March 28, 2024

Save the Legos

Legos — many of us grew up playing with them, and some sets can be worth a lot of money.

One of the best places to find Legos for a deal can be garage sales. Not many people know about their value, which can mean an extra dollar in your pocket.

Lego has become so successful it created its own theme park and stores. What makes their stores so unique is their pick-a-brick wall, from which, for a small fee, customers can fill a bucket with any bricks they want.

Some sets that are less than 10 years old have already tripled in value. A few sets sell for more than $1,000. The Lego Creator Taj Mahal set sells at low-end for $1,800.

Lego ventured into the movie franchise business in the late 1990’s with “Star Wars.” Unlike other movie franchise based Legos, “Star Wars” sets are still in production today. It is by far the most popular franchise in the history of Lego.

Back in 2003, Lego released set 10123 Cloud City. It originally sold for $100. It now sells for more than $700.

Collectors are very picky when it comes to completed sets and detail, but for a few fans it does not matter because they already have the pieces.

A recent popular craze made by Lego has been their mini-figure collection. The figures sold for less than $5 and some are already worth more than $10. In less than five years, the value has doubled, and the same can be said with many Lego figures.

The Greedo figure from the “Star Wars” series is worth anywhere from $40 to $100. Jango Fett can also sell for around $100. One of the most sought-after is the limited-edition golden C-3PO; only 10,000 were made and many are selling for around $500.

Even basic tracks for retired train sets can be worth a lot. Lego train tracks have changed over the years, and collectors looking to expand their own track can pay big bucks. The set 6921-1 monorail track accessory can sell for a little more than $100.

One of the most sought-after trains is 139 Electronic Control Unit. This train is controlled by a whistle, and sells for more than $200.

Loose/bulk lego peices can also be worth their weight in gold — literally. Brick Envy, an online store was selling a gold Lego piece for almost $15,000. The gold piece designed to look like a 2x4 lego brick, and was given out to employees and business partners in the late-1970s and early-1980s.

With stock prices contantanly going up and down, it is hard to imagine that Legos could be a good investment, but then again look at comic books. Once considered childish, it has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Action Comics Issue 1, featuring Superman, sold for $2.16 million. In 2011, Amazing Fantasy No.15, featuring Spider-Man, sold for $1.1 million.

Legos are the same, but unlike comics, there is no sign of the industry slowing down and the turnaround on your investment takes far less time.