What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

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nanuck95
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What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by nanuck95 »

So, there's been a lot of controversy over the rare LEGO exclusives that were released at SDCC a few weeks ago. I personally did not go to the convention, but it got me thinking, what would I do if I won one of the super-rare figures they handed out (or a Mr. Gold for that matter)? I would like to avoid all the discussion about the controversy surrounding how the figures were handed out and whether or not the exclusives are fair, there are plenty of other forums to argue about what. What I would like to know, is what would you do with it?

So, let's stick to the following questions:

1) Would you keep it? If you did, would you ever open it?

or

2) Would you sell it? What would you do with the money you got from it? (the Azog figure has been going for roughly $1000 or more on ebay).

or

3) Insert your own crazy idea here of what you would do with it.

Personally, I would sell it. It would be really cool to have an exclusive figure, but I don't know what I would do with it if I kept it except have to keep explaining to my children why they can't open it and play with it. And if I did give in and open it (which I probably would), then I would feel tremendous remorse as if I "wasted" it. What would I do with the money? Honestly, I would probably buy my kids a couple of really nice sets and then give the rest to charity. :)

What would you all do?
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Bluesecrets »

If it was a fig I wanted then I would keep it. But I'm not sure I'd keep it sealed. What is the point of having something if you can't use it? I'm not big on the whole "collectible" and never take it out of the packaging thing. In fact, that sort of bugs me a little. But then I guess I"m not a diehard collector like some people.

More importantly I'd find a way to hide it in every serious build I had made...except for ones that are displayed publicly...hot little hands or not so little hands tend to like to make rare pieces grow feet.

If it was a fig like Mr. Gold...something I have no want or need for...sell it baby! And buy some sets I really wanted or go on a vacation or buy an epic new computer or do something insanely fun like give every person who came into chat one night..one random night..a set of my choosing. Why not? Fun is fun. Maybe I'd see if I could go on the infamous factory tour in Billiud. Or maybe I'd just be rational and pay off some debt.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by royalbrickcustoms »

Well, what I would do, since I actually DO have Mr. Gold is sell it.

I'll probably use the money and get a laptop or a large BrickWarrors order, or some LotR sets. :)

Anyone want to buy it? :D

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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by OverLoad »

If it were a fig that I liked, I'd keep it. I'd open it and put it in a MOC that fits it, and put that on a shelf.

If it were a fig I wasn't so fond of, or a Mr. Gold? I'd sell them! And then put most of that money in the bank, and keep a bit to buy some more LEGO. :D
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by AK_Brickster »

If it was a fig that I wanted and liked, I'd sell the sealed one to a collector and then buy an opened one from someone else and pocket the difference. (Honestly, I don't know why more people don't do that! I had a friend open his UCS Millenium Falcon a few months ago, and to me it was like throwing money away. Sealed ones go for $3,000 while opened ones go for $500. You just threw away $2500!)

Personally, I'm not a "collector", so even with the above suggestion, I'd almost assuredly sell it or keep it only to sell for more later. I'd rather have 500 "common" figures than one rare one.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by rogue27 »

If it were Mr. Gold, I'd keep it because I'm trying to maintain a collection of all CMF. LOTR rare figures - I'd sell them.

For any rare figure, I'd open it if I wanted to use it, and keep it sealed if I intended to sell it. I have no interest in keeping a sealed figure for myself.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by SSchmidt »

I would absolutely sell it.
The most valuable minifigure I own is probably the Elrond preorder from Gamestop. I wouldn't sale it, but then again it's not too valuable either.

I would definitely sale any minifigure that was worth more than $50.00

To, the amount of LEGO I could buy with that would be far more valuable than the figure itself.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by andhe »

$1000 is insane (did it actually SELL for that much, I've seen non-paying ebay auctions on stuff like this), especially for a figure that will appear in future sets (or a variant of. I think a white Azog has been all but confirmed for release).

That sort of thing I would absolutely sell. If someone is crazy enough to give me that amount of money for it, or a Mr Gold for example, then I think I'd have to be equally crazy NOT to sell it.

It does make me wonder who is buying these figures. On all the forums I frequent people are trying to hold out, wait for prices to drop etc, but someone, somewhere is obviously willing to just drop a stack load of cash to grab a figure as soon as the can. It makes me wonder if there's some secret millionaire AFOL forum somewhere where these people lurk.

I have the Elrond and Lex Luthor 'exclusives', but came about these by good fortune, rather than spending a fortune :tasty: but if I'm honest, my favourite figs are those that I create myself from regular/rare parts.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Bruce N H »

If I had a single fig that would sell for a crazy amount like some we've seen, I would definitely sell. The only question would be to sell now or later - whether they are at their max price now because of the hype, or if they would go up in value like other collectibles.

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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Quickblade22 »

For me it would depend on how much it was going for and how important to me it was (like Adam West Batman, Sidney Crosby, or Billy Idol :tasty: ) . Anything over $100 I'd almost definitely sell. In any case, if a minifig was something I really liked I'd prob try to sell it for the most I could and then use some of that money to get a customizer with better skill than I have to make me a waterslide decal of the any or all of the torso, pants, arms, and face if it didn't have anything unique like a head piece or head gear. There are plenty in the community that could do this for a small price and I'm sure I could even find someone to paint or vinyl dye a headgear or hair piece if needed. It's the benefits of not being a purist. I'd use the rest of the money on family things unless it was under $100, because then most of it would go back into the hobby.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Lil_Curt »

to me it would depend on the figure. I have collected other things for a while like star trek model kits, an train stuff. Unfortunately its like baseball cards. one year the prices are astronomical, then there is a steep fall off then they even out and come back up till the price stabilizes. So if its a figure I am looking for I will keep it an play with it. But if it were MR. Gold or an exclusive I have no need for I would probably sell when times are good. Otherwise you end up selling for way under what the value of the item is just to get out from under the collection.

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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Daken the Bladesmith »

If it was worth close to or more than $100 then I would definitely sell it and if I liked the fig then I would probably pay someone to make a custom one (like Azog) and I'd use the rest on bricklink to add to my collection. :)
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by plums_deify »

It would depend what figure, if I could use it, and how I received it. I generally don't sell and minifigs of that nature I'm going to get because I want them, and they were given to me. If it's a gift, it doesn't get sold. Period.

While I don't have Mr. Gold nor any of the SDCC exclusives, I do have a few particular choice minifigs that are sitting in their unopened packages. Part of it is because they are fairly expensive, and the other part is I don't have a use for them. Yet.
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Tower of Iron Will »

I don't sell my LEGO, period. I understand that members here with limited funds could sell to get more Castle LEGO, but for me if I'm tapped out for a given month then I just don't buy. Would I open it? Depends if I could use it for something (MOC).
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Re: What would you do with a rare LEGO figure?

Post by Purple Wolf »

Bluesecrets wrote: do something insanely fun like give every person who came into chat one night..one random night..a set of my choosing..
He he you would have a lot more peolpe comeing into chat if they figured out. :D

As for me it depends an which one it was if it was Mr. Gold, keep then I would the hole set of series 10 and besides who knows where crome gold will come handy, but if it were a Marvel or DC figure I would sell it right away becaus I don't care about them at all, well mostly anyways.

As for the money i'd buy more lego I guess. What lego exactly I don't know but it would be lego.

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