LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 20. Rumors and discussion

[tafkatb]

So, I bought five CMFs through S@H, and they arrived yesterday - I actually got my top two most wanted from the series, the 80s Musician and Breakdancer! Also got two "meh" figures, the Viking and the similar-to-but-legally-distinct-from-a Power Ranger, and the Pajama Girl, which I wouldn't have sought out myself but my wife really likes, so she's going into her collection.

[Clone OPatra]

11 hours ago, tafkatb said:

Also got two "meh" figures, the Viking and the similar-to-but-legally-distinct-from-a Power Ranger, and the Pajama Girl, which I wouldn't have sought out myself but my wife really likes, so she's going into her collection.

Just goes to show how different people's tastes can be - the Viking and Pajama Girl are the only two I really want from this series (though I still haven't gone out shopping to get them), and the 80s musician is tied with the Diver for my most meh of the bunch!

[koalayummies]

That's indicative of TLGs market research; that none of the figures in any of the series are really risky as previously suggested. Some will like these, some will like those, but there's usually something for everyone.

Risky would be making a Kim Jong Un or WestBoro Baptist Church member figure.

[leafan]

On 6/9/2020 at 10:52 AM, Anonknee Muss said:

I’ve said it before and I will say it again and many more times I’m sure. The price of CMFs is justified. The first series had only printing on the front of the head (maybe back of the head too) and the front torso. Now we have front and back head printing on most minifigures, front and back printing on torsos, side arm printing, leg printing and some times side leg printing as well as dual moulded arms and legs whenever possible/appropriate. We also get more accessories; in the first series, the minfigure with the most pieces was made up of 7 pieces. In Series 20, the minifigure with the most has 13 pieces. So not only quality gone up but also quantity. Absolute bargain.

Absolute bargain? Are you sure about that?

I understand your reasoning and although I disagree, I can see where you're coming from; but looking at what you get for (£3.50 in the UK) it isn't an "absolute bargain".

Anecdotally, my non-Lego friends were shocked at even the previous price of £3 for what they called "a bit of plastic". Objectively, 1 minifigure, regardless of how well it's printed, is not worth £3.50 when you can get Lego Star Wars Mandalorian Battle Pack with 4 figures and two mini-builds for £12.99 retail (and I only paid £9.99 shortly after release). Not even including the mini-builds, that's 3.25 per figure.

Regarding the often mentioned justifications for an increase in price, how do we know the cost or value of that? Are people just guessing that how much a back-printing costs, for example? Re: the extra parts - nobody asked for those and people aren't buying them for those parts, so TLG could ditch them and only people here would complain; not your average buyer.

[Karalora]

It occurs to me that minifigs built in the BAM station work out to $3.33 apiece in the U.S., and I imagine it's probably comparable in other countries. This wouldn't be very meaningful if all there was in the BAM station was overstock of existing parts like there used to be, but now that we're getting exclusive parts, sometimes in matching sets that are clearly meant to evoke CMF-style characters, it seems pretty weird that it's less expensive. Especially since at the BAM station, you do get to pick exactly what you get.

What if what we're really paying for is the bag?

[leafan]

6 minutes ago, Karalora said:

It occurs to me that minifigs built in the BAM station work out to $3.33 apiece in the U.S., and I imagine it's probably comparable in other countries. This wouldn't be very meaningful if all there was in the BAM station was overstock of existing parts like there used to be, but now that we're getting exclusive parts, sometimes in matching sets that are clearly meant to evoke CMF-style characters, it seems pretty weird that it's less expensive. Especially since at the BAM station, you do get to pick exactly what you get.

What if what we're really paying for is the bag?

The 3-pack in the UK is £4.99 (or 4.95, can't remember), so that works out to 1.66 per minifigure.

[TeriXeri]

56 minutes ago, Karalora said:

It occurs to me that minifigs built in the BAM station work out to $3.33 apiece in the U.S., and I imagine it's probably comparable in other countries.

I believe it was €7 for 3 here at the beginning of 2020, which is cheaper then 3 blind bags for sure (€12)

Edited June 15, 2020 by TeriXeri

[Clone OPatra]

And here in Australia where there are only Certified Stores and not LEGO-owned stores, BAM is a whopping $20 AUD a pack as compared to $6 full retail price for a CMF, but some stores sell them for $5 from the get go. So CMF is a better value here for sure.

[Vindicare]

7 hours ago, Karalora said:

It occurs to me that minifigs built in the BAM station work out to $3.33 apiece in the U.S., and I imagine it's probably comparable in other countries. This wouldn't be very meaningful if all there was in the BAM station was overstock of existing parts like there used to be, but now that we're getting exclusive parts, sometimes in matching sets that are clearly meant to evoke CMF-style characters, it seems pretty weird that it's less expensive. Especially since at the BAM station, you do get to pick exactly what you get.

What if what we're really paying for is the bag?

Ssshhhhhhh...they might hear you & hike up the price. 

 

I wonder if card collectors, sports, Magic, Pokémon, gripe this much about their blind bags? 

[Anonknee Muss]

8 hours ago, leafan said:

Absolute bargain? Are you sure about that?

I understand your reasoning and although I disagree, I can see where you're coming from; but looking at what you get for (£3.50 in the UK) it isn't an "absolute bargain".

Anecdotally, my non-Lego friends were shocked at even the previous price of £3 for what they called "a bit of plastic". Objectively, 1 minifigure, regardless of how well it's printed, is not worth £3.50 when you can get Lego Star Wars Mandalorian Battle Pack with 4 figures and two mini-builds for £12.99 retail (and I only paid £9.99 shortly after release). Not even including the mini-builds, that's 3.25 per figure.

Regarding the often mentioned justifications for an increase in price, how do we know the cost or value of that? Are people just guessing that how much a back-printing costs, for example? Re: the extra parts - nobody asked for those and people aren't buying them for those parts, so TLG could ditch them and only people here would complain; not your average buyer.

But the Mandalorian included NO new parts. No arm printing, no dual moulded legs and no dual moulded arms. Plus the CMF get more accessories. A few basic bricks are easier to make that detailed accessories with prints. So yes it IS a bargain.

8 hours ago, Karalora said:

It occurs to me that minifigs built in the BAM station work out to $3.33 apiece in the U.S., and I imagine it's probably comparable in other countries. This wouldn't be very meaningful if all there was in the BAM station was overstock of existing parts like there used to be, but now that we're getting exclusive parts, sometimes in matching sets that are clearly meant to evoke CMF-style characters, it seems pretty weird that it's less expensive. Especially since at the BAM station, you do get to pick exactly what you get.

What if what we're really paying for is the bag?

No, with CMFs you get more accessories and a stand.

[leafan]

10 hours ago, Anonknee Muss said:

But the Mandalorian included NO new parts. No arm printing, no dual moulded legs and no dual moulded arms. Plus the CMF get more accessories. A few basic bricks are easier to make that detailed accessories with prints. So yes it IS a bargain.

No, with CMFs you get more accessories and a stand.

With the battle pack, you get 2 complete mini-builds plus some extras, They also all have cloth pieces and unique printing.

You list all of these extra things with the CMFs but didn't reply to my question about the price of these things. How much extra do they cost?

Also, "bargain", noun " a thing bought or offered for sale much more cheaply than is usual or expected". So what would you expect them to cost the buyer?

[Lucarex]

On 6/16/2020 at 7:40 AM, Anonknee Muss said:

But the Mandalorian included NO new parts. No arm printing, no dual moulded legs and no dual moulded arms. Plus the CMF get more accessories. A few basic bricks are easier to make that detailed accessories with prints. So yes it IS a bargain.

No, with CMFs you get more accessories and a stand.

A stand you say?! Well that definitely makes it a bargain!

Sorry for the sarcasm, but your use of the b-word is bound to raise hackles, particularly when recent subpar CMF series have seen creeping price rises. Personally, I think they've crossed the sweet spot "impulse buy" price threshold and like has already been mentioned, its better value to buy small sets instead.

That said, if they released minifigs of the quality of some of @Robert8 ideas (I really want that Nessie not a llama!), I'd happily pay a bit more.

Edited June 17, 2020 by Lucarex

[K_Tiger]

On 6/16/2020 at 1:19 AM, Vindicare said:

I wonder if card collectors, sports, Magic, Pokémon, gripe this much about their blind bags? 

M:tG boosters have been a known racket, practically since the beginning.

[MAB]

It's funny, people used to think that £1.99 was a lot for a single minifigure back in the early days of CMF. I used to wait until they were about £1.20 or below to purchase them. These days, if I can buy them for £1.75 or below, then I will (and most series will go to these prices). Otherwise I pass.

I remember buying Roman soldiers on ebay for £3-4 each thinking this is a lot for one figure. Whereas now, selling off just the shields  brings in double that.

[Robert8]

On 6/17/2020 at 5:39 AM, Lucarex said:

That said, if they released minifigs of the quality of some of @Robert8 ideas (I really want that Nessie not a llama!), I'd happily pay a bit more.

Thank you :)

[froggy95]

Found a brand new box hidden on a top shelf in Wal-Mart! $3.44 per pack!!! 

Almost made the mistake of thinking the Athlete was the Viking because the spear. Had to go through the entire box again to find all the Vikings. 

[Lucarex]

On 6/23/2020 at 3:41 AM, froggy95 said:

Found a brand new box hidden on a top shelf in Wal-Mart! $3.44 per pack!!! 

Almost made the mistake of thinking the Athlete was the Viking because the spear. Had to go through the entire box again to find all the Vikings. 

So you felt every single bag? Nice for other buyers. Was the distribution map not accurate or something? Vikings are all front row.

[General Magma]

What's up with the ridiculous pricing of the viking on BL? It can't be that rare already, can it, it only just released and it's already selling for the price of some retired CMFs, makes it difficult to gather even more than a few of them

[MAB]

59 minutes ago, General Magma said:

What's up with the ridiculous pricing of the viking on BL? It can't be that rare already, can it, it only just released and it's already selling for the price of some retired CMFs, makes it difficult to gather even more than a few of them

I think it is the anticipation that he will be valuable, since before the series was released. Everyone knows what happened to the value of other army building warriors, so the pricing of the viking has started high and remained there.

 

[1Panda]

On 6/22/2020 at 9:41 PM, froggy95 said:

Same.

so far I have seven or eight Vikings  .

and ten knights.

Edited June 30, 2020 by 1Panda

[froggy95]

19 hours ago, Lucarex said:

So you felt every single bag? Nice for other buyers. Was the distribution map not accurate or something? Vikings are all front row.

I did. Twice. Some of the bags were sitting on top. 

[Vindicare]

A glimmer of hope...I found a mostly full case on the end cap at Target tonight. I haven’t seen them since mid April. And I found the last three I wanted, plus a couple for a friend. It almost makes me less upset about the HP delay. Almost. 

[Gorilla94]

On 6/30/2020 at 2:35 PM, General Magma said:

What's up with the ridiculous pricing of the viking on BL? It can't be that rare already, can it, it only just released and it's already selling for the price of some retired CMFs, makes it difficult to gather even more than a few of them

I think it´s just combining everything, that increases the price.

- It is a incredible pretty historical figure

- you can use it for army builing (i wouldn´t want a clone army if they don´t wear uniforms, but i am maybe just to much of a perfectionist... There are mocs with 300 clone series 2 spartans, too. )

- it has an insane amount of usefull parts.

- It has the licence bonus because it is basicly a Rohirim from lord of the rings (and the dual moulded arms can be used to update Legolas).

- Corona limiting the possibility to feel for the bags in many places are great circumstances for every scalper who is able to hoard big amounts of vikings.

- On the other hand everyone can get these figures in Lego stores now, where employees feel the bags for you. But it is limited to one of each... So many children will get the cool wiking they want and army builders can only buy one.

 

[jonwil]

Here in Australia I have not seen any retailer (LEGO stores included) where feeling the bags was not an option. Some stores are insisting you use sanitizer beforehand but otherwise no issues here if I wanted to army build vikings (or any other fig :)

 

[Vindicare]

It looks like things are ramping up, both B&N & a local toy store have Series 20 for the first time.