Lego Investing

Slobey · Post by **Slobey** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:59 am

I was wondering how many of you purchase and keep sets MISB hoping the value will go up over time?

I know older MISB sets are worth alot but most people didn't really have a clue back then that future demand would be so high (similar to Star Wars action figures).

I've been thinking about getting an extra copy of the skeleton ship (seeing as there are fewer copies in circulation anyway) just to stash away and see what the price does over the next 5 or so years-if it does nothing much, I'll just part it out into my collection as I wouldn't keep it for posterity.

I guess larger sets go up more as they're more expensive and even AFOL's think twice about buying multiples just to have one MISB (eg http://www.classic-castle.com/sets/archives/7094.html )

Thoughts?

Asterios · Post by **Asterios** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:16 am

well 1st. clue a set might not be so valuable is if you think lots of other people are saving them too then the market will be flooded later with them.

Brickzone · Post by **Brickzone** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:57 am

I've bought (and looked for) a lot of sets on ebay that I wanted as a kid in 1980s/1990s. I can tell you that the money needed to buy the larger sets back then would have bought a *lot* of other stuff instead, far more than even what some of the MISB prices would buy you today.

I think it's a pretty risky investment. You do see the occasional insane MISB price, but that's more down to the auction-fever environment of ebay, and the luck of finding a buyer who just *has to have* that set right now in MISB.

Also, new sets just aren't as good value as old sets. I don't see any current sets holding their value, taking into account inflation.

Aliencat · Post by **Aliencat** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:36 am

I think you're right when you say back in the 1980s and early 90s people had no clue that Lego was going to go up in value so much over time, there were no internet communities, no internet auctions. If you had Lego you wanted to get rid of, your best bet would be to put up a little ad in the local supermarket or have a yard sale (providing you have a yard).

Now I think a lot more people are saving up sets to sell later, because now we know there's this vast worldwide community staying in touch with eachother via the internet, and buying/selling/trading over the internet.
I think these new sets will go up much less in value than the older 1980s/early 90s sets.

Saaz · Post by **Saaz** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 5:27 pm

I've never bought sets as an investment (with one exception). You never know what will go up, and they take up a lot of space while you're waiting and hoping. Plus I'm not sure the return is especially good... look at sets like the yellow castle or Galaxy Explorer that have gone up a lot in value - but they're also almost 30 years old. I'm not up to doing the math, but you'd probably be better off with a more conventional investment like the stock market.

I know some people buy sets when they run across a good sale, then immediately re-sell them on ebay or bricklink. That seems like it's probably a better way to go.

I do buy extra copies of sets for parts, and stack them in the closet unopened. I figure I may as well leave them unopened until I actually want the parts, just in case.

I know some of those have probably gone up in value (especially ninja and older castle, SW, and Harry Potter sets) but for now I still hang on to them because I might want the parts some day. I guess at some point, say if I'm about to open a certain set, I might check BL and see if I'd be better off to sell it as a MISB, and buy the individual parts I want.

So, my one exception? Two copies of 8672 (Ferrari pit lane). My GF and I are F1 fans, and saw these sets at the Lego store... then noticed that some of the sets had different drivers. Some of them had Schumacher/Massa, some had Schumacher/Barrichello. Given that Schumacher was about to retire, and here are two sets showing him paired with his last two teammates... Seemed like maybe it was worth grabbing one of each. If they sit around for a while and never go up... well, they've got a good selection of red parts.

Asterios · Post by **Asterios** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:50 pm

well the problem is when you hit the year the year 1995 in LEGO prices drop dramatically,cause thats when people started learning about resale values of G.I.Joe,Transformers and even LEGO,so people started collecting and collecting big time,like i look at my rock Raiders Used they go for a little bit below MSRP and new just a little over and these sets are from 1999 7 years ago,but some themes like SW and CASTLE survive the test of time(except for the Crayola Knights series),its all about who wants what.

Norro · Post by **Norro** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:28 pm

I think most people who sell MISB sets forget to take into account storage space... if you factored that in over 10+ years I would be surprised if you beat inflation. Of course if you have a closet, and the restraint not to open something...

God Bless,

Nathan

Slobey · Post by **Slobey** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:55 am

It's just something that popped into my head last night. Especially since the Skeleton Ship and soon the Dwarf Mining set are ONLY available in Australia through S@H.

It would be a bit of a punt but I figure if it doesn't work out I can build my black viking ship

Post by **Athos** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:59 am

Not really. I've got some I picked up really cheap and haven't gotten around to opening, that I'm looking to unload though.

Personally, I don't think Lego is a good investment...

Steve

Asterios · Post by **Asterios** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:33 am

Athos wrote:Not really. I've got some I picked up really cheap and haven't gotten around to opening, that I'm looking to unload though.

Personally, I don't think Lego is a good investment...

Steve

you can always send it to me Athos

miniflea84 · Post by **miniflea84** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:48 pm

As a general rule, collectables of any sort are not a wise investment if you are looking for maximum return. Of course, with Lego, you can always open the box later and use the parts.

E of Alshire · Post by **E of Alshire** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:14 am

I'm still sitting on a $30 Vladek's Dark Fortress with no noticable price increase.

timber_wolf899 · Post by **timber_wolf899** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:21 am

Indeed.
better to put your money into real estate!

sorry, professional bias!

Post by **rogue27** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:31 pm

I don't consider LEGO a good investment. I do have some LEGO sets I've never gotten around to opening and some I've sold for more than I paid, but I've never purchased any specifically to resell for a profit.

The last LEGO sets to really have much resale value were the LEGENDS and Blacksmith Shop which were discontinued when the brick hit the fan.

The 80s stuff sells for a lot, but back then nobody knew to save them because there was no online community and no eBay or bricklink where old sets could be resold for outrageous prices.

Today, adult collectors and/or speculators/resellers buy massive quantities of most LEGO sets hoping for future profits or to part out in bricklink stores. The fact that everybody's doing it will keep prices from ever inflating too much on current sets.