75098 - MISB Bricks were yellowish when opened

[NPHFX]

Has anyone else experienced this? Just opened my MISB Assault on Hoth set (75098) and all the white bricks are yellowish. Set was purchased from Walmart online a few years ago and stored in pretty normal house conditions. I have only seen/read about white bricks yellowing due to exposure to sunlight, etc. This set was sealed. See attached photos of a couple of the bags, white printer paper included as a reference. Unless the bricks are supposed to be off-white? But the photo on the box is pretty bright white.

[AmperZand]

Sunlight (and heat) are not the cause of discolouration, merely catalysts. It happens to all ABS though not always at the same rate (even within a given set). Assault on Hoth is getting on to five years old, so some degradation is to be expected.

You can easily restore the whiteness of LEGO using hydrogen peroxide and Vanish Oxy Crystal White. I used it on parts needed for a 6927 All-Terrian Vehicle re-build back in 2014 and you can’t tell the difference between the new parts and the whitened old ones:

[MAB]

Yes, it is reasonably common in old sets. There are reports of items stored for years, put away when white but coming out yellowed.

[NPHFX]

Thanks. I was considering a de-yellowing process, but there an awful lot of white bricks in that set. Something to consider when buying sealed kits of older sets though. I also have 75094 Tydirium Shuttle which I am now scared to open.

[Toastie]

And maybe consider that getting old naturally causes some seasoning. Which is an entirely normal thing to happen.

There was a time, when I searched for the "really white" white bricks in my white brick box, same with the old (=nice) light gray bricks. They also changed color over time - now replaced with bley. Seems that bley lasts much longer - and to be honest - is much more boring (for me), because of that.

Maybe the perspective on changes changes over time. Getting older and older, I do enjoy the changes in the colors of my beloved bricks. They never seem to lose grip - but they - season. With me.

Reminds me of Jethro Tull's "Heavy Horses" ...

Best
Thorsten