Can't read the text above?Try another text or an audio CAPTCHAText in the box:What's this?Lego Minifigures Series 16 Complete Set Identified, Lot of 16 ALL SEALED !He's become the hottest ticket in town: a real-life equivalent of the golden tickets in Roald Dahl's children's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But Lego's Mr Gold doesn't come with a lifetime's supply of chocolate. He's an inch-and-a-half tall plastic figure like any other Lego product. His value – and he has been fetching over £700 on eBay – is in his rarity. There were just 5,000 made worldwide. The desire of adult collectors to get their hands on one is fuelling a commercial bonanza for the Danish toy maker. Part of the success of its Minifigures range is that they come in a plastic bag so buyers don't know what they are going to get. Children can therefore trade them in the playground, adult collectors on eBay. The introduction of the limited edition "Mr Gold" into Series 10 has changed the game, however.
Mr Gold is causing a stampede, with some adult collectors buying up job lots in attempt to get their hands on figure. That can be seen in the fact that just two weeks after its launch, complete sets of 16 without the limited edition superstar can be purchased on the auction site for as little as £35. Because of duplication, you have to buy quite a few packets to get a complete set, although canny purchasers have been known to look carefully at barcodes – or simply attempt to identify the character in the packet by feeling it – in an attempt to avoid this. The company says it's too early to say whether Series 10 is a best seller – but adds: "Initial reports show they are off to a flying start." The popularity is such that even the Lego shop at Westfield East in Stratford has found itself without stock on occasion, and Sainsbury's has noted a rise in sales since the launch. But is there a flipside to this modern day gold rush? Does its popularity with Afols (Adult Fans of Lego) mean that the kids are missing out?
The company thinks not: "The reaction to Mr Gold has been phenomenal," said a company spokesperson. "It's always a fantastic coup when our consumers engage with any of our brands, so we don't view the demand and interest as having a flip side. The search for Mr Gold is a modern-day treasure hunt – something that children have enjoyed for decades. There are 5,000 Mr Golds to be found worldwide so he really is an attainable treasure. We have had 51 winners in the UK alone bag a Mr Gold Minifigure for themselves so far, which is fantastic. Children around the world are truly in with a chance of finding a bag containing this highly collectible figure." The commercial success of the line generally can be seen in the fact that, as of last month, Lego says its Minifigures was the number one toy for the year based on unit sales, citing April figures from the market research company NPD. And if the Afols are buying up lots of them, the kids are still getting in on the fun as well: in addition to a commercial success the product has also been a public relations goldmine, with local newspapers from around the world featuring young "winners" who've found not so much the golden ticket, but the golden packet.
How do you find the Mr. Gold LEGO? Legitimate Mr. Gold Lego figurines, from the 71001 Minifigure Series 10, are found on auction and collector sites online such as eBay. When buying it is important to use caution to ensure that the figurine is genuine. Where can you find vintage "Star Wars" character figurines? Where can you buy Civil War uniform buttons? How do you research the value of collector dolls? Authentic Mr. Gold Lego figures are likely to be expensive. Only 5,000 were produced, and the figure is no longer available randomly in new minifigure packages. These unregistered Mr. Gold figurines are likely to be pricey, while already-registered Mr. Gold figurines are significantly less expensive. In 2014, some unopened 71001 Series 10 bags are still for sale online. Learn more about Toys Can you still buy an original Lite Brite? The original Lite Brite is no longer in production, but it can be found for sale on toy collector and auction websites.
As of 2015, Hasbro has changed the ... Where can I sell model cars? Model cars and trains are sold at hobby shops or on the Internet at auction sites and forums. Sellers may get lower rates in local shops compared to other ... Where can you buy Hess collectible toys? Hess collectible toys can be purchased online from sites such as eBay and Amazon. Offline, an official online Hess store offers in-production products, whi... Are old Revell model kits still available? According to the Revell website, people often buy old Revell models from places such as garage sales, collector's shops and online auction sites, but Revel... What are reviews like on Imaginarium railway train tables? Where can you find comprehensive Webkinz lists including information on pet codes? What Paw Patrol action figures are there? Which is the latest Nerf gun? Where can you find a stuffed narwhal? How do you stop on a Penny board?It 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 2 Cafe Corner – 2007 – 2,056 (3) – £89.99 – £2,096 3 Taj Mahal – 2008 – 5,922 (0) – £199.99 – £1,848 4 Death Star II – 2005 – 3,441 (0) – £249.99 – £1,524 5 Imperial Star Destroyer – 2002 – 3,096 (0) – £249.99 – £1,467 Lego sets with biggest rises in value Set – release date – pieces (mini figs) – retail price – current value – growth 1 Cafe Corner – 2007 – 2,056 (3) – £89.99 – £2,096 – 2,230% 2 Market Street – 2007 – 1,248 (3) – £59.99 – £698 – 1,064% 3 Holiday Train – 2006 – 965 (7) – £49.99 – £574 – 1,048%