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me too. it's hard to keep these things from falling over.

Alright, I'm selling likes! I've already bought some raffle tickets, but just for fun, for every "like" this post gets from members who joined before the time of this posting, I'll spend an equal amount on more tickets, up to $250. If it gets beyond that, I'll figure out how much more I'll spend. Let's set a like record!

The Ultimate Collector Series, or UCS for short, of LEGO sets tends to focus on the Star Wars brand. These UCS sets are the gold standard by which Star Wars sets are judged. They tend to have a much higher piece count and are much more detailed than the standard run of the mill sets. In 2000 the earliest Ultimate Collector Series began with the 7181 TIE Interceptor and the 7191 X-Wing. Like my previous article Brick by Brick, Breaking Down Expensive Lego Sets: 10212 UCS Imperial Shuttle we're going to be taking a look at what makes up one of these sets, in this case, 7181 TIE Interceptor. When looking at an old and expensive set that you want to buy, how do you decide if what you are getting is what you really need to complete the set? Did you spot a killer set in a box that you aren't sure that it is what you think it is? I enjoy looking at those bulk lot auctions and seeing what I can figure out is in there. In this second article of my Brick by brick series, I'd first like to show you something that caught my eye recently. This particular set is actually what led me to the idea for this series of articles. I found a bulk lot auction that looked like this: I initially thought/hoped Vader's TIE Advanced, but looking further at the pictures I realized that it was the TIE Interceptor instead. The blue was what told me that it was not Vader's TIE. The TIE Interceptor, 7181, was released in 2000. The original retail price of this set was $99.99. Used complete sets sell from $250-$350 while New in box sets sell for $625-$700. The box shows a total of 703 pieces. The first reason that this set is not one that you could just assemble from all of your kid's loose bricks is because it is pre-2004 pieces. This means that all of the grays are the old gray. These are not the bluish gray found in modern sets. Some of the pieces may be significantly easier to find in the newer colors, but they will not match the pieces that are unique to this set. When purchasing a used set, beware of someone replacing the old grays with the new bluish grays. Interesting article on the differences between old gray and new gray Let's take a look at the pieces that are most common in this set. (apologies that the stock photos do not always reflect the color of the pieces in this set, they are for reference only) Since this set is not significantly large, the numbers involved aren't huge, but will most likely still outpace most sellers. For the higher part counts, there are: 36 black plate 1x8 Element 3460 20 Blue plate 1x8 Element 3460 20 black 1x1 tile modified with clip Element 2555 16 Dark Gray 1x1 plate modified with horizontal clip Element 6019 (only available in 10 sets) 16 Blue Tile 1x8 Element 4162 16 Dark Gray Hinge Brick 1x2 with 2 fingers vertical Element 30365 16 Dark Gray Hinge Brick 1x2 with 1 finger vertical Element 30364 14 Black Wedge Plate 8x4 Wing Right Element 3934 14 Black Wedge Plate 8x4 Wing Left Element 3933 14 Dark Gray Tile 1x2 Modified grill with bottom groove Element 2412b 13 Dark Gray Plate 1x4 Element 3710 13 Black Plate 2x3 Element 3021 12 Dark Gray Panel 1x2x1 Element 4865 12 Black Tile 1x8 Element 4162 12 Dark Gray Inverted Slope 2x3 without connection between studs Element 3747a 12 Blue Tile 1x4 Element 2431 Out of 143 unique elements (meaning different part and color) 41 are the old Dark Gray consisting of 242 pieces. 15 are the old Light Gray consisting of 30 pieces. This includes elements from the above list as well as the unique and specialty pieces in the second section below. Even though most of these elements are common and cheap, most vendors on Bricklink do not carry the inventory to cover your needs for these pieces. You'd have to make multiple purchases, pushing the average cost of these pieces up, due to all of the shipping and handling charges. Of course your savvy Bricklinker will know to either have multiple wanted lists running, to spread out their costs, but still a lot of pieces means a lot of separate orders. Apart from the common pieces, you also have some specialty pieces that make up a set. The specialty pieces are ones that are either unique to the set or in so few sets as to make no difference. The unique and specialty pieces in the sets tend to have values that reflect a large proportion of the total value. This causes some collectors to forego the piece in favor of a cheaper alternative, whether it is the same piece in a different color or completely different pieces that serve a similar function. Unethical resellers will replace these pieces and not tell the end users who may not know to look. In some cases, people have made fakes. Spotting fakes is important, but not the focus of this article. You can read more on that topic here Helping to identify reproduction stickers and printed elements For most UCS sets, one of the most expensive pieces is the sticker. The sticker is unique to the set, large and limited in number. Some people require unused sticker, while others are content to have them applied. For the TIE/Int there is a single sticker with information about the ship Sticker Sheet Unlike later sets, the stickers are not applied to a single large Plate, instead they are applied to 8 of the 1x8 black tile and attached to several 4x8 black tiles. This collection of parts consisting of a used sticker usually runs up to about $50 but may be found in the $20's. A New sticker sheet can be had in the $70-$85 range. I will not discuss the moral ramifications of buying or creating a reproduction sticker for a set that may eventually make it back into the marketplace. I will say that any set with a reproduction sticker should be considered incomplete or even altered if it makes it up for sale. For rare elements I want to start with the big daddy. This piece is the major piece that if it's missing, you've just got a big pile of LEGO. This was the first piece that caught my eye in the above auction. Element 2598px is the Cockpit Windscreen 10 x 10 x 4 Canopy Octagonal with TIE Interceptor Pattern. This piece is unique to this set. They created a different piece for the later Vader's TIE Advanced. This piece sells in the $100 range. There are 6 Dark Gray Bar 4L Element 30374, the same piece used for lightsabers and wands when molded in different colors. There's 25 different sets with this piece in Dark Gray, but it's used in a lot of early UCS sets, so competition for this piece is high. Element 4095 is also exclusive to this set. You need 4 Blue 6.6L Bar with Stop. Each one is going to run you more than $12.50 on average. As of the time of this writing, only a single Vendor on Brickpicker has any, and they only have 2. The next piece is 2 Dark Gray Plate, Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom Element 2654 is available in a massive 4 sets including the UCS Rebel Snowspeeder. They can be had for a low cost because they were available in a very inexpensive set 4097 Mini Robots. The total number of sellers on Bricklink is less than 100. There is a single Dark Gray Cockpit 10 x 10 x 4 Octagonal with Axle Hole Element 2618 which is also unique to this set. There are currently none available for sale on Bricklink and the last 6 month sales average is just above $21.50, with the highest being $28. Next, there are 2 Dark Gray Minifig Utensil Sextant Element 30154that is only available in this and 5976 River Expedition. It's available for less than $1 but the average sale price is closer to $1.50 for a used piece. You also need 10 of a fairly common Element 4151 Black Plate Modified 8 x 8 with Grill. This is notable because of the 32 sets with this piece, only this set, Vader's TIE Advance (16) and the Eifel Tower (13) require more than 4. It averages about $.55 each. Between 1987 and 2000 Element 3040p01 Black Slope 2 x 1 with 3 Red Lamps, 3 Yellow Buttons, Yellow Border Pattern was released in 8 sets. You only need 1 and it's cheap at about $.25 Another rare piece that you need is 2 Blue Dish 6 x 6 Inverted (Radar) Webbed - Type 2 Element 4285b. It is included in the more recent 10131 TIE Fighter Collection and as an alternate piece in Central Precinct HQ. They average about $.40 each, probably because the very similar 4285a also runs $.40 The Light Gray Technic Brick 4x4 Open center 32324 is available in 10 sets including 2 additional UCS sets and the Cloud City. For a used one, the price averages close to $.50 4 Blue Rigid Hose 3mm D. 20L / 16.0cm Element 75c20 are also required. This piece appears in 4 sets, the most recent of which was 2012's Gungan Sub 9499. The relatively recent availability of this set probably drove the price down. Element 3960px4 Dark Gray Dish 4 x 4 Inverted (Radar) with Star Wars TIE Hatch Pattern was available with the TIE Fighter 7146 and the UCS Rebel Blockade Runner 10019. The more common Dark Bluish Gray version is available with 8 sets (Surprise, surprise, all TIE Fighter variants.) The Dark Gray variant is about $.80 on average. Another rare piece, the 4 Dark Gray Bar 1x3 (Radio Handle/Phone handset) Element 6190 is available with a total of 4 sets. UCS Rebel Blockade Runner, UCS Snowspeeder, and 6738 Skateboard Challenge. You're probably going to spend close to $.75 each on these. Only 8 sets have Element 3039pb014 Light Gray Slope 2 x 2 with Horizon Indicator Screen Pattern. It's only about $.20, but unlikely to be in most people's spare parts. Element 3040px2 Dark Gray Slope 2x1 Black Crosshair pattern Green insectoid Pattern is available in 7 sets and averages about $.20. The last thing that many collectors consider when purchasing this set and the most obvious thing that you could see in a bulk lot is the instruction book. Instruction book Bricklink shows 3 of these sold in the last 3 months and 3 currently available. The price guide shows that the sold books range from $25-$35. As I said earlier, all of the Gray Pieces are the older Grays. 1/3 of the set has not been produced in this color for over a decade. Most people don't have that many older Gray pieces laying around. The rare pieces are truly rare and really expensive for a set that is significantly smaller than most UCS sets. All of the specialty pieces and pieces pulled from a small number of older sets are going to increase the number of bricklink orders that you would need to place. Honestly, if you don't already have a handful of key pieces, you should probably just buy a complete one, unless you really do like a long term project. I also feel obliged to mention that this set looks old. Comparing it to UCS TIE Fighter 75095 it looks blocky and primitive. There's a certain charm to the older sets, and since this is the only official TIE Interceptor, UCS Completists will always have a place for it. It's doubtful that the LEGO Group will be remaking it soon, but I wonder if they ever will. The used price of this set isn't terrible, probably due to the size of the set. Just for fun I'll throw up the rest of the auction pictures and you can see if you can pick out the key pieces, and can you make out the other large set that's in there? In the weeks to come, I will be exploring the pieces that make up each of the Top 25 Most Valuable sets, Ultimate Collector Series, and Modulars. Images in this article are the property of http://rebrickable.com/, Bricklink and LEGO. View full blog article

I know there's an exceptional amount of hate ( and inventory) for this set but it is absolutely worth $100. Even without the lego movie, that ship is worth $100 as a classic space tribute. Maybe more. And if you like the lego movie the figures are probably worth 50 bucks Someday. In fact, now that I wonder if parting out this set is the winning strategy. You can maximize your profit by talking to the two different audiences in the same set. They don't necessarily overlap. If there was a classic space retro set released that looked exactly like this it would sell for $99+ with generic space figures and people would buy it. I don't see any way you're going to lose out on this deal unless you are forced to become impatient. I think the incredible availability of the set is warping people's view of the value of the set itself. Its like the exact opposite of the Town Hall. People hated the Town Hall, (boring, feels out of scale, boring) then it was unavailable and they loved it. Now they become insanely expensive and people remember they didn't like it in the first place . I think Benny's spaceship is the exact opposite. It's kind of like when people buy stocks and forget to do the homework on the actual fundamentals that drive stocknow price. Do with that what you will.

When I saw this set build in a legostore I thought it was impressive. I was wondering why. And came to the conclusion it is only the size that impressed me. The set itself does not impress me by a bit. So I did not buy any. Eventhough it could become a hidden gem. I accepted I might miss a good opportunity. Maybe there are investors that thought the same way. But acted differently. And now are buying the ones available just above RRP. I really do not believe there is an end-user market for it. And if there is it will be a handful steampunk fans. So later on it will be a long sit and wait for that one buyer. So my opinion is there are better options out there. Red-5 is one of them. Cause it seems that no matter how much it was hoarded it sells. And we have 9493 to back that up.

I'll post this one as well seeing as though its from the same guy. Never seen Lego used in quite this way, really

Is missing about 4 Dollars in common parts ... Had both manuals, missing box though... Not even 50 bucks... $45 ! Ex employee that needed cash...

Oh, that would explain a lot of things, maybe there is no search engine, just one guy on his computer trying to do everything each visitor asks. "You want to sort sets by price ? Damn investor, I'll kick you to the homepage"

The zombies set was used only as a comparison for what happens when a set begins to plateau as Ed mentioned could happen sooner than later (it's an unknown). This set has "bubble" written all over it. A mini bubble. I thought this set might be good for the market. Maybe not. It might show that investors are paying crazy prices right now so that they don't miss out on the next "it" set. I question how many of these people buying this set right now are end users?

15% at Real.de (code spiel316), Technic Volvo 42030 might be interesting 15% at Intertoys.nl -> Mini 10242 for 72E

Most likely explanation is to keep these sets in stock while factories produce a whole range of other sets/new sets. Realistically, lowering the limit affects resellers only, save for perhaps the one in a million guy or gal that NEEDS to buy five PS, PC or PR for gifts. Or mass retirement of high selling, seemingly profitable sets.

Hey Guys. Can't find an existing topic on this but I think this is a good question (especially for me) and given the number of new investors coming in definitely something they need to think about. Having paper profits from sets stashed in your cupboard does not necessarily mean your going to end up with real profits once you've sold out. I mean buying is the fun part and so should be selling. R5, Tumbler, DS... great! Your profits on paper look excellent, but how do you actually go about shipping these??? SC (sand crawler) I LOVE it as a set and think it will do great post retirement (plenty of reasons but that's for a diff thread). Just using this one as an example but as a larger set a few things worry me about how to actually sell it so its actually stopped me from buying any so far whilst I sort out a plan. Does the "how am I actually going to sell this when it does get retired" question factor into anyone else's buying equation or is it just me? 1) Shipping materials, postage costs and postage insurance (sorry i know there is a thread on this but wondering about larger sets specifically). I for one know that if i'm buying an expensive set in the secondary market for at least 2X what you paid you better ship it to me in the same state shown in the photos. I know we complain about pedantic buyers but sometimes they do have a point. In the UK generally finding a box big enough to ship a SC is difficult - getting these items to a depot is also time consuming. Shipping insurance on items > £100 then can get quite pricey. But its one thing I wouldn't want to skimp on. Couple of points here for new sellers btw: a) never sell without at least knowing your shipping costs and b ) I'd advise getting shipping materials before listing. I'm thinking the way to get around this is offering collection only. But then it limits your market (if i see collection only items on eBay usually i just don't bother). Anyone got any advice on selling larger sets? Do you find that for the larger, more expensive items people are more willing to come and collect? 2) Has anyone had any experience where they've sent an item (lets say an SSD) and its gotten trashed in transit? The buyer doesn't want to pay for a trashed box so sends it back/asks for a discount. Does shipping insurance cover this? How do you prove how much you've lost because the driver stood on your item whilst cleaning his windows. Beginning to think that for the average collector who's supplementing their income with Lego investing is that focusing on sets that will likely cap out below 250 is the way to start. I mean its great if you get a DS and it goes 2X RRP after fees but unless you're prepared for getting it to your buyer I reckon a lot of people are in for a shock.

My wife is a psychotherapist by trade. Diagnosis, I'm an idiot.

No joke. Just my opinion. Han died in TFA. So when the new movie comes out in 2018 the figs are outdated. So they probably will make a new one with Rey, Chewie, etc. Does that make sense?

Very few people can stock up multiple sets for all exclusives. Just have to go with what you like and what you think most people living near you will like. Spread the risk and then sit tight.

Couple of things I do. If possible all my large sets go into individual boxes for storage. Whether it be the original shipping box or one I've obtained from somewhere else. I try to make this a rule, a.) its keeps your boxes in good condition and b.) its so much less hassle when it actually comes to sell/ship them. So far I've been lucky and haven't had to buy any. Supermarkets, and other retailers are usually more than willing to give there boxes to you. For the smaller sets I have a large amount of boxes broken down and readily available. At the moment I trying to find boxes that are suitable for the Shield Helicarriers I recently bought, they are big. But so is the DS, SOH, TB, and VFL etc and I have those in a mix of original Lego shipping boxes and amazon boxes. Shipping, I generally use MyHermes. Over 100 items shipped with them and never had a problem with damage, despite the horror stories. BUT, I always pack my items VERY well. This is key. If your gonna sell a £200 set why not spend £3 on shipping materials if you have to. You can pick up a very large roll of bubble wrap for a about £10, and you could prob do 7-10 large sets with that. I also save every air pack I get, great if you do a lot of online shopping in the uk, they seem to throw them at you.

Last year was much crazier. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but we had 11 large/exclusive sets go? The year before that was the calmest - I want to say 3-4 off the top of my head. This year falls somewhere in the middle. With what has been rumored to be coming plus existing sets, I'd guess about 5-8 exclusives will go in 2016. Those are really the only ones (for me) worth investing in. Many will come around again in 2017.

Just wait for the return with the reason that it doesn't work.

You must have one large fridge

4002015 for 150 for personal build

If Jek Porkins is even mentioned in this film, 9493 is a 300 euro set!

this has been confirmed on TMZ last week - looks a lot like Red 5

Used brick beards bounty 6243, missing 7 pieces most expensive missing shark otherwise complete $10 on facebook locally

It´s all about the sets and the market. Here, where Seacows are still available for RRP and below in shops, it makes no sense to pay above RRP for now and I doubt it ever will. The next Lego Movie is not exactly TFA and may bomb even more than the Ghostbusters reboot. On the other hand, a red 5 above RRP just about makes sense if you are playing the long game as there is consolidated demand for iconic and large OT sets and there will be for years to come, If there isn´t that means we might as well give up on Lego investing. Paying over RRP for a PS or PC later this year is a tougher one to call. Recent past history suggests there is going to be a long wait involved and that isn´t for everyone.

Buying retired sets above retail price has been a proofed strategy. I have bought Black Pearls, Space Shuttles, etc. using that tactic. And I do not regret it. Prices went up. However, with the current retired sets you have to watch out. Cause they are not as scarce as the black pearls and space shuttles. I tried it with ToO. And prices seem to stick at 300 euro max. So I would make only a marginal profit if I would sell them now.

I could not see the FB correctly. Here is the same video from youtube:

WBShop packing is risky.

me too. it's hard to keep these things from falling over. Totally messes with my shui

Just sold one for $300 shipped on eBay.

Buying a set above MSRP is a proven success. My gains are on paper, but they are still legit. Ask me how my Cafe Corner did at $600 or Grand Carousel at $500 or Eiffel Tower at $400 and so on and so forth. I have bought dozens, if not hundreds of sets above retail and most appreciated very well... Well enough to cover fees and costs and make a nice profit. The Sea Cow could be a winner at $400-$500, just like the SSD was a winner at $500-$600, but there is something about this set in general that makes me wonder if it will hit $800-$1000. Maybe. Maybe nobody bought any. I did. Maybe not enough.

Mine too actually. The Sandcrawler is not... attractive, but it's big, rugged, and acts as a tracked RV for Jawas, who are awesome in their own right. What bugged me about Sea Cow is just... no one would actually build a ship that looked remotely like that. There was a historical period when sailing ships with steam engines and paddlewheels were employed in European navies, but they were never short, stubby things with giant towering sterns. Sea Cow is an intentionally goofy design and I can't imagine displaying it, no matter how big it is.

A couple off the bay... Grabbed a 'no box, sealed bags' 75105 Millennium Falcon for $99 Bought a 8092 Landspeeder used for $19. I accidentally sold the last of my new sets a couple of weeks ago, that I was planning on building. Now I've got it back.

I think I discovered the most valuable single piece in this set. I just sold a Sonic Screwdriver for $5.32 shipped.

I love it, it was very fun to build even with all of the clear stickers

I bought my last 3 copies of the Lonely Mountain for $98 at the Orlando Lego Store when they had them on sale back in October or so. I think I have 6 or so copiea of those. Those will be going into my long hold vault as well

Um, I can't imagine how long this article took to write, brick breakdown, research, and putting in the time to find the lot. You have a facility with language and Legos, a true collector with passion. Put those 2 things together and what you have is a very detailed, interesting and wonderfully read piece. I enjoyed it immensely, A++++++++

Castle-themed AT-AT build by Adam Dodge

The secondary market exists because there is demand BEFORE during and AFTER a set is officially available. The price a buyer is willing to pay for this service is in their hands - moreso if it is pre-release as they shall be able to get it cheaper if they are patient.

No. I will look at them piled up in one big heap. LOL

The horde knew. The horde knew. There are sets currently they are blowing off as well. We're good, Hero Factory is still safe.

If you haven't seen the Sea Cow in person, you really can't appreciate it. It's one of the most unique sets ever designed and its HUGE .

Not an attractive display piece? It's my favorite vehicle from the OT.

I'm just waiting for gregpj to jump on here calling me a wanker.

if they all looked like that, I think I'd actually buy some.

I come from a non catholic religion. Proud to say I am a Muslim but I can honestly say that when it comes to giving I've been taught like so many others on this site that you always give when you have the means. Charity sees no color or religion or anything else for that matter. You give to those that need it and that's where it starts and ends.

Her Majesty's Theatre, London by JanetVanD

ok. maybe its just me and i have star wars on the brain but i took a picture of this cloud the other day... dum dum da-dum dum da-dum dum da-dum.