Prediction of worth for Series 10 "Mr. Gold"

[TheOrcKing]

The current count of Mr. Golds found is 1,500.

Just some more before hitting the second milestone.

[Specialka22]

I haven't read every reply, so sorry if I'm sounding redundant, but I am having a terrible experience with my local stores in the hunt for Mr. Gold and need to vent.  It began with my local TRU, whose employees boasted about looking for Mr. Gold at their leisure.  I had started looking there in early May, but I gave up after a few weeks of browsing their stock after learning of their activities behind the scenes. 

 

My local Target gave up before the hunt began, and did not even sell the minifigures of this series.

 

That left me with one in-person option left: my local LEGO store(s), as those are usually the 3 big sellers of minifigures in my area  These employees at the LEGO store are supposed to be the trustworthy group, considering their whole company places a high value on kids and customers  On the contrary, they are the ones who surprised me the most when they told me that they were "only" allowed to look through their stock and feel for Mr. Gold off the clocks (after the store closes or before it opens).  One employee told me how he was feverishly looking for him.  A second employee tried to allay my concerns in a recent conversation by telling me that they only go through the stock on the floor.  That means all they need to do in order to secure a monopoly on the Mr. Gold hunt is to restock the supply when the store is closed and immediately hunt for him on the spot.  I am outraged by the attitude these employees have taken over the hunt for Mr. Gold.   Two other employees told me on separate occasions that they "don't really care that much to look for Mr. Gold.  I don't really like LEGOs."  I had a 2nd LEGO store a little further out, and they were much nicer (with a zero policy of employees looking through the stock), allowing me to browse through unopened boxes, but that store was much smaller and only got a couple boxes a week.  I even felt that it was unfair that I was able to check the boxes before someone else did, but I was hungry for him.  (At the time of this post, I still haven't found him).  I brought this issue up with the larger store, complaining that the smaller store doesn't look through boxes, and their only retort was "well the other store sells whole boxes to people."  A terrible argument, since even if they did sell whole unopened boxes to customers, at least the minifigures still went to customers!

 

I have been told the same story over and over at the larger LEGO store: there has only been 2 confirmed Mr. Golds found at this location--for one lucky girl it was her 2nd Mr. Gold.  As for the employees' private hunt?  "None have been found by employees yet."  Seeing there is no way to prove or disprove this statement, I had no rebuttal.  But consider this: the location of the store I have been talking about is perhaps the most heavily trafficked LEGO store in the US outside of LEGOLANDs, with a packed store every day (hint: the center of the biggest city in the US).  Sure, some Mr. Gold's will get quietly bought under the radar, but I have honed my touch&feel skills to be able to feel about 300 packages an hour, and I'm sure the employees have the skills required by now to fully browse their stock off the clocks.  I find these greedy employees' stories unbelievable. 

 

I have been considering sending a lengthy letter to TLG chastising them over (1) the introduction of a minifigure so rare that most enthusiasts' collections are forced to be left incomplete, (2) a store or company policy that allows the employees to filter the supply of minifigures before releasing it to the public, and (3) for this idea that is undoubtedly way off from the company policy of gearing sets towards kids.  The Mr. Gold inclusion has "secondary market" written all over it, and quite frankly I would have rather seen this idea scrapped early on than actually owning a Mr. Gold due to all the problems it's caused   It has brought the worst out in people and I hope they learned their lesson.  I am fairly certain I would get a generic response something along the lines of "I'm sorry your hunt is difficult.  Not everybody will be able to own one.  That is why he is so special.  Please don't give up and keep buying our minifigures."

 

Frustrated and infuriated

[leaningjowler]

I had the same experience at my Lego store went in to buy 20 or so for my kids birthday party. The guy checking me out tells me they go through them and they let customers do the same thing. The mini-figure madness is the most annoying thing about Lego collecting. I can see spending more than retail on sets you want after they retire but these limited edition mini figures just get flipped for insane sums of money. Its just a smack in the face to your typical collector who doesn't want to drop 200.00 or more on a mini-figure. 

[legoman85]

I can personally attest to the two of the three TRU locations in the Salt Lake valley in Utah doing this (Sugar House and Murray for locals.) The managers have come to recognize me (from my time standing at the register feeling CMF bags) and at first they would tell me whether the boxes had been searched or not. Finally within the last month they have admitted to me that there are at least two employees at each location that search the boxes and buy what they want before they are put out to the public.

The third TRU in the area has (IMHO) the worst customer service of the three and one of the employees admitted that he had personally found one Mr. Gold for himself by doing this and that one of the managers does this too but has not been lucky. This is why that store does not take returns on CMFs because they know the bags have been felt up. The other stores were happy to take the items back with a reciept because they can never keep them in stock.

I have no problem with an employee being told when a shipment can comes in so they have a chance to look before others but to do it behind the scenes is wrong.

I think the rare figures like Mr. Gold and exclusive sets are great for promoting the brand and give collectors something to hunt for. It sucks for people like me who can't afford secondary's elect prices. I say more power to those who can afford to be in the right place at the right time and get the exclusive sets and figures. But to say its wrong for people to charge so much for these (SDCC figs) when investors do the same thing with EOL sets is setting a double standard.

[Anakinisvader]

Heck, you guys are lucky I don't work for LEGO distribution.  I'd be smooshing a million bags a day. 

[JoshTX]

I bought my cases of series 10 and I'm over it. Not gonna smoosh at all for Mr. Gold, it's not worth the time and frustration. I'll sell my cases later and hopefully a buyer gets lucky. But I personally don't feel like I need this figure.

 

For those that are extremely upset with the employees, I would suggest putting things into perspective - look at where they work and think about how much money they make. Not saying that every TRU or Lego employee is unethical or dishonorable, but these establishments don't pay all that well and there isn't alot of honor or code associated with them. You are going to find more people in desparate situations when you are around people working at sub-par or near-sub living wages. They're going to be alot more likely to act on a chance to make some money, even if morally dubious.

[Guest eightbrick]

I'm a bit behind on this topic... anyway when Series 10 first came out I overheard an employee talking to an AFOL saying that the only Mr. Gold found was found by an employee (Lego Store), I think after hours. Sort of sucks for the people who came in early those days to smoosh, but the employees deserve it for being so nice and helpful to every customer. I don't think I have never seen a rude Lego employee.

[TheOrcKing]

The current count of Mr. Golds found is 1,518.

....Are you bleeping kidding me?! Five days go by and this is all that comes up?! Only 18?! :frantics:

[stephen_rockefeller]

The current count of Mr. Golds found is 1,518.....Are you bleeping kidding me?! Five days go by and this is all that comes up?! Only 18?!

Mr. Gold is old news, plus there are plenty of him stashed away in sealed cases. I have one remember??

[gladeye]

Yes, we remember. How could we forget?

[gladeye]

My local TRU told me they brought out a new case the other day.  Knowing full well that they searched it before it hit the floor, I didn't even bother.  Since a salesman told me that they search them, I won't even bother with the series there.  I am waiting for Series 11 which should be showing up soon.

The people at my TRU are too lazy to search the boxes. From my conversations with some of the people who work there, they really didn't seem to know how valuable the Mr. Golds are, anyway. 

[gladeye]

Mr. Gold is old news, plus there are plenty of him stashed away in sealed cases. I have one remember??

Then stop reminding us of the old news that YOU have one. Jeez, what a goob. I wish you guys would change your wording a little. That updating number is not the Mr. Golds found. It's the number of Mr. Golds registered. I haven't registered mine and the ones on ebay never seem to be registered. Please take into account the number that have been found but not formerly accounted for.

[Curtis]

Mr. Gold is old news, plus there are plenty of him stashed away in sealed cases. I have one remember??

Old news? Maybe. Until he starts showing up on Christmas wish lists anyway.

[Curtis]

...Please take into account the number that have been found but not formerly accounted for.

And what number is that? A bit of an impossible request to know the unknown don't you think? Sure would be nice though right? Knowing the unknown.

[TheOrcKing]

Then stop reminding us of the old news that YOU have one. Jeez, what a goob. I wish you guys would change your wording a little. That updating number is not the Mr. Golds found. It's the number of Mr. Golds registered. I haven't registered mine and the ones on ebay never seem to be registered. Please take into account the number that have been found but not formerly accounted for.

Wow, someone's being a grump today. Yes, we already know it is the number of ones registered and not found altogether.

[stephen_rockefeller]

I love it when someone wants to comment on an inside joke like they know whats going on, I know you got it TOK ;)

[JoshTX]

Then stop reminding us of the old news that YOU have one. Jeez, what a goob. I wish you guys would change your wording a little. That updating number is not the Mr. Golds found. It's the number of Mr. Golds registered. I haven't registered mine and the ones on ebay never seem to be registered. Please take into account the number that have been found but not formerly accounted for.

Umm...explain how the hell they are supposed to find that number and they'll probably do it.

[gladeye]

Umm...explain how the hell they are supposed to find that number and they'll probably do it.

That was kinda my point about people saying number found instead of registered. I know I'm just nit-picking over semantics, though.  

[TheOrcKing]

The current count of Mr. Golds found and registered is 1,524.

It would appear to be an average of two per day now being uncovered across the globe.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

The current count of Mr. Golds found and registered is 1,524.

It would appear to be an average of two per day now being uncovered across the globe.

 

[TheOrcKing]

Ha, really. :acute:

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

RIP Heath Ledger. Greatest outgoing performance of all time.

[TheOrcKing]

RIP Heath Ledger. Greatest outgoing performance of all time.

Most assuredly. :cry:

[TheOrcKing]

The current count of Mr. Golds found and registered is 1,556.

Well, it finally budged enough warranting a status report. Still moving like a snail though. :yawn:

[MartinP]

The current count of Mr. Golds found and registered is 1,556.

Well, it finally budged enough warranting a status report. Still moving like a snail though.

At the rate of two Mr.Golds per day, all of them should be found and registered in about 4.5 years.