10214 - Tower Bridge

[Miami Bomb Squad]

I have 2 ways of looking at this new TB box ordeal.
1) It could mean Nothing at all.
Making the new box was directed at saving retail space, storage space, nothing more nothing less.
They could retire it when ever they want, the box adjustment was pennies vs space & shipping savings.

2.) Or because it now saves space, they could keep it another 1-3 years.  

Who really knows, but, if in fact the new Landmark set shows up, then either the TB or SOH will get the pink slip.

[rcdb1984]

I was looking at the Lego store yesterday...tower bridge is starting to look like a deal given the prices of all these new exclusives and sub par appearing sets. If and when it retires, the buy in isn't that deterring. 

[Brenner]

TB of of stock at Lego Shop EU (NL) , expected shipping date 20 april...

[straitiff]

I picked up the tower bridge last July as a investment piece but found a good used one on Craigslist for $150 .

 I have been thinking about returning it to the Lego store for something that might appreciate better like the Ewok village or Slave 1. 

 

Thoughts ? 

Edited April 10, 2016 by straitiff

[Phil B]

22 minutes ago, straitiff said:

I picked up the tower bridge last July as a investment piece but found a good used one on Craigslist for $150 .

 I have been thinking about returning it to the Lego store for something that might appreciate better like the Ewok village or Slave 1. 

 

Thoughts ? 

You said you bought as investment. How does a used one from Craigslist replace that investment item? If any, that CL one is a "build, perhaps later resell' option, not an investment option per se. Sounds to me like you rather have a case buyers remorse - but returning something 9 months after you bought it sounds weird to me - not sure a store manager is going to agree to this.

[Deadfraggle]

35 minutes ago, straitiff said:

I picked up the tower bridge last July as a investment piece but found a good used one on Craigslist for $150 .

 I have been thinking about returning it to the Lego store for something that might appreciate better like the Ewok village or Slave 1. 

 

Thoughts ? 

Buying a large exclusive set is like eating at a buffet: take what you want and eat what you take. When you're done with your first plate though, you can't take the uneaten food back to the buffet line and exchange it for something different that looks better.

On a serious note either keep your Tower Bridge, try to trade it, unload on Craigslist for minimal loss, etc, but don't return it 9 months after you bought it. It's a practice known as stock manipulation.

In all honesty, if you can't  afford to hold on to one TB AND acquire other sets, you probably aren't ready to jump into LEGO investing right now. This games takes LOTS of capital.

[straitiff]

Thank you for the advice , I guess I'm having a case of buyers remorse . There are a lot of really nice sets out now and I wish I had the capital for more but This was my only true investment piece. Most of my collection is for my own enjoyment . I'll just hold on to it and ride it out ! 

[Phil B]

1 minute ago, straitiff said:

Thank you for the advice , I guess I'm having a case of buyers remorse . There are a lot of really nice sets out now and I wish I had the capital for more but This was my only true investment piece. Most of my collection is for my own enjoyment . I'll just hold on to it and ride it out ! 

To @Deadfraggle's point: if you want to release the capital tied up in your TB, you could list it on CL or BrickClassifieds for a discount over the current purchase price and see if you can offload it that way. You will lose money but just add that to the $150 you paid for the used CL one and you might still have a good deal when all is said and done) - that gives you money back in your hands for other purchases. It's like Walmart clearancing sets - if money or shelf space is at a premium, better to let go of resource hogs at a loss than to keep space tied up for something that does not work for you.

And yes, TB is one of those sets that keeps on sticking around, and is probably so massively hoarded that it'll take a few years post-EOL to really get gains. Then again, if TB retires this summer, and you're just looking to get your money back, it might be good to stick around for another 6 months and try to get out then. That is IF it retires....

[DenJ91]

name one large landmark set that hasn't done extremely well post retirement.  you can't...there aren't even all that many to begin with.  Horde or no horde, put it away, forget about it and cash in later.  

Edited April 10, 2016 by DenJ91

[Ed Mack]

14 minutes ago, Deadfraggle said:

In all honesty, if you can't  afford to hold on to one TB AND acquire other sets, you probably aren't ready to jump into LEGO investing right now. This games takes LOTS of capital.

This is a good point.  My suggestion would be to build the set.  Display the set.  Enjoy the set.  Keep all the boxes and instructions and resell 5 years from now for more than you paid for it...used.

[marcandre]

8 minutes ago, DenJ91 said:

name one large landmark set that hasn't done extremely well post retirement.  you can't...there aren't even all that many to begin with.  Horde or no horde, put it away, forget about it and cash in later.  

No large landmarks have retired in this new age of lego investing. There are 200 TB sellers on amazon and it's not even retired. This was unheard of when the Taj and Statue of Liberty were retiring. It's going to take several years to turn a decent profit on this one and that's only if it ever retires. 

 

[Phil B]

8 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

This is a good point.  My suggestion would be to build the set.  Display the set.  Enjoy the set.  Keep all the boxes and instructions and resell 5 years from now for more than you paid for it...used.

Problem is: he already has this set built with (what I assume) instructions and box. That's where the remorse set in.

 

[Bold-Arrow]

Just now, marcandre said:

No large landmarks have retired in this new age of lego investing. There are 200 TB sellers on amazon and it's not even retired. This was unheard of when the Taj and Statue of Liberty were retiring. It's going to take several years to turn a decent profit on this one and that's only if it ever retires. 

 

Agreed. The only ones I have are from the Walmart snafu

[Phil B]

1 minute ago, marcandre said:

No large landmarks have retired in this new age of lego investing. There are 200 TB sellers on amazon and it's not even retired. This was unheard of when the Taj and Statue of Liberty were retiring. It's going to take several years to turn a decent profit on this one and that's only if it ever retires. 

 

And that's where OP might have an advantage - he just wants his money back, which is easier to do than selling for a profit.

[DenJ91]

Just now, marcandre said:

No large landmarks have retired in this new age of lego investing. There are 200 TB sellers on amazon and it's not even retired. This was unheard of when the Taj and Statue of Liberty were retiring. It's going to take several years to turn a decent profit on this one and that's only if it ever retires. 

 

That's fine but landmarks aren't rehashed. they come out once every 2/3 years.  they are unique are amazing displays.  like I said, horde or not, landmarks are winners imo.  no brainers.  sure it'll take longer than the taj etc, but most lego these days are long term holds anyway.  just put it away and forget about it.  let the people get out in 2 years or so then less and less listings.  landmarks will still hit $1000 some day.   that would be less than half what other landmarks are and that's only because of the horde effect. 

[Deadfraggle]

Just now, Bold-Arrow said:

Agreed. The only ones I have are from the Walmart snafu

And what a SNAFU that way. Slightly before my time, but didnt you all make out with like half priced or $150 TB that day ?

[marcandre]

5 minutes ago, Deadfraggle said:

And what a SNAFU that way. Slightly before my time, but didnt you all make out with like half priced or $150 TB that day ?

$160 around spring of 2014. I grabbed a dozen. Never would have thought it would still be going strong. Figured it was a goner that year with the new Opera House out. I got out last summer when it was oos everywhere and went up to $300. Turned that into Sea Cows and X Wings

Big Ben does not mean one of the other two is retiring. They could simply mark it TOOS, check back in six months ala Simpsons House last year and Pet Shop now. Lego is done leaving profits on the table for all of us vultures. 

[yang]

23 minutes ago, DenJ91 said:

That's fine but landmarks aren't rehashed. they come out once every 2/3 years.  they are unique are amazing displays.  like I said, horde or not, landmarks are winners imo.  no brainers.  sure it'll take longer than the taj etc, but most lego these days are long term holds anyway.  just put it away and forget about it.  let the people get out in 2 years or so then less and less listings.  landmarks will still hit $1000 some day.   that would be less than half what other landmarks are and that's only because of the horde effect. 

Starting in 2015, there are no guaranteed winner sets anymore, no matter which theme.

[Guest]

I would wait until at least one landmark retires in the horde age before I made any guarantees on their future performance.  Hell I'm wondering if a landmark will ever retire again

[Ed Mack]

2 hours ago, Phil B said:

Problem is: he already has this set built with (what I assume) instructions and box. That's where the remorse set in.

 

OK, fair enough.  My new suggestion...put it safely in a closet and forget about it.  

[Simon74]

Got mine yesterday at LS all units marked around 45R5 

[Nick83]

Interesting... someone had seen others seals ?

[Fenix_2k1]

Sorry guys. I've got one with 09S6 codes.

[Val-E]

TB has moved into the 25 best sellers in a number of SOH´s s don´t expect retirement soon.

Interesting that Hoth and Batcave have dropped out so long term demand may not be high.

[HandyHand]

1 hour ago, Val-E said:

TB has moved into the 25 best sellers in a number of SOH´s s don´t expect retirement soon.

Interesting that Hoth and Batcave have dropped out so long term demand may not be high.

I'm guessing that people who didn't get the TB yet and who really like the new Big Ben set are now buying the TB to match it with the upcoming BB set.