AFOL SF Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 ...hello everyone... now and then, I would come across sets that command high prices on the secondary market (same sets are already discontinued by TLC)... my curiosity is aroused whenever I see such a set... is it because of a special part, a rare minifig, etc-etc?... for example: 7890 - City Ambulance released in 2006, selling for over $125 on Amazon.Com? An open and used one is selling for almost $50 on eBay?... how come? What other sets have you encountered (or know) that demands such a high price and the reason behind it... please post it here... Moderators - if there is already an existing topic, please merge... thank you all... Quote
prateek Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 eBay and Amazon prices for discontinued sets are notoriously inflated. Just try Bricklink. The prices there are quite reasonable Quote
crossmr Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 That's nothing, apparently the only one I can find for sale in Korea is $185 give or take http://itempage3.auction.co.kr/DetailView.aspx?ItemNo=A573768892&frm3=V2 haha... Quote
LEGO Guy Bri Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 7890 - City Ambulance released in 2006, selling for over $125 on Amazon.Com? An open and used one is selling for almost $50 on eBay?... how come? The price of this will probably drop after the new one comes out in 2012. I believe it inflated because TLG doesn't release ambulances, hospitals, etc as often as police and fire. I managed to get a couple of those from eBay but, I paid about $20-$26 for each. Some sets just seem to take off a year or so after they are discontinued. Just look up Market Street or Cafe Corner Quote
Toadtorrent Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 Just look up Market Street or Cafe Corner I know with the Cafe Corner part of the price hike is that it is difficult to make on your own without buying the set as the dark red slope 75 roof pieces used to only be found in the one kit and needed 36 of them...so if you look at BL prices for this piece, they are >$1.50 and can cost much more because of the exclusive source of this one. HOWEVER, the Pet Shop now uses this piece in the new version of dark red, so the pricing for this piece should come down...but it hasn't unless you know how to access direct sources for the parts. Other things like dark green curved slopes from the Emerald Knight, or minifigs that were only released once become rare and can drive the price up. It's a crazy thing the collector mentality, which can drive prices up to crazy proportions for minimal rhyme or reason! Quote
ScaryScarecrow Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 Look at anything Batman related. Even with the Superhereos line coming, they are still selling at absurd prices, bricklink too. I'm going to assume they'll still sell for tons when it comes out, too. It'll be vintage batman or something. Quote
LEGO Guy Bri Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 ... the Pet Shop now uses this piece in the new version of dark red, so the pricing for this piece should come down...but it hasn't unless you know how to access direct sources for the parts. Other things like dark green curved slopes from the Emerald Knight, or minifigs that were only released once become rare and can drive the price up. Does Lego S&H not have those EN slopes and the dark red slopes for the CC in PaB? ... And I too have seen outrageous prices on Batman... I wanted to get a Batman minifig for this Tumbler I received from a friend a while back but, not for $15+ Sooo glad I just collect city Quote
1980-Something-Space-Guy Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 That's nothing, apparently the only one I can find for sale in Korea is $185 give or take http://itempage3.auction.co.kr/DetailView.aspx?ItemNo=A573768892&frm3=V2 haha... When I bought this set I had no idea that somebody would ever sell it at that price. I don't think it is worth that much, though. It's a nice set, but it's certainly not worth over $40 (and that would be a high price tag). Quote
Toadtorrent Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 Does Lego S&H not have those EN slopes and the dark red slopes for the CC in PaB? Not in dark red...hence the $1.61 quantity average price on BL. Quote
Legoist Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 (edited) ...hello everyone... now and then, I would come across sets that command high prices on the secondary market (same sets are already discontinued by TLC)... my curiosity is aroused whenever I see such a set... is it because of a special part, a rare minifig, etc-etc?... for example: 7890 - City Ambulance released in 2006, selling for over $125 on Amazon.Com? An open and used one is selling for almost $50 on eBay?... how come? What other sets have you encountered (or know) that demands such a high price and the reason behind it... please post it here... Moderators - if there is already an existing topic, please merge... thank you all... Personally I think this makes sense only for sets belonging to a theme that is highly collectable, such as Star Wars. Other themes with lots of people actually collecting sets of the past could be Modular Buildings, Trains, Pirates ships, Harry Potter and maybe some of the older Space themes. Collectors often develop a real addiction, and if they have a good income they can easily start to shell out ridiculous money for the sets they're missing. There is always someone who started collecting recently and is looking backwards in time to extend his collection to older sets, and is fine with buying a few of them overpriced. On the other hand, sets like the ambulance you mention really make no sense. I don't think City is very much a collectable theme, it doesn't have the same strong flavor as other themes, it has way too many sets and way too many re-releases of the same concepts to make City sets really collectable in a "completist" way i.e. feeling the real need to get what you don't have. No one in his sane mind would spend so much on a small set with the intention of simply owning/using the set. First, I would check if those sets are really sold at all, of if it's just wishful thinking by the seller that doesn't really end in an actual sale. At least I know that there are for instance sellers on BrickLink who put some sets on sale with no intention to sell them, only to "show off" they have that set, and stick an impossible price to them thinking "I'm never going to give this set away, unless someone is so stupid to give me 10 times its value". If it really ends up in a successful sale, I have no other possible explanations than these: - the buyer is really rich and can throw away his money any time - the buyer is a poor child using his poor dad's computer and getting fooled because he doesn't really know the value of money yet - the buyer is attempting a fraud and has no intention on paying - the buyer is gambling on re-selling at inflated price, a very risky idea if you ask me... - buyer and seller know each other and are doing some shady tactic (e.g. moneylaundering) Edited November 8, 2011 by Legoist Quote
LEGO Guy Bri Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 Not in dark red...hence the $1.61 quantity average price on BL. That's too bad. I guess it will stay as "pocket burn pieces". I wonder why it isn't available at PaB? Is it the fact it's only used in one set? On the other hand, sets like the ambulance you mention really make no sense. I don't think City is very much a collectable theme, it doesn't have the same strong flavor as other themes, it has way too many sets and way too many re-releases of the same concepts to make City sets really collectable in a "completist" way i.e. feeling the real need to get what you don't have. No one in his sane mind would spend so much on a small set with the intention of simply owning/using the set. Granted, City doesn't offer as many collectable sets as movie/comic themes but, they do put out a few sets with potential each year (Sante Fe's, anything Maersk, Mail Van, etc). Same thing goes with other themes. I know Boba's original Slave I hasn't done nearly as well as on resale as Jango's. I am one of those crazy city only freaks but, as far as "completing"; its next to impossible. There are way to many older sets and way to many outrageous prices. I very seldom pay up to, never over 50% markup. Maybe once a year and only on a set originally under $50. I average paying 0-23% markup prices overall to keep this addiction going Quote
Legoist Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 Granted, City doesn't offer as many collectable sets as movie/comic themes but, they do put out a few sets with potential each year (Sante Fe's, anything Maersk, Mail Van, etc). That's because they're not exactly "City" (except the Mail Van... what's so special about it?) Of course, Exclusives are another thing entirely when it gets to collecting, and they are almost always really good-looking sets with special parts or colours. Quote
LEGO Guy Bri Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 That's because they're not exactly "City" (except the Mail Van... what's so special about it?) Of course, Exclusives are another thing entirely when it gets to collecting, and they are almost always really good-looking sets with special parts or colours. I knew that was coming as soon as I hit "add reply"... Should have found better examples . I automatically associated those sets (Maersk, SF) with city. Those were bad, not, proper examples. I suppose better examples come from the airport or hospital. I see 7734 Cargo Plane and 7890/6666 Ambulance demand quite high prices over their original Quote
fyrmedhatt Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 Civilian Lego City always has potential, especially if it's well designed. Lego City is full of fire and police sets, anything that is not part of those subthemes may not be seen again for years or even decades, and thus increases in value as new city builders need to fill their cities with those things that normally fill real-life cities. That was surely the case of the ambulance, it was the first one released in many years, and the only one that actually fits with modern six-wide vehicles, of course now the price will decrease as we have the great new city ambulance as people have already said. Supply and demand is the driving force behind these prices, and the high prices is usually from that sets are wanted by lots of people. I often feel it's too bad other people like the same sets as me! Quote
Nobleman Posted December 12, 2011 Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) 852293-1: Castle Giant Chess Set Now that is one expensive set. I read it was for 200$ from LEGO shop, now it costs 700-1000$ (ebay, amazon, some other shops) and it's not on Bricklink. I wish my dark age ended earlier. I would have bought it in a heartbeat. I guess it's so expensive now because of low set number, pieces, and of course a classy item to have regarless you are into lego or not. Most of buyers probably will keep this for themselves. Edited December 12, 2011 by Nobleman Quote
hometown_unicorn Posted December 12, 2011 Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) Funny I spotted this thread today. Yesterday I saw LEGO 10179 - ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S MILLENNIUM FALCON on ebay. When I looked it up on amazon £2,199 plus postage! Edited December 12, 2011 by hometown_unicorn Quote
Piranha Posted December 12, 2011 Posted December 12, 2011 I would say mostly large sets with hard to find labels sold on line or only at the LEGO store and also sets targeted for AFOL. Because they have high piece counts for usually a good price, great designing and all have limited runs of 2 years or so. Quote
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