Leaderboard

RESULTS ARE IN: Final results based on data to the end of June: Congratulations to our winners: 1st = IAmElim 2nd = jojoyojimbi 3rd = checkers312 Ed or Jeff will be in contact with each of you in regards to your prizes, which I must publicly thank them for once again as when this comp was set up it was just going to be for a few Brickpoints from my stash, very generous - thank you. Thank you to all entrants and I hope you all found it a bit of fun and perhaps even took away a few grains of learning from the exercise. The winning strategy was IAmElim taking a full stake in 28 x Wolverine Choppers which appreciated by 75% over the run of the competition. I'll get around to posting a few more stats over the next week or so. Things like what the best strategy would have been, what were the worst/best sets etc.

dear 4204 the mine, why can't you just retire already! darn you. without regards. ja is online c.c. 10214 Tower Bridge

Wish the set had more elements for the mountain. Obviously Smaug is the highlight. $120 though? Seriously Lego? I'll wait for a nice Amazon or Target BOGO in late 2015. Sent from an iPhone using the Brickpicker app

The Hobbit: The Lonely Mountain set has been revealed!

As a former special effects artist and current Lego fan, I appreciate this on many levels. Excellent work! http://www.nerdist.com/2014/07/lego-boba-fett-costume/

Definitely check with your bank - if you feel iffy about it, just ask them to send a postal money order instead. You can verify at your post office (when you have it in hand) that it's legit and then go deposit it at your bank and ship right away. Side note: Bricklink found you that buyer, and it's against the TOS you agreed to to take that buyer off Bricklink and chouse them out of their fees. IMO, complete the transaction on Bricklink and pay what you promised.

I work for a bank. If they send you a personal check then once it clears your account the bank should have been able to verify the funds before making it available to you. Usually at the verification time if the check is phony they will return it. Be careful because if it's returned then that means a return check fee for you to pony up. If you accept the personal check then look at the bank or is drawn off of and call a local branch. If you tell them you are waiting to send something once the check clears, give them the check info, they may be willing to verify if the account is legit and if the balance is available. Find out the fees from your bank for a returned check and how long it takes for them to validate checks from another bank. Any other questions pm and I can try to help.

Here is the list hope it can help you!! I like it and im planing to buy these pieces to smoot the head!!

Dear everyone, please don't be mad at me when it comes Christmas time 2015 and I am not selling for 200 bucks. It's not my fault. My theme just seems to be hit or miss and I might not be the hit people think. Sincerely, The mine P.S. please don't ask what my seal code is because I have no clue what it even means anyway.

As my late Grandfather used to say "The trouble with Common Sense and Common Courtesy is that they're no longer common."

I used to be a contractor for FedEx Ground. They are liable for anything that either was stolen from your front porch (if they didn't get a signature) or that was delivered to the wrong address. 1-800-GOFEDEX Tell them you didn't get your package and they will follow up with the driver. Contact Lego and let them know that you didn't get your package as well.

People should take a hard look at cash beating out almost 60% of the field. Flipping is not as easy as some may say hah.

I wonder if Dwight stacks 20% coupons w/ 10% gc while using his TRU credit card on Thursdays to get his Lego fix. Somehow, I doubt it. Pretty sweet likeness!

Nice find. Can you mod it to remove the word Ellen ;)

My thoughts exactly. It's ridiculous that this set ends up being $130. Helm's deep was the same price with 500 more pieces and looked way better than this. Hell, it's only $70 more for the Tower of Orthanc which has 1500 more pieces, Grima and Treebeard! It almost makes the Mines of Moria look like a bargain at 776 pieces and 9 minifigures. I'd rather save $100 and give my son the Dragon from 70403. He already has variants of these minifigures anyway. Hopefully the other sets will provide better value. Also, why are Fili and Kili in this set? In the movie they were left at lake-town while the other dwarves battled Smaug.

Here it is folks...Green Lantern is finally getting his own set. Green Lantern vs. Sinestro (76025) (guest starring Batman)

I've made several of the cheese variety and they are delicious.

We all know this should be on everyones list. It's a corner piece, very elaborate, and most importantly been out since march 2010. We all know how the fire brigade is doing. How many does everyone have? Are you buying any up soon?

I agree with justafrog. Ask them to send you USPS money order instead. It does not cost much and clears faster too. I honestly could not fathom receiving (out of state?) personal check for that big of a transaction.

I can see that Batman set staying higher in price than the average SDCC exclusive, but the Star Wars and Guardians sets should definitely come down. Also, the minifigure giveaways are supposedly limited to 1,750 each. Last year I think there were like 400-500 each and the year before there were 1,000 each so I would expect those prices to fall quite a bit if the numbers are accurate.

Forget the investors. Imagine an unscrupulous store manager knowing when a set is due to retire, so hides sets in the back and makes an arrangement with a neighbor who comes in and buys them all. Woo! That could be the big bucks there... Hoping the SSD is ready to crash into DS2 like in the movie. I have two MISB and another with a roughed-up open box but the inner boxes are sealed (other than the instruction booklet). Its siren call is pulling me to build it...

You lucky B****** !

Thanks for your advice! Lego shop at home really has outstanding customer service. I told them the story and they are shipping me all of the minifig parts even though this was purchased at toys r us.

the naysayers are correct about seal codes most of the time. this is one of the two times i know of that seal codes would be helpful. if 4204s weren't made during this yr, it's nearly certain to "retire" sooner than later even if Lego pulls a TRU - MF Vamp Castle move. note: the other time knowing a seal code would be helpful is if sets were changed to correct an error (e.g. some GEs didn't include the 3rd elements, MFs stopped producing "glow in the dark" stickers in some sets)

GE is at "Sold Out" for entire 12+ hours?? That must be a new record...

If your shipment comes via Fedex Home Delivery, you can have it held at any Fedex location (they're all over the place, since they used to be kinkos). I have one down the street from me and have all my packages redirected there. That way they can't make a mistake and drop it off at your neighbors, it won't get left out in the rain, stolen, etc. Slightly inconvenient since you have to pick it up yourself but you get the peace of mind. I started doing this because both Fedex and UPS would deliver my packages to my numerical address, but on the next street up.

Check with your neighbors. I had this with UPS once the shipper filed a claim and UPS had a GPS photo of where the package was left. Mine was on my neighbors porch, $250 just sitting there as they were on vacation.

i'll be happy to unload all of my sets ASAP for $125 since it will prob still be around in 2015 with my luck. heck, i'll do the happy dance for $200. they have been selling well below msrp on bricklink and ebay prices seem to be inflated with non-US sales. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?S=4204-1 http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_udlo=40&_udhi=200&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_sop=16&_nkw=lego%204204&_dcat=56311&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=3

I remember an early 2013 wholesalers form and it listed 4204 The Mine would not be available to order after that Spring. That is also about the same time the last remaining related Mine sets started either retiring or disappearing from stores. Without trying to get my arse up from the chair, I'm trying to figure out if the set is still being made. Can someone check a box code the next time at a store? I assume not many stores carry 4204 anymore. Thus TRU and mom - pop stores would be a safe bet (or a recent online order). Then again, I'm not sure if this set is even moves anymore. Last time I was at TRU with my boy and shook my fists at the 4204s, the boxes had dust on them.

I would check with your delivery person . if they drop off packages regularly at your house, most likely they will remember .

just report it to LEGO, they should send you a replacement. most bigbox internet store would do the same. highly unlikely they may prompt fedex to do an investigation, but its probably not cost effective for either of the them so all SAH will do is send you another one and eat the cost of it. its also possible that fedex delivered it to the wrong address and it may show up a few days/weeks later

Thank you Grolim again! And great job to the winners! It's interesting to see some of the most opinionated vocal members here sitting pretty low on the list. Doesn't necessarily mean anything, just a simple observation. Can't wait to do it again!

I think I have all those somewhere, except the MJ. Never really was a fan. Sadder thing is I still have all the mix cassettes I recorded from the radio in New Zealand. They have deteriorated somewhat over the past 25 years. You also have Jedward.... case closed. :cheese:

If I read the rules correctly, I believe you can only submit a single survey once per set. Try sending two in on a Sunset Speeder for example (one now, the other months later) and just the original submission will be counted. Supposedly the more surveys you fill out in a month, the more entries you will have to win with by the end of it I think. I wouldn't mind being given anything at all for free ....so long as it isn't a keychain. :wacko:

If those pictures are out then it is final. Usually ones not completed have stand in figures.

The contest wasn't quite like real life because we had to buy in at market value rather than at a discount. I own all the sets I had in this game and paid about $670 for them rather than $1000.

Okay, I admit it. Ignore the old, short, fat, white guy I the photo with the Stanley Cup.

That Smaug doesn't look golden, impenetrable, magnificent, terrible, dreadful, tremendous, mighty, or the greatest of calamities. Looks more like the size of one of the Nazgul beasts. I got to be honest, for the price it very much underwhelms. Bump it up to 179.00 and 1400 pieces, give me a Smaug at least 1/3 bigger and instead of two random sets....give me a version of the Great Hall of The Lonely Mountain (complete with big dwarf statue). That being said, one the great things about LEGO is the ability to mod, expand and add to it........so that'll be a nice Christmas time expansion project. ( I just hope their initial design of Smaug gives room for logical expansion).

Thank you all for your input. I'm going to get a scale on ebay. I appreciate you taking the time to answer. You all have been very helpful.

Welcome! To avoid confusion, I recommend we dub him "Not Quite as Bold Arrow", or if he prefers, "Extra-Bold Arrow, Now Even Boldier!"

Staples has Valid in U.S. stores, online or by phone. Expires July 26, 2014 30% off your $50 purchase of shipping supplies and services code 98433

Built the mini mini

Yeah, I am really tempted to get used MF 10179... I bet I can display it for a few months and probably still be in the money selling it late 2015...

The three most important things I have learned about Investing in Asia: #10250 Year of the Snake #21021 Marina Bay Sands #40073 Panda

I'm not much for the size of the Batmobile exclusive but the colors and general shaping is spot-on. Also glad the minifigures are available in a somewhat cheaper set although I would rather have the retro Batmobile at $40 than that Juniors set for $30 filled with useless bulky bricks. ....Well this guy wins the "Who the heck is this?" award alongside Bat-Mite. Unlike Bizarro, I have no idea what regular set could include this character.

How about always, who cares if they're iconic.

Every Long Term Investor should have at least 5 or more Sea Cows for Investment, As people will be watching the Lego Movies on DVD for many years down the road. So its not that this Set will just vanish and everybody will just forget about it. Now there is plenty time to get this set, but starting next year it would not hurt to pick one up now and then. And don't forget about the Simpson House to, along with other Exclusives these 2 will do very good once retired. Ed

that is why i don't sell via amazon and always take pics of the sets and shipping boxes before mailing. I also let my ebay and bricklink buyers know upfront this is done to help minimize issues.

Sad but true. This is one of my big fears with reselling Lego, some people are very good at removing and reapplying seals, so when someone buys a set from me and claims there aren't any minifigs in it. I really have no way of knowing if they're lying to get a free set, or if I bought a pilfered set 2+ years ago.