The pfm Lego Investment Challenge

[Tony L]

I fear that a lot of this stuff is appreciating while our generation is around and relatively affluent. The next generation are likely to care less for it. Of course, once your dead, it doesn't matter.

It is always hard to tell. I like to think I understand the record market pretty well, but even there some old music falls off the bottom (e.g. rock ‘n’ roll) as its initial buyers die but other forms (e.g. jazz) continue to fly upwards reaching new young audiences that we’re even alive at the time (I wasn’t for much of it).

Hi-fi is interesting too as the real classic kit (idler decks, valve amps, huge horn speakers etc) is again before my time. I couldn’t have bought the system I have in the front room as I’d have been about three to six when much was current. The Leak TL-12 Plus amps upstairs are about five years older than me. As such this isn’t a nostalgia, it is an interest in a specific golden age of audio design that has stood the test of time. Same arguments for a 57 Strat, Les Paul or an original Arp 2600, VCS3 or whatever. Some stuff just transcends its generation.

My thinking with Lego sets is any nostalgia market for sets just has to be way younger than me as it was pretty much just bricks in my day. That means a lot of kids who desperately wanted say the new Bowser, Harry Potter or whatever but parents said no could be a prime customer in 15-20 years time.

PS I wonder at what point JKR becomes such an outspoken TERF that the diverse and tolerant Lego back away. Her latest book sounds awful.

 

[James]

I also only buy kits I like; I shouldn't really be here as I'm not really a Lego 'investor' but it's the only Lego thread here so here I am..!

I still love the fun of it. With thoughts of a move I've not built anything for quite a while - I'm trying to de-clutter the look of the place, not add to it! - but I might pack up the Lunar Lander and a pop the Hubble on its stand atop the Shuttle (it's on its own stand at the mo) which I think will make enough room for the Grand Piano. That will make a fantastic display piece. Will muck up the 'space theme' though!

Aside from space (arf!), the other problem with displaying built sets is fading or discoloration. It is why my built sets are hidden in a walk-in wardrobe with doors to keep the light out, or in my music room where the curtains are permanently closed.

That being said, I very much enjoy building Lego, and still have a big bucket of loose bricks that I'd tip out and make stuff up as the mood grabs me.

 

[gintonic]

as kids my brother and i never had a great deal of lego, but had a massive stash of meccano. I also had a huge amount of completed airfix kits

I used to use lego mindstorms in my teaching.

We only recently got into lego and my wife asked for some, to keep her out of mischief when recovering from a reasonably minor but exceptionally painful surgical procedure.

We only buy sets we like, and can display. We have no interest in the potential investment.

 

[Brian]

That’s where I’m at. I just build them.

 

[Tony L]

Some really nice new Ideas shortlists (Lego). I like the Sea Turtle, Walkman, modular buildings Art Gallery and University and the Thomas The Tank Engine absolutely nails the form. Some very well executed ideas that could be highly collectable if they get support and licensing.

 

[gintonic]

Finished Saturn V (and partially completed typewriter)



20220923_083922 by uh_simon, on Flickr


this arrived today

20220923_084006 by uh_simon, on Flickr

 

[Tony L]

Just taken a punt on the Nintendo NES set to offset some of my Kwasi Kwamageddon Sterling losses. There’s a very nice freebie at Lego.com at present; 40578 Sandwich Shop, for the Modular City range. It looks really good with a couple of mini-figures including a bicycle delivery guy, I reckon it could go up in value a lot.

 

[gintonic]

There’s a very nice freebie at Lego.com at present; 40578 Sandwich Shop

last months freebie was something to do with pirates....Got it with the Saturn V (or maybe the typewriter) - gave it to the son of my colleague

 

[Tony L]

Yes, I got one of those with the Atari 2600. Not the best freebie IMO. I have sufficiently high hopes for the 40578 Sandwich Shop that I’ll do a fair bit of investing over the next few days to get a couple more. The City is a collectable range and to my knowledge this is the first time an item from that range has been offered as a freebie. It looks good too. I bet these are worth a few quid within a few years. I’ve just got another with the Sesame St box, which again I suspect will do well.

I’ll have the Jazz band at some point too, but that is new so no rush there. Need to think as the Sterling collapse will inevitably have Lego.com sticking their prices up at some point, so it may make sense to do some bulk-buying now.

 

[Tony L]

Superb stop-motion build of the Mario NES set. A complex build with a lot to it.

 

[gintonic]

moon lander

20221001_144624 by uh_simon, on Flickr

 

[Tony L]

This is rather cool!

PS I’m getting the impression Speed Champions is a really good range to invest in, certainly some of my best performers percentage-wise have been here (I have some of the F1 stuff) and Brick Economy suggests they are a good punt too. I’ve bought a few. Cheap and easy to ship too, not that I’ve got to the selling phase yet.

 

[James]

... I’m getting the impression Speed Champions is a really good range to invest in, certainly some of my best performers percentage-wise have been here (I have some of the F1 stuff) and Brick Economy suggests they are a good punt too. I’ve bought a few. Cheap and easy to ship too, not that I’ve got to the selling phase yet.

The six-stud wide original series are the ones to have. I have all bar two of the singles in MISB condition. The two remaining ones I have as built sets, and trying to find MISB ones to complete my collection is getting more expensive as time rolls on.

The eight-stud series are also awesome. Again, I have them all - but this time buying two each. One to build and admire, the other to invest. They don't take up much space or hurt the wallet as much, and their ROI is certainly attractive.

 

[windhoek]

I just realised that the Extreme Jag from this twin set has rake! None of my Speed Champions cars have rake, but this one, intended for dessert racing and what not, has actual rake.

EDIT False alarm. My Nissan GT-R Nismo (76896) has rake as does my City Police Car
(60239). I thought I'd ended up with a rarity but perhaps it's not so rare after all.

 

[Tony L]

The six-stud wide original series are the ones to have.

I’ve got 75913 F14 T Scuderia Ferrari, and 75911 Mclaren Mercedes Pit Stop, both of which have shown significant growth. Percentage wise up there with my best.

FWIW I think the new 8 stud range are superb. In most cases far better representations of the various cars than the far more expensive Creator or Technic ranges. I really like them (I’ve watched a few builds/reviews on YouTube) and suspect they will do very well collector-wise once deleted.

I’ve bought the following:

76910 Aston Martin Vantage
76909 Mercedes AMG F1 W12 & Project One
76911 007 Aston Martin DB5 x3
76906 1970 Ferrari 512M
76908 Lamborghini Countach x4
76907 Lotus Evija
76900 Koenigsegg Jesko
76903 Speed Champions Chevrolet Corvette C8.R Race Car and 1969 CC Racing Model


A few via Lego.com to use some VIP points and grab some freebies, some discounted via Amazon, e.g. the Countach is only £12.00 (link)! I don’t see how it is possible to lose on that over say 5 years once it is long deleted. It is a superb model, the way they modelled the back is just so clever, captures the line perfectly.

Another thing I like about these is the boxes aren’t huge so I won’t need to buy expensive packaging when the time to sell comes. I’ve always got this size of box knocking around. Shipping something like a UCS Star Wars or Modular Building is a whole other thing and will involve costs (once I’ve run out of the Lego.com packaging I’ve retained).

 

[Marchbanks]

…some discounted via Amazon, e.g. the Countach is only £12.00 (link)!

That didn’t last long - now back to £16!

76906 1970 Ferrari 512M
76908 Lamborghini Countach x4
76907 Lotus Evija

These are all £16 @Tesco, if you have a Clubcard. At least you can pick the pristine boxes straight off the shelf!

Lego Marchbanks is very fond of his Speed Champions Senna McLaren even though Lego forgot to put the wheel trims in the box, resulting in someone being ordered to buy them separately. I drew the line at putting them on myself.

 

[gintonic]

lego Halloween cat

20221021_122208 by uh_simon, on Flickr

 

[gintonic]

and now some freestyle Halloween stuff from my freebie VIP Spooky Halloween addon

20221021_160949 by uh_simon, on Flickr

20221021_161132 by uh_simon, on Flickr

 

[Funk]

Technic BMW M1000 RR is down from £215 to £135 at Smyths at the moment - £80 off.

Lambo Sian was actually down to £240 the other day at Smyths but is currently at £263 on Amazon - £127 off.

UCS Star Destroyer has gone 'sold out' (rather than 'out of stock') on the Lego site which probably means it's about to retire. It'll be one that jumps in value as soon as that happens I reckon. You can still get it at John Lewis at the moment for £554 with the code 'LEGOOFFER' if you want to nab one...

Spoiler

If anyone's interested, here's a link to my collection: https://www.brickeconomy.com/member/SuperPaleCryptor

 

[Funk]

Land Rover Defender down from £175 to £108 if you use the £12 voucher: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07P2GQDQ6/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21