The One(s) That Got Away

cvail8 · August 27, 2012

OK, we all have stories of being in the store or having orders ready to go and then changing our minds. Or we sold one too soon that turned out to be a big winner. Not just, I wish I would have bought 100 UCS Falcons, but I had the box in my hand and decided not to buy. What's the big fish that you didn't reel in? I'm relatively new to the game, so my worst isn't that bad. Around Christmas, Barnes and Noble was running an instore 50% off sale on all toys, including Lego. I should have gone in and cleaned the place out, then gone to the other ones around town and cleaned them out. But I was super low on funding at the time so I only picked up a 4841 Hogwarts Express when I could have had 10 of them. Worst part is, I flipped it immediately and only ended up making about $50 on the deal.

plasticbrix · August 27, 2012

I had the chance to buy a Green Grocer for $175 a year ago from a local Craigslist member, but I passed. Now they are selling for $600.

Yogibara_rs · August 27, 2012

Man there has been so many. I have a new motto when I buy Lego; "Why buy one, when you can buy two?". That being said, I either own one of the ones that I'll mention (personal collection) or I passed at the time.

I own one but none to sell:

UCS Falcon

Grand Carousel

Green Grocer (who could have seen this one coming?)

Jabba's Sail Barge (Just bought one on eBay for 170)

UCS Star Destroyer

The ones that I don't even own but wish I would have bought one when they were available:

Taj Mahal

Pirates Imperial Flagship

Anything Batman from the first release. Uh.. Alfred Minifig anyone?

Now for the ones that WILL NOT get away!:

Tower Bridge

Sopwith Camel

Haunted House

Fire Brigade

Grand Emporium

Pet Shop

UCS Imperial Shuttle

UCS R2-D2

Anything Star Wars (duh)

Mos_Eisley · August 27, 2012

There are so many sets I should've/could've picked up in bulk at huge discounts and didn't. Most of them I didn't know it would be a good idea nor did I have the money at the time to do it, but one of my most recent regrets was Black Friday of 2005 or 2006 , I can't remember anymore which it was. Target had the 4504 Falcon at 50% off, $49.99. Right around this time I started to realize there could be money in buying and selling sealed sets, so this deal got me started. It was also my first Black Friday experience so even though the stores opened at 5:00am or whatever it was (nothing like the midnight it is now), I didn't show up to my local Target until around 10:30am. At that time, they had about 5 on the regular shelf and 12-15 on the top shelf. I just grabbed the 5 on the regular shelf thinking it must not be that great of a deal if that many were still remaining that late in the day. I drove away, got about 3 miles away and thought I may as well go back and get the rest of them, worst case I could return them if needed. By the time I got back, no more than 20 minutes later, the other 12-15 had all been purchased. I was so mad at myself. So then I went ahead and hit up a few more Targets and I was able to grab about 8 or 9 more. I thought I was so smart when I was selling them for $100-125! Still have a couple left, but I sure wish I would've bought every one I saw that day! I was thinking a fun article would be about the various sales I've seen over the years. Maybe I'm a little weird, but I think it's fun to see the sale prices that I've gotten and missed over the years. I still have all the receipts from every LEGO set purchase I've made, so the article would have lots of pics. There are plenty of other sales I've missed out on and know about, but I like to see evidence that it actually happened!

Ed Mack · August 27, 2012

I was thinking a fun article would be about the various sales I've seen over the years. Maybe I'm a little weird, but I think it's fun to see the sale prices that I've gotten and missed over the years. I still have all the receipts from every LEGO set purchase I've made, so the article would have lots of pics. There are plenty of other sales I've missed out on and know about, but I like to see evidence that it actually happened!

I think that would be a great article...People love to see deals and that they are actually real and that the deals are not BS. It would show that there are killer deals for LEGO investors if you put some effort into finding them!

Yogibara_rs · August 27, 2012

I think that would be a great article...People love to see deals and that they are actually real and that the deals are not BS. It would show that there are killer deals for LEGO investors if you put some effort into finding them!

'Tis the season in my opinion. Stores are clearing shelve space for new sets and passing the savings to us. A walmart near me had an abundance of POTC, Cars 2 and Alien Conquest. It's at 30% down but I expect the bottom to fall out any day now.

Ed Mack · August 27, 2012

As for the original question, besides the one 10179 Millennium Falcon that my wife told me to NOT BUY, I lost out on a second 10179. There was a "Buy it Now" on EBAY for a MISB 10179 for $800 about a year or so ago. It was a scam. I passed on similar 10179s and auctions to save $50 on this set. By the time I had my money refunded for this set from EBAY, I moved onto other sets that were just repeats of what I already had. I wish I would have spent the extra $50 and bought the set from a reputable seller. Idiot!

Yogibara_rs · August 27, 2012

As for the original question, besides the one 10179 Millennium Falcon that my wife told me to NOT BUY, I lost out on a second 10179. There was a "Buy it Now" on EBAY for a MISB 10179 for $800 about a year or so ago. It was a scam. I passed on similar 10179s and auctions to save $50 on this set. By the time I had my money refunded for this set from EBAY, I moved onto other sets that were just repeats of what I already had. I wish I would have spent the extra $50 and bought the set from a reputable seller. Idiot!

I got my 10179 as a gift from my wife and we're both kicking ourselves for not buying 1 more. In fact, she said to me at the time "We should get another one and not open it.". DOH!!!! Taj Mahal, we both were thinking as collectors and not investors at the time. It's HUGE and requires the same footprint as the Falcon so we passed. Not this time.

Ed Mack · August 27, 2012

I got my 10179 as a gift from my wife and we're both kicking ourselves for not buying 1 more. In fact, she said to me at the time "We should get another one and not open it.". DOH!!!! Taj Mahal, we both were thinking as collectors and not investors at the time. It's HUGE and requires the same footprint as the Falcon so we passed. Not this time.

Same here...When I first came out of my "Dark Ages," I just wanted to collect all the UCS sets for my office at work. I could have bought 10 or more 10179 Falcons for $400 a piece if i wanted, but I really didn't know these sets would appreciate. It was only after the birth of my son and a two year hiatus away from collecting did it dawn upon me that there was money to be made with buying and selling retired LEGO sets. That was also the same time when Jeff and I came up with the Brickpicker idea.

At least I bought enough quality sets early on to make a profit today if I decided to sell. That's my problem though, I don't sell them. I keep every damn one!

stephen_rockefeller · August 28, 2012

Here is a good one....well not really good, when the UCS Xwing came out in 2000 or so I picked it up at walmart for around 129.00 i think. Well anyways at the time I wasnt into lego at all, couldnt even tell you why I bought the thing. I brought it home and started to build it, 1\2 hour into it I got so frustrated and threw it in the garbage, it was never to be seen again. I cant make this stuff up!! I dare someone to tell a true story with that much stupidity involved. Please dont banish me from this site lol

Ed Mack · August 28, 2012

Here is a good one....well not really good, when the UCS Xwing came out in 2000 or so I picked it up at walmart for around 129.00 i think. Well anyways at the time I wasnt into lego at all, couldnt even tell you why I bought the thing. I brought it home and started to build it, 1\2 hour into it I got so frustrated and threw it in the garbage, it was never to be seen again. I cant make this stuff up!! I dare someone to tell a true story with that much stupidity involved. Please dont banish me from this site lol

That's OK, I bought Jeff the 7181 UCS TIE Interceptor for his birthday years ago and that ended up in the trash too. ;-) Funny, at the time I thought the TIE Interceptor was cooler than the 7191 X-Wing and that's why I bought it. I guess it's the Sith in me...

M4x18 · August 28, 2012

I haven't been collecting for a long time, 3 months tops, but I can't get a 7676

Ed Mack · August 28, 2012

I haven't been collecting for a long time, 3 months tops, but I can't get a 7676