Are LEGO 2011 sets' values increasing?

[Alexgri]

Hi all,

I was wondering if lego sets values of:

-lego 10211 Emporium

-Lego 10197 Fire Brigade

are increasing this year. Lego doesn't produce this sets anymore, does it?

How much do you think that their price will increase by the end of 2012?

Thanks!

[Big Cam]

I can't give you a definite amount, but I can guarantee the modular sets will go up in value once they are out of production, history has shown that with past modular sets, especially if still sealed.

[fyrmedhatt]

Hi all,

I was wondering if lego sets values of:

-lego 10211 Emporium

-Lego 10197 Fire Brigade

are increasing this year. Lego doesn't produce this sets anymore, does it?

How much do you think that their price will increase by the end of 2012?

Thanks!

The Fire Brigade is still available, but will most likely disappear soon, and when it does prices will most likely increase quite a bit, though not nearly as astronomical as the Cafe Corner or Market Street, and probably not as much as the Green Grocer. Many more people have been buying this set with hopes of selling it when it's discontinued, but our hobby is growing rapidly and people will want to complete their modular lines as best they can when they get the new ones.

I don't see the Grand Emporium to discontinue until at least the end of the year, it's included in the art for the new Town Hall. When that set goes, I'd say it will increase in value as well, but be aware that it will probably be 1.5-2 years before we see any significant appreciation.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

An idea of the price increase: the 10194 Emerald Night, originally $99.99, discontinued a few weeks ago. It is now averaging close to $150 on eBay but, like 'fyrmedhatt' said, many have bought small, or large arsenals of these sets. It may eventually reach much higher prices but, take a longer time for supplies to run down. Still it is more or less of a guarantee jump

[Alexgri]

Thank for your answers, do you think is worth buying a set now and try to resell it in one year?

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Thank for your answers, do you think is worth buying a set now and try to resell it in one year?

I took that gamble, as have many others. It wouldn't hurt to get an extra or two. TLG get's their product off the shelf and you help someone new to the hobby get a set they missed... Win Win Win? I think

[Nikola Bathory]

I think that more time must pass for sets to increase their value. And of course, once a set gets discontinued, it's value will increase.

So, the Emerald Night "discontinued a few weeks ago"? Is this confirmed? Fortunately, I have this set.

[Alexgri]

Thanks all!

Do you think is better to buy LEGO 10219 MAERSK TRAIN or LEGO 10211 GRAND EMPORIUM and try to resell it in the future? (I can buy one of them only)

Thanks :)

[fyrmedhatt]

Thanks all!

Do you think is better to buy LEGO 10219 MAERSK TRAIN or LEGO 10211 GRAND EMPORIUM and try to resell it in the future? (I can buy one of them only)

Thanks :)

Great question! This is a tricky choice, and I don't think you can go wrong with either one of those.

The reasons to buy the Mearsk Train is the parts, many of which may not be seen in a very long time once the set retires due to the unique Maersk blue color of the set. Old Maersk blue parts have gone for over $100 each in the past, and the old Maersk sets usually cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars for that reason. Now combine that with a great train design that fits with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Super Chief and you have a investment object that is about as sure a winner as you can get.

The Grand Emporium is also a great design that has some rare parts (not as many as the Maersk train) and extremely high collectibility. All the Modulars have increased in price, and there is not any reason why this one won't, although I expect a lot of people will pick up some extra copies for resale, meaning that it probably won't increase in price like the Cafe Corner and Market Street has done.

Personally, strictly from an investment standpoint, I'd say the Maersk Train, although if you decide you like the GE better and buy that set you are not going to lose money either.

[AndyC]

Thanks all!

Do you think is better to buy LEGO 10219 MAERSK TRAIN or LEGO 10211 GRAND EMPORIUM and try to resell it in the future? (I can buy one of them only)

Thanks :)

Which one would you rather keep if the value doesn't go up? There's every chance that either could gain value, but it's always wiser if you invest only in sets you would be happy to keep, unless you can afford to lose out should you have to sell at a loss.

[Alexgri]

Thanks, no idea I love both :)

And what do you think about lego 10194 - Emerald Dream? Do you think that someone will buy it for more than 180€ in the future?

[LEGO Guy Bri]

I think that more time must pass for sets to increase their value. And of course, once a set gets discontinued, it's value will increase.

So, the Emerald Night "discontinued a few weeks ago"? Is this confirmed? Fortunately, I have this set.

It is confirmed in the U.S. for sure. Quite possibly everywhere on S@H, it's run it's coarse

Thanks, no idea I love both :)

And what do you think about lego 10194 - Emerald Dream? Do you think that someone will buy it for more than 180€ in the future?

With people having paid over $1000 for the Cafe Corner or Market Street, I would say yes. It does run a good risk of being difficult, many have stocked up. You can look at BNSF and Santa Fe trains selling for a couple times there worth. It's just a waiting game. Just keep an eye of the price trends on eBay, Bricklink, and other online stores. Exclusive trains like those have all gone up pretty good. Maybe with the exception of the Hobby Train. That didn't seem to do as well as the others. I'm sure the E.N. and the Maersk will

[Alexgri]

So do you think that spending 130€ buying Emerald Dream worth?

Thanks!

[fyrmedhatt]

So do you think that spending 130€ buying Emerald Dream worth?

Thanks!

Why are you buying the set? Are you buying to later sell it, or are you buying it to build it yourself?

If it's the latter, I'd say go for it, because it will increase in price.

However, if you're buying to sell I'd rethink it, as there are normally priced sets with a higher earnings potential than this set that has already appreciated significantly in price. If a lot of people are buying aftermarket sets at amounts that are a lot higher than MSRP, it could lead to a bubble in prices.

[Yatkuu]

I don't mean to be harsh or start a debate but am I the only one to find this topic a little disturbing? I mean, I'm fine that some people see LEGO as a way to make profit, that's not my cup of tea but I can totally understand why somebody would want to do it. It's just that I think this discussion is pushing it a bit too far IMO - the topic title is a little misleading in that sense because the question that is being repetively asked here is "which set should I buy to maximize my return on investment". I believe there is a section for trades buy/sell.. wouldn't it be more appropriate to move the topic there?

[ub40]

I don't mean to be harsh or start a debate but am I the only one to find this topic a little disturbing? I mean, I'm fine that some people see LEGO as a way to make profit, that's not my cup of tea but I can totally understand why somebody would want to do it. It's just that I think this discussion is pushing it a bit too far IMO - the topic title is a little misleading in that sense because the question that is being repetively asked here is "which set should I buy to maximize my return on investment". I believe there is a section for trades buy/sell.. wouldn't it be more appropriate to move the topic there?

Lego should be a hobby and not an investors. It is not fair for an investor to stack up, thereby creating demand and the inflating prices for future new collectors.

I just became an AFOL a few days ago and have already spent a huge amount of money buying sets such as the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, Cafe Corner and other modular houses. I don't think it is fair.

[L@go]

I just became an AFOL a few days ago and have already spent a huge amount of money buying sets such as the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, Cafe Corner and other modular houses. I don't think it is fair.

Personally I'm a bit fed up with all the people who don't think it's fair that older sets increase in value. It's how the market works - deal with it. If you can't afford these sets, too bad. Unfair is the wrong word - a better one is probably unlucky. You were unlucky not to be interested in or aware of these sets at the time when they were easily available for anybody. You're late to the party, and it's hardly the collectors' or the investors' fault.

Another point is that sets like 3450 Statue of Liberty and 10182 Café Corner have turned out to be much more popular after they were retired than they were when they were still in production - which means that it's not that likely that there was a whole lot of speculators who bought stacks of these with the purpose of making a lot of money. Now, I've got a Café Corner on my shelf. If I decide to sell that, by the reasoning of the people who are complaining that "it's not fair", I shouldn't charge what the market is now willing to pay - I should sell it cheaply so that they could enjoy it instead?

I'll give you an example: The Bugatti Type 41 (Royale) Kellner Coupé was built at some point between 1927 and 1933. In 1950, it was sold to Briggs Cunningham for around $3000. In 1987, it changed hands for $8,700,000. If somebody was to walk up to the seller, suggesting that he sell it for $3000, "because I wasn't around when it was new and I think it's unfair that the price has increased to much," that would be considered ridiculous.

My two cents, anyway, and points to take into consideration when somebody's whining about increasing second-hand prices. There, it's out of my system!

And ub40: I'm not attacking you personally. Your post was just a very convenient opportunity to express my opinion. You're of course entitled to your own - but as you can see, I disagree :)

EDIT: I'm not in favour of stacking up on sets to make money. I just don't like the notion that it's unfair to sell sets at their market value.

EDIT2: Grammar.

Edited February 4, 2012 by L@go

[Vindicare]

I'm really on the fence here. While I don't have an issue with people selling old sets for a profit, it's just when they get ridiculous with them. $1K + prices for anything LEGO seems insane. People who hoard sets just to sell later I'm also on the fence about. If people didn't do that, people coming out of their DA wouldn't have a chance to own them. I guess what my quip with reselling is, price.

Granted, I don't sell LEGO, but, I do buy some off eBay from time to time. I kind of see this price gauging to be a lousy way of taking advantage of people. Like L@go said, I don't like hearing someone complain because they missed out on this or that set. Everyone has, and will continue to do so. It's the same in any hobby. Calling it unlucky as opposed to unfair is brilliant. That's just the way it goes.

[Henchmen4Hire]

The solution to all issues raised is everyone needs to stop being an asswipe and just buy what you need. No one is entitled to anything of course, and everyone has a right to be a jerk, but it'd be nice to see a goddamn Batman set on the shelves or Star Wars set with the figures still in the box every once in a while.

I don't have a problem with small stores buying up all the sets at TRU then reselling them for more because they can't always just buy wholesale from TLG. For example, last I heard Hasbro has a thing where they don't sell wholesale to small shops unless they also buy a ton of other crap like board and card games no one buys. So, not surprisingly, you have small shop owners snagging all the sought after merchandise at major toy stores to resell at their own store at much higher prices to make some profit.

[L@go]

The solution to all issues raised is everyone needs to stop being an asswipe and just buy what you need. No one is entitled to anything of course, and everyone has a right to be a jerk, but it'd be nice to see a goddamn Batman set on the shelves or Star Wars set with the figures still in the box every once in a while.

So, by your definition, if you buy more than one set, to keep one and maybe sell one later, you are an "asswipe" and a jerk? Although I agree with the basic principle, I think that's a pretty harsh way to put it.

[Henchmen4Hire]

I didn't define anything, I just said pricks need to stop being pricks. :)

That's fine if someone needs more than 1 of something (a thousand Space Police officers, a hundred X-Wings) for their displays. Even if they want 100 Batwings or 100 Catwoman sets for their display, that's fine by me because they're using them all and enjoying them. Maybe down the road they want to sell a few to make room or buy other sets, and if someone wants to give them 10 times the set's actual price, that's fine too.

What bothers me is the person who buys items specifically so other people can't have them so later everyone else has to go to them and pay an outrageous price for the items.

Imagine I bought all the oil-wells in the world and said no one can have this oil unless you pay me $50,000 a barrel? I would be murdered outright.

Even though it's comparing toys to the life blood of industry, it takes the same kind of jerk to pull a stunt like that.

When I see the guy at TRU feeling all the bags to snag every single Dwarf he can get, I don't assume he's a jerk, I ask if he's army-building, which is cool. If he says "yes", I might even help as I look for the figs I want. If he says "no, I'm going to resell these on bricklink for $10 more" I take the appropriate action which is smack the back of his knees so he falls to the ground and bash his nose in with a a box of Ring-Pops. Doesn't everyone do that!?

[woolie]

But it's not the same at all. It's not an exclusive lock on a resource or limited edition. Lego will produce the sets until they stop selling. If I buy 100 of a set to keep as an investment, Lego will say great! and then produce 100 more. And those high secondary market prices are determined solely by what people are willing to actually pay for something that is a discretionary luxury at the end of the day.

Do I want to pay 500+ usd for a used Green Grocer, or a 300+ for a used Metroliner? No, not really. Will I? Not sure... ask me In December :P

I just became an AFOL a few days ago and have already spent a huge amount of money buying sets such as the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, Cafe Corner and other modular houses. I don't think it is fair.

If you can afford all those, you should understand how markets work and be careful about the word "fair." How else would you acquire them? Or just go without and cry about the angst.

Edited February 5, 2012 by woolie

[Edmond Dantes]

What bothers me is the person who buys items specifically so other people can't have them so later everyone else has to go to them and pay an outrageous price for the items.

This is not possible with Lego and it really bugs me when people suggest this is actually what's happening. With all the Lego outlets available, no one has the time or energy to constantly buy every copy of specific sets at every location (not to mention Lego Stores or S@H).

While some do hoard, extremes such as above just aren't possible.

Secondary market prices are merely supply and demand. Lego is much more popular now than it was even a few years ago (more and more AFOLs, better products, more licensed themes, etc). I'm not saying Lego should be more popular due to this, only that in reality, it is. Thus the older sets command higher prices, especially if they were limited runs or top notch sets (Market Street, Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Cafe Corner, even Green Grocer spring immediately to mind).

Edited February 5, 2012 by Edmond Dantes

[AndyC]

Another thing, that often gets overlooked, is that the more people go out and hoard such sets for future sale, the less their resale value will actually be. Demand and supply controls pricing in the secondary market and a much larger supply of secondaries will drive prices down. And, of course, if nobody ever did this buying sets that have gone out of production would be extremely difficult if not impossible.

The only thing that bugs me about it is when someone swoops in and buys all the copies of a set that have gone on sale, with the intention of selling on, before others get a chance to pick them up. And that's mostly because sales were often my best chance of affording a set as a kid. Can't really blame anyone for doing that though, I'd probably be tempted myself if I had the cash (although I might use the pieces rather than sell on).

[Trent]

The only thing that bugs me about it is when someone swoops in and buys all the copies of a set that have gone on sale, with the intention of selling on, before others get a chance to pick them up. And that's mostly because sales were often my best chance of affording a set as a kid. Can't really blame anyone for doing that though, I'd probably be tempted myself if I had the cash (although I might use the pieces rather than sell on).

Yes, this is the real thing that seems to wind people up (me included). It doesn't only happen with Lego, but it's saddening when you see someone swooping in on cheap sets with the sole intention of making a profit, when you've got other fans/children who don't have as much disposable income who would like to build it and weren't planning to flip it on eBay for over RRP. If you see an entire shelf of Lego that's on sale, you don't need all 50 boxes - you could leave some for other people to get a bargain too.

When something isn't finite - i.e. S@H are selling it as part of its standard run, then you can go crazy...I don't see any problem in stocking up if that's what you want to do.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Trent