Buying Pirate LEGO - where to buy, advice, tips and questions

[texas_jack_can]

I can see it now:

"Hi, just saw you spent $450.00 on pirate lego, please come to this site" That could cause some people to think it is spam, and just ignore it. Too bad there isn't a way to advertize on eBay effectivly, cause we could really open up the fanbase. Of course, for all we know, its just us buying up all the pirate lego off eBay. I doubt it, but you never know.

[Mister Phes]

Ususually when we make major purchases we post here to tell each other what we just got. We also have threads like Which Pirate LEGO sets do you have? where users can keep everyone updated when they get new sets so we have a vague idea of who buys from eBay.

Pirate LEGO is being sold every day, all hours, and all around the world so there is no way possible the purchasers are limited to who posts in this forum, because at this point in time there isn't that many users.

I think I like Mr SkaForeHire's theory best, but I can't remember which thread he posted it in!

[Captain Ironhook]

I can see it now:

"Hi, just saw you spent $450.00 on pirate lego, please come to this site" That could cause some people to think it is spam, and just ignore it. Too bad there isn't a way to advertize on eBay effectivly, cause we could really open up the fanbase. Of course, for all we know, its just us buying up all the pirate lego off eBay. I doubt it, but you never know.

Would this spam get this website into trouble with the authorities because in some places in the world they do not like spam and have means of dealing with those who spread it.

[Evil Willy]

Couldn't we just "Sell" an item, and not really sell anything lets say for 5000$ and say IF you are looking for pirate LEGO you might be interested to visit the biggest pirate lego forum in the world! It would cost us about 2$ to do but it would work.

[Mister Phes]

Evil Willy, that would be dishonest and more unethical than want Mr SkaForHire has suggested! What if some rich fool did bid and win the auction? What would we give them? Also, surely eBay's quality control would eventually realise this was a bogus action and we could get into trouble if we continually did this.

However, if you'd like to try it then by all means go ahead - if you get caught then this coversation never took place! :-D

[Evil Willy]

Haha, but isn't it legal to make an add? I thought it was, but there is a way to do it... We should look into this.

[Mister Phes]

What do you mean by its legal to make an add? It depends where you're placing this add. I haven't seen any auctions that are soley advertisements and there is probably a reason for that. Surely with all the millions of people using eBay someone has thought of this idea before but since they're not actually selling anything eBay hasn't allowed it.

However, maybe if we put something that cost almost nothing to us like a digital image or PDF that might legitimize the auction.

[Evil Willy]

Now there is an idea. A PDF, you can totally sell that, it could be worth a lot :D

[SkaForHire]

Now there is an idea. A PDF, you can totally sell that, it could be worth a lot :D

The rights to a picture that one of us drew? lol it could be just a black .gif and a smiley face, its an item, and then we put the add up! lol

[Evil Willy]

Exactly

[Mister Phes]

Now there is an idea. A PDF, you can totally sell that, it could be worth a lot :D

The rights to a picture that one of us drew? lol it could be just a black .gif and a smiley face, its an item, and then we put the add up! lol

Now come on laddies, think what that would do for our reputation! If people looked at the auction and saw we were pretending to auction crap it wouldn't make a very good impression. We'd have to offer buyers a very nice high resolution image they could use for a wallpaper or something useful like that. We don't want abuse the system for the sake of getting our link spread around otherwise its going to hurt us in the long term.

[Norro]

This ebay auction just ended and look at that price... I didn't bid because the seller refused to back down on a 20 pound flat rate for shipping to Ireland... but look at that price! Is this a common ebay frustration?

BTW I put this here because I am blocked from posting in the Imperial Trading Post Records...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Scouty]

wow, soo cheap. Is it me or has prices gone down or what. I've seen EF down at 50 dollars total. ITP at like 70. This is good, in a way. Good because we can buy stuff cheap :-D .

[Mister Phes]

The prices have never been that high to begin with unless the set is Mint In Sealed Box. 50 US dollars for Eldorado Fortress seems quite reasonable to me, depending on its condition and whether it includes a box and/or instructions.

I suspect what prevented people from bidding is this "will post to europe for an extra

[Scouty]

How much was the Eldorado Fortress to begin with? As well as the Imperial Trading Post?

[Mister Phes]

To begin with? You mean back when the were first released or back when they first became available on eBay and BrickLink?

[Norro]

As a not regular shopper on Ebay, and in the other part of the world so not in competition X-D , I thought I would ask a few Qs from your expert knowledge:

1) Best way to search

2) Best way to find only sets

3) A way to eliminate SW listings from clogging what I can see...

4) The best condition to go for

Thanks and God Bless,

Nathan

[Mister Phes]

Mr Norro, there are numerous posts and even a thread throughout the Pirate forum that deal with these questions. Perhaps I should find them and move them to the Imperial Trading Post so they're easier to find. However, I can't remember what they're called so maybe we'll just deal with your answers in this thread. But if anyone remembers or stumbles across them post here to let us know.

I'll start by looking at question 1

1) Best way to search?

With the eBay advanced search?

Exactly what information are looking here? The best search query to yeild the most pirate LEGO results?

[Norro]

Mr Norro, there are numerous posts and even a thread throughout the Pirate forum that deal with these questions. Perhaps I should find them and move them to the Imperial Trading Post so they're easier to find.

That would be a great help!

However, I can't remember what they're called so maybe we'll just deal with your answers in this thread. But if anyone remembers or stumbles across them post here to let us know.

Neither could I....

I'll start by looking at question 1

1) Best way to search?

With the eBay advanced search?

Exactly what information are looking here? The best search query to yeild the most pirate LEGO results?

I am looking for pirate sets. I would like to see a whole column of them (similar to bricklink Browse) without all the loose (even pirate) lots. But when you click on their 'sets/themes' link within a search it doesn't isolate the sets and even removes sets that were in a more general search...

Thanks for your help and God Bless,

Nathan

[Mister Phes]

You'll need to provide more specific information like what country are you searching in? Ireland? The UK? All of Europe? The entire WORLD!!!

[Norro]

You'll need to provide more specific information like what country are you searching in? Ireland? The UK? All of Europe? The entire WORLD!!!

Ireland and the UK is preferable...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Mister Phes]

I shall have a play round with that after some sleep.

But first, what did you mean by "The best condition to go for?"

Obviously MISB is the best condition you're going to get, but you're also going to be paying a lot more for it. But is that the information you're looking for?

[SirScottLego]

You may want to ask about smoking, non-smoking when you chat with the seller. I've bought some really stinky legos in my day... but mostly you can clean any legos... mostly.

[Norro]

I shall have a play round with that after some sleep.

But first, what did you mean by "The best condition to go for?"

Obviously MISB is the best condition you're going to get, but you're also going to be paying a lot more for it. But is that the information you're looking for?

Well I have the minimum of not-yellowed, heavily worn, but once that is surpassed I tend to go on value. For example if a set with instructions cost $30 and a MIB one cost $40 I would probably move up... I was just wondering in what quality bracket yo find the best deals...

God Bless,

Nathan

[jamtf]

Yellowing is a lesser problem as many may think. The solution for getting yellowed pieces turn white again (or off-white if they are heavily worn) is quite simple: pure bleach will help reduce the yellowing and might actually former yellowed piece turn clear white again!

Be careful, this only seems to work on white Lego pieces. Other colours have different outcomes so be careful. I even put printed white torsos in bleach (since they could not get any worse) and the prints remained intact. This will perhaps not work on imperial torsos since these are partly blue or red which might cause damage to the colour scheme.

A bit off-topic but it is a way to upgrade Lego quality and bring it back to life.

I would always search for boxed sets. If not for storage purposes, it will always be beneficial for the set if one thinks of reselling or trading. I only tend to buy unboxed sets if they are very rarely found. Also, boxed sets seem to be original and same era quality rather than unboxed sets which could have been picked together from a bunch of used Lego. Old pieces can easily get mixed with young pieces if you know what I mean. More than once I received a mixture of solid and hollow stud pieces for instance.

MISB is the best quality you can get but be prepared to pay! Basically, every South Korean or Hong Kong bidder is after this quality. Try to search for built once sets that have been on display only and never played with. That should be a good way to get the best used quality for a realistic price.