Cool Lego IdeasLego City IdeasLego Building IdeasCool Lego StuffAwesome LegosLego FunAmazing LegoAlora'S StuffArt StuffForwardMcDonald's MOC Lego Not a fan of branding in LEGO, but that Dunkin' Donuts is pretty cool...This is an easy one to answer yourself if you know where to look... However, the answer will vary depending on when you do the research. The price will increase as time goes by, they aren't making any more Cafe Corners, Green Grocers or Market StreetsBrickLink is going to have better prices than eBay,.. (catalog listing for all the (modulars)Then go to the catalog entry for each one, for example 10182 Cafe CornerBrickLink Reference Catalog - Set 10182-1 and then view the lots for saleBrickLink Search Results (filter by new if you want)Repeat for all the modulars... For those in production, buy direct from LEGO when they have free shipping (such as now, 30 November 2012)I didn't actually do this but I think, right now, (late 2012) if you want new copies of each, you are looking at around 3500-4000 USD, plus or minus.
(Quick check, the cheapest new, MISB Cafe Corner is 1300ish, Green Grocer about 500ish and Market Street around 1300 as well... the others are less since they are still in production, yoiu can probably get all 4 for less than a grand...)So what does this mean? If you see a LEGO set you like, buy it. Don't wait and pay aftermarket prices! (although I love it when you do, some of those modulars for sale on BL are mine. Think of it as enabling my habit)If you're interested in collecting all the modular buildings I would recommend starting by purchasing all the ones that are available in store today. As of today (11/2013) this includesFire Brigade ($150)Grand Emporium ($150)Pet Shop ($150)Town Hall ($200)Palace Cinema ($150)The Fire Brigade just moved to discontinued status, so if you can find one on the shelves I'd recommend purchasing it now. On my last visit to the Lego store the employees said they won't be getting anymore in stock.The hardest part about the collection is obtaining the buildings that are discontinued.
Most sets are discontinued 2-3 years after they are released. I was in a similar situation trying to obtain the Green Grocer and Market Street (already owned Cafe Corner). For both of these sets I used Brick Link to purchase each individual part and assemble the buildings. It's a lot of work, but the Green Grocer set is now my favorite mainly due to the amount of effort I put into creating it. Here's my recommended process for getting a discontinued set:1) Use Brick Store to create a part list for each building. The part list is sourced from Brick Link and is fairly accurate.2) Use Brick Rake (brickrake) to obtain obtain a store list and price list for the parts in the building.3) If possible, use gurobi [1] (The overall fastest and best supported solver available) to solve the optimization problem of finding the least number of stores with the lowest prices for all the parts you need. Without gurobi you'll have to do a greedy approach (more expensive) or brute force (takes forever) method to solve the optimization problem.4) Use the output parts list to order from the sellers on Brick Link.
A sellers inventory changes day to day, so it's best to order from all the sellers as soon as you have the list.You may have to make some substitutes to the parts because some of the listed parts are very specific to the set. Using this method I was able to build the Green Grocer for ~$400 and Market Street for ~$200. The set is a lot of fun to build and each release seems to get slightly more intricate than the last building. [1] Gurobi has a free academic license if you access it from a .edu domainIt may appear as no more than a popular children's toy, but investors were able to secure a better return buying Lego sets over the past 15 years than from the stock market, gold or bank accounts, a Telegraph analysis found. The value of the FTSE 100 is no higher than it was in February 2000, meaning the average annual return to savers over the past decade and half is just 4.1 per cent once dividend payouts are included. By contrast, Lego sets kept in pristine condition have increased in value 12 per cent each year since the turn of the Millennium, with second-hand prices rising for specific sets as soon as they go out of production.
Modern sets are performing even more strongly, with those released last year already selling on eBay for 36 per cent more than their original price. The analysis found none of the main investments favoured by savers matched returns on the plastic building bricks. Savers who invested in gold received a 9.6 per cent annual gain over the past decade and a half, while those who went with a savings account or Isa generated 2.8 per cent, according to investment company Hargreaves Lansdown. Some Lego sets that once sold for less than £100 now fetch thousands on the secondary market. Many of the highest prices are for old sets based around films such as Star Wars or landmarks or brands such as the Taj Mahal in India or the Volkswagen Beetle. showed even sets based on everyday scenes such as police stations and town roads are soaring in value. The largest percentage rise in price for any Lego set has been on "Cafe Corner", a model of a hotel which went on sale in 2007.
The set, which has 2,056 pieces, originally sold for £89.99 but the price has risen to £2,096 since it went out of production – a return for investors of 2,230 per cent. , said the top price would be fetched only if the Lego had been kept in its box, in perfect condition. Used Lego is less valuable, but can still be worth hundreds of pounds more than its original price. "The neat thing is that all sets are retired at some point, and several hundred are retired each year a movie run ends, a licence expires or the Lego company wants to refresh its range," he said. "That means anyone with a set at home – large or small, it doesn't matter – could have quite an investment on their hands if it's in good condition, as this stuff appreciates very well in value." Most second-hand Lego is traded and bought on eBay. BrickPicker pays eBay for a breakdown of sales and compiles its own database of values and growth rates. How to invest in shares with a 99.4pc chance of success • Telegraph investor weekly newsletter: best tips and ideas
Mr Maciorowski said tens of thousands of investors across the world were pushing up prices of rarer sets. He said the growth rates would continue. "Lego investing is not hitting bubble-like status," he said. "That is partly because the Lego company doesn't promote the secondary market, it wants to sell direct to customers." Price rises can be disrupted if Lego restarts production of sets it had previously retired – but usually the effect is temporary as investors snap up the new stock, Mr Maciorowski said. The most popular type of Lego is Star Wars themed, accounting for 10 of the 20 most expensive sets. The Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon is the most expensive, having gone from a retail price of £342.49 in 2007 to £2,712 today. Two slightly earlier models, the Death Star II and Imperial Star Destroyer, which were released in 2005 and 2002 respectively, also fetch more than £1,000. Mr Maciorowski said the new Star Wars film, Episode VII – The Force Awakens will give the old sets a "new life" in secondary market.
"Demand is going to be off the hook," he said. "Sometimes when the next instalment of a film comes out it boosts interest: the new Fantastic Beasts films, for example, should also see demand pick up for some of the recently retired Harry Potter Lego." Laith Khalaf, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "The returns from Lego look pretty awesome, but investors need to beware that the value of collectables can be vulnerable to fads. "There’s absolutely no harm in buying some pieces as a hobby, and you may well make some money, but as a main building clock for your retirement I would suggest sticking to more traditional shares and bonds." Seven Lego investing tips from a pro If you are interested in a particular Lego set, buy one to build and one to save for a rainy day. Even used Lego sets can appreciate to values higher than the retail price. Putting away a few large and exclusive sets to resell in years down the road can be very profitable. Limited edition and seasonal sets do very well in the Lego secondary markets.
Any sets with short production runs usually appreciate well. The rarer, the better. Invest in Lego sets that were released after 1999. Pre-2000 sets were not really great investments. Many sets were basic and uninspiring. There are a handful of vintage sets that are viable collectables, but most have plateaued in value and many are in poor condition. Keep the Lego boxes, pieces and instructions in excellent condition. Save all the components of a Lego set. Keep them in a dry and dark storage space. No sun ... no moisture. The better the condition, the more the set will sell for in future. Stack Lego boxes vertically like books. Horizontal stacking causes boxes to crush and seals to break.Both small and large sets can appreciate very well percentage wise. Lego mini figures are very valuable. Most expensive Lego sets Set – release date – pieces (mini figs) – retail price – current value 1 Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon – 2007 – 5,195 (5) – £342.49 – £2,712