10179 UCS Falcon Pricing

[Drudoo]

A couple of months ago i purchased one for around $1800 though a reseller who had two sets left i stock (their last set is now at priced at $4500). I don't regret paying $1800. It is a beautiful set and there is +25 hours of building.

[eltsyr]

I also bricklinked the UCS millenium falcon, with an approximate cost of 350€ + ~100€ shipment cost

The only bricks I changed were the 2 grey masts used as grids behind the reactors, and the UCS plate. I took them in black, and will probably paint them in gray when I have time.

Edited September 6, 2011 by eltsyr

[jasonsmith]

I took them in black, and will probably paint them in gray when I have time.

Check with Lego, they may have those parts in stock and save you a lot of grief.

[Darth Dino]

Hi

as i am a beginner i am a bit confused.

One wrote he had to spend around 500 to get all parts, another one wrote to get the right parts in the specific grey (bley?) you had to spend 400 more. Would that make a 100-200 €$£ MF in not the original colors?

In another way: What would cost one of those close to otiginal (differents just by color) Falcon? Is there a list of parts for a "Milenium Falcon for the poor people" instead the original "Bird of Bley" :) (yes i also do like Star Trek).

I am hoing not to ask about a deadly sin....

Dino

Edited September 6, 2011 by Darth Dino

[goldfish]

Does anybody know what a rough cost of parting out and getting the parts on bricklink via UK sellers would be?

UCS Falcons in the UK tend to go for between £800 and £1200...

[jasonsmith]

Hi

as i am a beginner i am a bit confused.

One wrote he had to spend around 500 to get all parts, another one wrote to get the right parts in the specific grey (bley?) you had to spend 400 more. Would that make a 100-200 €$£ MF in not the original colors?

The cost depends on many factors...

The Falcon has 5195 pcs, at 8 cents per piece it comes to $415. There is no way you will be able to average that for new parts on BL IMO. Lets say you average 9 cents per piece... the cost jumps an extra $50 dollars... and so on.

If a person does accurate totals, new vs used, purchased parts including parts that you already had and once paid money for, I highly doubt you will come under $500USD. I would actually guess $600 may be closer to the magic number not including shipping costs.

I tried my absolute best to bring the "Parts" cost down as much as I could. Sadly there isn't that one store that has all the parts you need at a decent price so you WILL be buying from many different stores. If you don't purchase anything at outrageous prices and wait for them (or check with Lego) to show up cheaper you may be able to save a lot, but you may be waiting a long time. I made that mistake and could have saved around $50 if I didn't.

You can easily build the ship off color and still make it look good, especially if you already have lots of pieces in your stock that you can use. Build your model around the colors that you can get easily and cheaply. I choose to build it new and color correct just in case I went broke building it. That way I would be able to sell it for a decent price if I needed to.

Oh.. I have said this before but if a person doesn't want to play on BrickLink which was a lot of fun, I would jump at buying one for $800.

All this could be solved though if Lego would just reissue it.

Edited September 6, 2011 by jasonsmith

[Ritz Brick]

*snip* All this could be solved though if Lego would just reissue it.

Re-issuing a collectors item is going to aggravate more people than please. The people who own it already, probably out-number the ones willing to pay TLC re-issue price which would most likeyl be more than what it was before.

[Gokey]

Does anyone think they would ever do such a thing as re-issue it?

[Brickdoctor]

Re-issuing a collectors item is going to aggravate more people than please. The people who own it already, probably out-number the ones willing to pay TLC re-issue price which would most likeyl be more than what it was before.

Agreed. There's really no way to release anything close to this without making the secondary market suffer, especially with such a coveted item as this.

[jasonsmith]

I think it's been talked about before but it could be released in a different fashion as to maintain "some" of the value of those who have invested in it. However, I for one don't believe that Lego should be getting into the "collectors" item market with such large and sought after sets... Wanna make a 24k gold minifig have at er but leave the real models alone so normal people who enjoy Lego can enjoy the product.

[helicaon]

Agreed. There's really no way to release anything close to this without making the secondary market suffer, especially with such a coveted item as this.

While I don't think there's the remotest chance of it being re-issued, I don't follow the logic - why would TLC care about the people who already have it - i.e. the people least likely to buy a re-issue, and similarly, why would they worry about the secondary market, from which they get nothing anyway.... the original sets would still be sought after - probably not for the ludicrous amounts they go for now, but I imagine still a fair bit over the original rrp....

As a matter of interest, HAS any UCS set ever been re-released? I believe the ISD came out again with slightly different colours, but I got the impression that was while it was still available, and not a re-issue as such...

[Brickdoctor]

While I don't think there's the remotest chance of it being re-issued, I don't follow the logic - why would TLC care about the people who already have it - i.e. the people least likely to buy a re-issue, and similarly, why would they worry about the secondary market, from which they get nothing anyway.... the original sets would still be sought after - probably not for the ludicrous amounts they go for now, but I imagine still a fair bit over the original rrp....

SImple answer: because TLG does care about what the AFOL fanbase thinks about them.

[White Cat]

While I don't think there's the remotest chance of it being re-issued, I don't follow the logic - why would TLC care about the people who already have it - i.e. the people least likely to buy a re-issue, and similarly, why would they worry about the secondary market, from which they get nothing anyway.... the original sets would still be sought after - probably not for the ludicrous amounts they go for now, but I imagine still a fair bit over the original rrp....

As a matter of interest, HAS any UCS set ever been re-released? I believe the ISD came out again with slightly different colours, but I got the impression that was while it was still available, and not a re-issue as such...

A big company does have image to keep. And I don't think upsetting loyal fan base is a wise thing to do.

[jasonsmith]

SImple answer: because TLG does care about what the AFOL fanbase thinks about them.

I hear ya but I think the not so simple answer is that Lego is a corporation just like any other corporation and staying a float is the number one goal. I'm not saying that they are money hungry fools which they ar not, they are an amazing company. Having the Falcon and other sets in such high demand brings a lot of attention to Lego. It has opened up an investment world where people who have never even played with Lego are making up a decent percentage of the sales. It wasn't that long ago that TLG was loosing money annually. What's going on here is part of their business strategy. They have begun catering to the AFOL fanbase and have begun to understand that it is part of their market. They care about the AFOL fan base just enough and in the right way so that they will continue to buy, nothing more and nothing less.

[Diggydoes]

I don´t think they gonna re-release this beast in the next few years! Before they re-release the MF i´m pretty sure the would first for a re-release of the UCS X-Wing (it´s way older, with a lot of out-dated pieces)!

If you wanna rebuild the MF keep in mind, that (in fact you wanna save money) most of the (expensive) Technic-Bricks won´t be visible in the finished Model! You can save big on these Bricks using other Colours or used ones!

As far as i know the customer service doesn´t have the boat mast rigging in stock! At least this is what they´ve told me a few weeks ago (i paid serious money on BL for them!!!)!

I don´t know if a "true-collector" would do that but i went that way: i bought current sets (always bargains from several sources) sold the minifigs on Ebay or BL and took the pieces from the set that i´ve needed for the MF. If you calculate well, and check the prices you will get a lot of sets "for free" trough selling the minifigs! I know it´s a hustle but it works!

[adello25]

As far as i know the customer service doesn´t have the boat mast rigging in stock! At least this is what they´ve told me a few weeks ago (i paid serious money on BL for them!!!)!

I don´t know if a "true-collector" would do that but i went that way: i bought current sets (always bargains from several sources) sold the minifigs on Ebay or BL and took the pieces from the set that i´ve needed for the MF. If you calculate well, and check the prices you will get a lot of sets "for free" trough selling the minifigs! I know it´s a hustle but it works!

I am piecing together the Falcon right now, I have ordered every single part, just waiting for them to be delivered. Once I am done I am going to get an accurate total price.

I ordered the boat mast rigging from Lego's replacement part program. Got 2 of them for like $1.50

[Blondie-Wan]

Agreed. There's really no way to release anything close to this without making the secondary market suffer, especially with such a coveted item as this.

Why would (or should) TLG care about the secondary market?

[Brickdoctor]

Why would (or should) TLG care about the secondary market?

See above posts - TLG does care about what the AFOLs think about them.

[Lobot]

I wonder if Lego have realised that people are resorting to building these from scratch? I guess that you could get most of the parts directly from them rather than via Bricklink, although you’d have to use a combination of the ‘Pick a brick’ service & ‘replacement’ parts. I’ve just had a quick look at the replacement list & they’ve included 284 different elements; they’ve even got the radar dish & rigging sections!

I know that some members have strong opinions on the possibility of a re-issue, and I totally appreciate both sides of the argument. However, personally, I would like to see Lego do this at some point in the future (and I say this as an owner), as I’d love to buy another one which I could then display longterm without any fear of light damage. To me it’s a set that is truly iconic and I feel that everyone should have the option of buying one at a reasonable price. I paid £750 for mine sealed at the start of this year, and at that time I was luckily in a position to be able to afford it.

[NiceMarmot]

Why would (or should) TLG care about the secondary market?

If they re-release it, and hurt the secondary market for the originals, TLG hurts their market for future UCS releases. Some people won't scramble quite so hard to buy future UCS releases if they think that in 10 years TLG will just re-release it. And they certainly won't buy multiples. What's the point of buying more than one if you know TLG will just re-release it later?

I think that the most we can hope for is that they do another UCS Falcon release that is similar but slightly different from the original. That way they don't compromise (too much) the value and market for the original. It would be a tough move -- they'd have to make it different enough, but not explicitly better or worse. Too obviously better, and they hurt the market for the original; too obviously lame and they'll have a harder time selling through the release.

I think their best bet would be a slightly different UCS MF in a particular context, such as in the Death Star hangar, Hoth base, or Mos Eisley spaceport. The advantage is that it's obviously different than the original. The set would be bigger though, and therefore even more expensive.

[Blondie-Wan]

If they re-release it, and hurt the secondary market for the originals, TLG hurts their market for future UCS releases. Some people won't scramble quite so hard to buy future UCS releases if they think that in 10 years TLG will just re-release it. And they certainly won't buy multiples. What's the point of buying more than one if you know TLG will just re-release it later?

Well, the reissue of a single, particularly admired and sought-after set - of perhaps the most beloved and iconic Star Wars vessel - out of all the dozens of UCS and other "special" sets they've done in over a decade of LEGO Star Wars, would hardly indicate that every other set was going to get a reissue. I don't think it would impact it too much.

But that said, I do think you're right in that they probably won't do a straight reissue, for some of the same reasons you've put forth, and I also have already taken to hoping they do eventually do one more, truly ultimate Millennium Falcon - perhaps like the 10179, only with a detailed interior, say, or an alternate cockpit design, or some other improvement.

I do think it's possible that they may simply not wish to ever re-do vessels in the UCS line the way they do with the more mass-market sets, but if there's one ship - or one thing of any kind, be it character, vehicle, whatever in the entire Star Wars canon - that would warrant an exception, it would be the Millennium Falcon (though for that matter, they could be argued to have already redone something in the more high-end, UCS/LEGO Direct/"collector," etc. market, with the UCS Death Star and then the ultra-deluxe "playset" Death Star).

[helicaon]

If they re-release it, and hurt the secondary market for the originals, TLG hurts their market for future UCS releases. Some people won't scramble quite so hard to buy future UCS releases if they think that in 10 years TLG will just re-release it. And they certainly won't buy multiples. What's the point of buying more than one if you know TLG will just re-release it later?

I think that the most we can hope for is that they do another UCS Falcon release that is similar but slightly different from the original. That way they don't compromise (too much) the value and market for the original. It would be a tough move -- they'd have to make it different enough, but not explicitly better or worse. Too obviously better, and they hurt the market for the original; too obviously lame and they'll have a harder time selling through the release.

I think their best bet would be a slightly different UCS MF in a particular context, such as in the Death Star hangar, Hoth base, or Mos Eisley spaceport. The advantage is that it's obviously different than the original. The set would be bigger though, and therefore even more expensive.

well... the fact that this thread even exists suggests there are a lot of people who weren't able to get this (and presumably other) set while it was on release, but are still keen enough to go via the expensive and time-consuming route of the Johnny Cash One-piece-at-a-time route, they are presumably AFOLs, and unless also confirmed masochists, would presumably be grateful for the chance to take an easier route, a few dealers charging over the odds for the harder to find pieces might be annoyed, but I doubt it would bring BL crashing down... .... even if the thing was re-issued as the same set, it would almost certainly have a different box, a proportion of different parts, wouldn't have the same limited edition numbers etc etc, so it wouldn't directly affect the exclusivity of the lucky few who have the original.... I thought (part of) the point of UCS sets was to be as accurate as possible, without having to worry about financial constraints as much as the mass-market sets (I'll conveniently ignore the "what IS a UCS set" for the moment ) Yes, it was Limited Edition, but any other release wouldn't BE that edition - I really can't see that a significant proportion of AFOLs would get in such a snit with TLC that they'd cut off their nose to spite their face and refuse to buy any more... However, as that is just my opinion, and as I seem to be in the minority here, and this is veering away from the topic a bit, I'll shut up now....

[The_Chosen_1]

I don't own the original model, but I'm perfectly fine with TLG never re-releasing another version of the UCS Falcon. Other than including an interior (which would be difficult to do while keeping the same perfect look of the model IMO), it's already the perfect set.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

I don't own the original model, but I'm perfectly fine with TLG never re-releasing another version of the UCS Falcon. Other than including an interior (which would be difficult to do while keeping the same perfect look of the model IMO), it's already the perfect set.

I think that many decent designs have been made of the UCS falcon with detailed interiors. Of course, I can't imagine the price for them... As much as I would like it to be another way, I don't think it would sell well.

[bensl]

well as someone who doesnt own this set and could never afford to at todays prices, i have my fingers and toes crossed it will get re-issued. i wonder how many sets people bought and stored without building??

if i bought one, i would build it and display it.