Are there more Mini-figs than there are humans?

[Hrw-Amen]

Simple question:-

1. How many Mini-figs have been produced over the years?

2. What is the rate of Mini-fig attrition as opposed to manufacture?

3. Are there now more Min-figs in the world than there are humans?

4. If so when did they start to outnumber us?

5. If not are they far off our number and if near it then when id the anticipated date at which they will outnumber us?

6. Or is this ridiculous as of course there are not as many as there are humans?

[Brickdoctor]

Wikipedia states that 3.7 billion minifigs have been produced, so by that number, no, the minifig population is not close to outnumbering man.

[cimddwc]

Wikipedia states that 3.7 billion minifigs have been produced, so by that number, no, the minifig population is not close to outnumbering man.

A few paragraphs below, it says they reached 4 billion in 2006 (and the footnote says the 3.7 number is from the 25th anniversary in 2003). So if they indeed manufacture roughly 100 million (or a little more) per year, that's still pretty close to the estimated growth of 80 million humans per year; but indeed TLG needs to increase production a bit if they want the minifigs to outnumber us (7 billion to be reached this October) any time soon.

In any case, it's the same order of magnitude, and that's quite amazing...

[Brickdoctor]

A few paragraphs below, it says they reached 4 billion in 2006 (and the footnote says the 3.7 number is from the 25th anniversary in 2003). So if they indeed manufacture roughly 100 million (or a little more) per year, that's still pretty close to the estimated growth of 80 million humans per year; but indeed TLG needs to increase production a bit if they want the minifigs to outnumber us (7 billion to be reached this October) any time soon.

That's what I get for skimming the article.

[iElkie]

A few paragraphs below, it says they reached 4 billion in 2006 (and the footnote says the 3.7 number is from the 25th anniversary in 2003). So if they indeed manufacture roughly 100 million (or a little more) per year, that's still pretty close to the estimated growth of 80 million humans per year; but indeed TLG needs to increase production a bit if they want the minifigs to outnumber us (7 billion to be reached this October) any time soon.

In any case, it's the same order of magnitude, and that's quite amazing...

Definitely! And let's not forget, since the introduction of Collectible Minifigs, their annual production of minifigs has increased to an even bigger extent than back in 2006.

[legodac]

I would bet my last brick that the mini-figures of Lego easily outnumber the fleshies on the planet. I myself have over a thousand figs and only six grand children. Each of them has at least 20 to 50 figs, I know, I gave them out at special occasions.

Now, I'm off to the local Lego gathering emporium (Wall-Mart) to buy groceries and more Lego Mini-Figures. lol, means "lots of lego"

[Commander Adama]

I would bet my last brick that the mini-figures of Lego easily outnumber the fleshies on the planet. I myself have over a thousand figs and only six grand children. Each of them has at least 20 to 50 figs, I know, I gave them out at special occasions.

Now, I'm off to the local Lego gathering emporium (Wall-Mart) to buy groceries and more Lego Mini-Figures. lol, means "lots of lego"

Well its getting close to it,unless LEGO goes bust ( which is unlikey) and all the popular sets coming out later this year,The minifigs will come out top

[MightyMegs]

Minifigs keep producing... but never die...

[Hoboman]

I do nto know about the world, but I know in my home the minifigures out number the humans by thousands.

I thought this was a fun question. I had never thought of it before. But I also wonder how many of those Minifigures have found themselves lost in the landfills or tore apart etc. and how many are safe and sound in collections of AFOLs?

[Brickdoctor]

Minifigs keep producing... but never die...

Unless they meet the same fate as too many other toys at the hands of an unknowing relative.

[tafkatb]

I also read there are 62 LEGO pieces for every person on the planet, though that number might be a little out of date as it's from a book published last year. Might make a fun building challenge though - everyone build a vignette to represent themselves with exactly 62 pieces...

And Daniel's Dad - outnumber the humans by thousands? I'd love to see a picture of that!

[badboytje88]

A few paragraphs below, it says they reached 4 billion in 2006 (and the footnote says the 3.7 number is from the 25th anniversary in 2003). So if they indeed manufacture roughly 100 million (or a little more) per year, that's still pretty close to the estimated growth of 80 million humans per year; but indeed TLG needs to increase production a bit if they want the minifigs to outnumber us (7 billion to be reached this October) any time soon.

In any case, it's the same order of magnitude, and that's quite amazing...

And 2006 was before the production of collectable minifigs!

[Hoboman]

And Daniel's Dad - outnumber the humans by thousands? I'd love to see a picture of that!

Well let's see, there are four of us humans in the house, and between my son and I we have quite a few minifigures.

[AussieJimbo]

Great topic.

Is a minifigure buried in landfill actually dead or is it simply resting there to be discovered by a future archaeologist? An honourable mission I reckon.

Sadly any that reached the recycling chain have certainly gone to plastic heaven though their molecules may live on in other products. it's the cycle of plastic life.

I wonder how many have been lost at sea? We might find them floating in that big eddy in the Pacific so they can be considered MIA.

Quite a few minifigs are aliens or other non-human or supernatural beings, I guess we'll have to subtract them from the total for accurate comparison.

I think I'll have to do a personal minifig census, I must have hundreds.

:classic:

[Brickdoctor]

Well let's see, there are four of us humans in the house, and between my son and I we have quite a few minifigures.

I want to know what the ratio of minifig to human is in madoka's house. (or houses, now, actually)

I wonder how many have been lost at sea? We might find them floating in that big eddy in the Pacific so they can be considered MIA.

They end up in a community in the Bermuda Triangle. Indy style.

[AussieJimbo]

They end up in a community in the Bermuda Triangle. Indy style.

Where they have occasional border disputes with an unruly nation of lost pens.

:classic:

[Brickdoctor]

Where they have occasional border disputes with an unruly nation of lost pens.

Except for the really loved ones. They go to the Land of Lost Toys and wait for Dora the Explorer to find them.

This post was brought to you by LEGO-destroying young relatives.

[Captain Green Hair]

They do outnumber me in my house!

[Hrw-Amen]

I only have two humans but the number of mini-figs is growing out of control and is already at a few hundred. It just seemed like an interesting question, if every person on the planet could have their own mini-fig?

I guess even if they are not there yet at the rate they produce them it won't be long. I imagine it takes less time to produce a minfig than it does a human and once you have the prototype you can make thousands of them all the same, a bit like cloning but on a massive scale.

I have wondered how many are destroyed though, I reckon a lot are lost or are stuffed away in draws or under beds and things. Not sure if they are gone though as they are still there. I never thought of a big mass of them floating about at sea but I guess it is possible?

Do we think there are likely to be any that have made it into orbit yet? That would be cool especially if they were space ones!

[Bearded Castle Guy]

I only have two humans but the number of mini-figs is growing out of control and is already at a few hundred. It just seemed like an interesting question, if every person on the planet could have their own mini-fig?

I guess even if they are not there yet at the rate they produce them it won't be long. I imagine it takes less time to produce a minfig than it does a human and once you have the prototype you can make thousands of them all the same, a bit like cloning but on a massive scale.

I have wondered how many are destroyed though, I reckon a lot are lost or are stuffed away in draws or under beds and things. Not sure if they are gone though as they are still there. I never thought of a big mass of them floating about at sea but I guess it is possible?

Do we think there are likely to be any that have made it into orbit yet? That would be cool especially if they were space ones!

I know that the previous shuttle mission had the ISS sets go up and get built, but I forget if they has minifig's in them and am too lazy to look them up at the moment.

There are also a number of humans 'stuffed away' in prison's and jails and such, so I think it's more of the matter of counting them opposed to counting those that are 'in use' or accessible.

I'd many most LEGO users will have multiple minifig's but there are many 'unenlightened' soul's that have none so I'm honestly unsure which side has more numbers at this time, humans or minifig's. I would expect that the minifig population is growing at a faster rate though.

[Hrw-Amen]

I know that the previous shuttle mission had the ISS sets go up and get built, but I forget if they has minifig's in them and am too lazy to look them up at the moment.

There are also a number of humans 'stuffed away' in prison's and jails and such, so I think it's more of the matter of counting them opposed to counting those that are 'in use' or accessible.

I'd many most LEGO users will have multiple minifig's but there are many 'unenlightened' soul's that have none so I'm honestly unsure which side has more numbers at this time, humans or minifig's. I would expect that the minifig population is growing at a faster rate though.

That's true, I never considered a prisoner in jail in the same way as a mini-fig stuffed in a draw or down the back of a sofa before though! It was quite amusing though when I read it!!

[ziljin]

I want to know what the ratio of minifig to human is in madoka's house. (or houses, now, actually)

I get the feeling he is one of those top % minifigure owners. I mean most lego fans probably have like .00000001%. Madoka probably has like .000001%

[splatman]

Minifigs lost at sea... Are you talking about that big trashy floating island that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? First things first, ABS is denser than water, according to personal experience. I did not check whether it will sink in salt water, tho. If ABS is denser that ocean water, then you'll find lost minifigs at the bottom of the ocean, not among the flotsam.

I have a few years ago entertained the possibility of a shipment of LEGO sets, lying at the bottom of the Atlantic, having fallen overboard during a squall.

Deep Sea Diving Mission: Searching for a submarine sunken during the Cold War.

0800 local time. Sub crew: "All systems go. Taking her down. Periscope under."

0927 Sub reaches ocean bottom.

0932 Sub crew calls captain on surface: "Captain, We've spotted a box-like object. Moving in closer to check it out."

0934 "We've got a better look at the object. It's pretty clear it's a cargo container. We've marked the location, so we can come back to it later."

1614 "We have not found the sunken sub yet." Captain: "We'll search in the other rumored location tomorrow." Sub crew: "On our way to checking out the container again."

1645 "Captain, do you think we could haul the container to the surface?" Captain studies images of container sent to him. "Let's give it a go." Sub crew uses the sub's mechanical arms to tie ropes around the container and attach inflatable buoys.

1812 "Captain, We're ready to float the container. The buoys are being inflated"

1837 "The container is lifting off. Following it to the surface."

2010 "Captain, we are halfway to the surface. Container is holding up good."

2352 Captain sees sub break surface. and calls "I see you. Deck hands are preparing cranes"

2358 Sub crew calls "Towing container into position" Deck hands lift container onto ship's deck. Sub is lifted and docked on ship.

2421 "So, what's in the container?" Deck hand attempts to open container. "This thing's sure is rusted shut. Where's the saw?" Another deckhand brings an electric saw. Zing zing, saw slices thru the rusted steel. Door swings open; thousands of blue, gray and transparent yellow bits of plastic, as well as gobs of dissolved cardboard and paper, spills out across the ship's deck, illuminated by the ship's floodlights. "Is there anyone onboard that can identify these plastic bits?" An engine crew man comes on deck, sees the mess, picks up some of the colorful plastic pieces. "They're clearly made by a Danish toymaker." Engine man has a flashback to his childhood, when he was swooshing his Galaxy Explorer around the house on Christmas morning, also remembering that set was unavailable during the summer before...

[Mythos]

With the advent of the CMF's we have come to believe that minifigs truly outnumber humans, question is by how much, from one extreme of people who do not own 1 minifig to the other end of the extreme like my husband who owns thousands upon thousands of minifigs, we would be hard pressed to figure out the number of minifigs vs. humans.

[Artifex]

Minifigs keep producing... but never die...

Oh, my!