good display ideas for the set?

The ugly bottom still persists....   Anyone have great ideas besides "put it on the dining room table"?  

Assuming the frame is similar to 10179, i'll be wall mounting it as i did with 10179