What Did You Find at Thrift Stores/Rumage Sales?

[Blackjack]

I was just wondering what Legos you guys have found at thrift stores and rumage sales. I have not had very much luck over the years, I've only found the Red Beard Runner and a few Bionicles in all. Maybe one of you has found a huge hoard somewhere. :)

[heathx3]

local Goodwill had some donations from Target (still had the red clearance stickers on them) found the Portal of Atlantis and the Pharoahs Quest Pyramid for $20 each still in the boxes. Was grand opening of that store. Got 1 of each and went back for more about an hour later but all were gone by then...must have been 10 of each set. Pure luck, nothing else on finding any Legos at a thrift store.

[sadowsk1]

The closest I came to getting let alone seeing any Lego at Goodwill was a Rogue Shadow that looked like it had some sort of explosive set inside of the box and detonated with the way it was held together by packing tape. I was still going to bite and buy it on a gamble but they wanted 75.00 for it, so I had to politely decline.

[gte206w]

Not sure if this counts: I bought a Crawler Crane (8288) from an older lady who posted it on craigslist along with a box full of matchbox cars and a play area rug. She owned a storage facility and was clearing out her personal unit, and getting rid of some toys her grandson no longer played with. The Lego was "used" but the build never got past like page 5...the string hadn't even been unpacked yet! She wanted $12 for the whole lot - I kept the lego and donated the rest.

[gefmayhem]

On Saturday I got a box of Lego that contained parts from 7744, 7723, 7741 and 5866. No baseplate because the owner had glued some of the parts to them - I know this because some of the glued bits were still there. Plus one of the Heroica sets open but complete and a box of the minifigure set (the 4 figures one) with 3 of the figs plus part of a fire engine in it. Total cost

[terrymc4677]

last week i stopped in my local goodwill store on a whim since it is right next door to my TRU. the only lego i found was an unopened ninjago skeleton character with a spinner for $2.99. i cant remember his name, because i gave it to my son to play with, but i looked it up when i got home and the current value is around $10. it's not much, but finding it unopened was a nice surprise. i never would have thought to check goodwill, but seeing as we have 3-4 of them in the green bay area, i will make a point to stop in and check once in awhile. you never know what you may find, and the thrill of the hunt is half the fun of lego investing (selling for 200%-300% profit is the other half!).

[gte206w]

Facepalmed when I saw this. If this story is true...geez http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-STAR-WARS-10179-MILLENNIUM-FALCON-1st-Edition-/181101215958?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item2a2a7940d6

[derickb81]

i found a summer picnic polybag for 99 cents it was a target donation

[Anakinisvader]

Facepalmed when I saw this. If this story is true...geez

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-STAR-WARS-10179-MILLENNIUM-FALCON-1st-Edition-/181101215958?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item2a2a7940d6

Wow, over $500 with dog bites and all.

[TheDarkness]

Best I found was a second hand 10190 Market Street still with box and spare parts. Bought it for $80, counted out all the parts then sold it on ebay for $800 with free shipping. Was very happy

[Snowcrash]

Wow, over $500 with dog bites and all.

I would have grabbed that in a heartbeat I I saw it at Goodwill, probably only paid a few dollars for it. $500? Not without an inventory of what parts are missing/"chewed". If it has most of the hard to find pieces like the levers,scaffolds and the dish then the seller's a fool since he could probably get the rest of the pieces to complete the set and sell it as a complete Falcon minus box. He could also just part it out and get top dollar for many of the rare bits if its too far gone to salvage a complete set. Even an open. used 10179 seems to be going for over $1000 right now so there's a lot of of room to make some cash on this set.

[terrymc4677]

Facepalmed when I saw this. If this story is true...geez

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-STAR-WARS-10179-MILLENNIUM-FALCON-1st-Edition-/181101215958?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item2a2a7940d6

i guess it does pay to check the thrift stores more often. why would the original owner donate it? they obviously must know the value of it, or at least what they paid for it and what they could possibly sell it for. strange.

[redeemed763]

There are a ton of reasons, it very well could be that the owner had an angry ex who got rid of his old stuff from her place. Very sad to see doggy damage there :(

[JoshTX]

Slightly off topic and I'm reviving an old thread...but I didn't want to create a new thread just to ask: Has anyone had any luck recently finding discounted Lego at stores like Big Lots, Ross, Marshalls, etc.? I've heard a few really good success stories, but an ample amount of negativity as well.

[stephen_rockefeller]

I have never seen a set in any of those stores.

[kerrmando]

I've found some in TJ Maxx and Marshall's before, Also Tuesday Morning used to have some of the best deals but they stopped having the really good sets anymore =/

[Guest AnnexBrett]

Facepalmed when I saw this. If this story is true...geez

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-STAR-WARS-10179-MILLENNIUM-FALCON-1st-Edition-/181101215958?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item2a2a7940d6

The best part is its still sold for $1650! No matter if chewed by a dog, kid whatever...and who knows what else happened with that unfortunate Falcon... I start to feel like my used (new parts, assembled) 10179 for $950 was a bargain!

[kerrmando]

I don't really find that many good deals at thift stores sadly. I just don't check them enough.

[JoshTX]

Ok here's one: anyone find Lego at the pawn shop?

[stephen_rockefeller]

No but i want to take my DS into the pawn stars pawn shop and se what they would give me for it.

[Rich B]

No but i want to take my DS into the pawn stars pawn shop and se what they would give me for it.

haha you should do that! I never see Lego on that show. They'd low ball you and offer $100 probably lol

[TheOrcKing]

haha you should do that! I never see Lego on that show. They'd low ball you and offer $100 probably lol$100? HA! Try $25, if even that.

Course you can't exactly hold that against them though. I mean, it is a pawn shop. A store where people typically have crap they don't want anymore and try to get some money for it, plus the owners have to make some kind of profit back. So it is pretty funny when people go there expecting BIG bucks at all. Hello! It's a pawn shop! If you want the big dollar signs then find a collector or go to an specialty auction, but not a pawn shop.