Free polybags at Smyths Toys this SaturdayPosted by Huw, 02 Mar 2017 15:51 Drag your kids down to Smyths Toys this Saturday to get your hands on one of two 2017 Police polybags: "Join us in-store on Saturday 4th March to build your own LEGO City Minibuild! Choose your FREE* Lego City minibuild toy (30352 Police Car or 30351 Police Helicopter) and build in-store then take home to play! *One toy per customer. Limited stocks available, while stocks last." More information on the Smyths Toys events page. Thanks to Brian for the news. New inventories and partsPosted by Huw, 02 Mar 2017 11:20 LEGO has just published instructions and inventories for the March releases on its customer services portal. Although I have not checked them all, the inventories appear to be complete and include a couple of interesting new parts which I examine after the break. Review: 75879 Scuderia Ferrari SF16-HPosted by CapnRex101, 01 Mar 2017 16:35View image at flickr Formula One racing cars have been the subject of LEGO products since the 1970s and their design has evolved according to the changing selection of pieces available.
75879 Scuderia Ferrari SF16-H represents the latest model in the series and has been released alongside 75833 Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team. All three vehicles are based on the cars designed for the 2016 season and this Ferrari is accordingly distinct from that found in 75913 F14 T & Scuderia Ferrari Truck. The model is decorated with almost thirty stickers which are laden with advertising and the bodywork is accurately represented using a selection of curved slopes and tiles. In fact, I think this might be the best Formula One car released to date! BrickHeadz available nowPosted by TheBrickPal, 01 Mar 2017 14:00Iron Man Ten of the first series of BrickHeadz sets, not including Pirates of the Caribbean, are now available at shop. and Brand Stores - four Marvel (Cinematic Universe), four DC (Batman Movie) and two Disney (Beauty and the Beast). They've been available for VIP members since mid-February. But now, the wait is over; anyone can buy them! It should also be noted that they are not available at any regular retail stores.
That means this is the first LEGO store-exclusive theme, as opposed to individual D2C sets from many different themes. We'll be continuing our reviews and doing more coverage of the line soon. Please use our affiliate links to buy wherever you are, thanks: Posted by Huw, 01 Mar 2017 12:53Batman Minifigure Plush As well as releasing dozens of new sets today LEGO has also launched a lot of Gear (or, what we here at Brickset like to call 'tat'): keychains, role-play toys, stationery, housewares, minifig frames and so on. Perhaps the most interesting are four plush minifigures: Batman, Batgirl, Kai and Nya. They are pretty expensive (£20.00/$24.99), I have to admit, but at 12"/30cm tall they are probably pretty cool!. You can see all the new stuff that's been added on our New at shop.It's easier to see it there than on LEGO's terrible New sets page! MISB Taj Mahal on CatawikiPosted by Huw, 01 Mar 2017 11:00 This week's LEGO auction at Catawiki comes to an end this evening.
Once again there are some interesting lots, including: 10189 Taj Mahal MISB 1966 Car repair shop 6347 Monorail Accessory Track (MISB) Technic 855 Mobile Crane You can view all available lots on our Catawiki page and if you have items to sell take a look at the guide to selling LEGO at Catawiki to find out how to get your items listed. Posted by Huw, 01 Mar 2017 05:00The Capture of Sophie Jones LEGO is releasing a number of new products today. Elves, Speed Champions, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Minecraft sets are now available in all markets. You will find them on the What's new page at shop.France) and also on our new at shop. LEGO Ideas review resultsPosted by Huw, 28 Feb 2017 15:00 Here are the second 2016 review results: Spoiler after the break...Welcome to the BrickWars-Sets Star Wars Lego Price Guide! Click here to get started. At BrickWars-Sets in an effort to put some perspective in this process, we have compiled a Price Guide for collectors to establish a price on Star Wars Lego sets manufactured over the past thirteen years.
Our purpose is to provide a market price index to facilitate buying and selling of these sets and hereby advancing the hobby of collecting worldwide, while protecting one's investment.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