The "brag" thread: Post your recent great finds!

Modeltrainman

Astrobricks said:

Now, time to add a room on to the house for it :)

Buying a house just for it probably isn't realistic?

Switchfoot55

@WesterBricks, all that fit into a Media Mailer too, huh? Impressive!

WesterBricks

He packed it in a big Home Depot moving box, bought a Media Mail label for it, and the PO printed it when they accepted the package.  The postal service didn't inspect it anywhere along the way, so it made it all the way here without extra postage due. Just one aspect of a slightly odd transaction.

lowlead

Modeltrainman said:

Astrobricks said:

Now, time to add a room on to the house for it :)

Buying a house just for it probably isn't realistic?

...for some, perhaps ;)

560Heliport

Maybe not quite what this thread is usually about, but: #60345 Farmers Market Van for $31.99! (RRP 44.99)
At Mills Fleet Farm. Their prices are RRP to 25% more, with no apparent pattern. 
This set is on sale, with a regular price of $39.99- the only set I saw with a regular price less than RRP.
IIRC, they have "sales" (10% off? 20%?) before Christmas... So you might be able to get a decent deal, if you know your LEGO RRPs- which I'm sure most Bricksetters do!

WesterBricks

Central Perk for $15, only missing a couple of small parts.

560Heliport

Found at an antique mall: a bag of parts of two #41130 Amusement Park Roller Coaster. All of the track pieces, all of the cars, and a few random chunks of the sets. $16.99. I plan to use the track to expand my #80036 City of Lanterns. I think these older 4-wide train tracks and the modern roller coaster tracks should work together.

560Heliport

So the tracks don't easily match up. Maybe with jumper plates and headlight bricks sideways- the new track is slightly higher than the old railroad track, looks like 1/3 of the thickness of a plate .
The new cars won't fit on the old track because of the tabs that hold them on the rails, but the old cars are just made of 2x2 wheel bases with small train wheels, so they'll work on the new track.

WesterBricks

560Heliport said:

I think these older 4-wide train tracks and the modern roller coaster tracks should work together.

I misunderstood this to be an “I wish this were true” statement, rather than an expression of optimism. No, they’re completely different track systems.

560Heliport

But the rails are the same distance apart- that's all I meant. So the little train wheels on 2x2 bases will work on both; the transition from one track to the other is a problem. 
I have enough new track to do what I envision, which is to build a Monkie Kid layout on my 30"×30" (75cm x 75cm) table- 3x3 32-stud or 2x2 48-stud baseplates. Track around the edges, #80036 City of Lanterns in one corner, #80024 Legendary Flower Fruit Mountain (or the upcoming #80044 Monkie Kid's Team Hideout) in the opposite corner, and... I don't know what else, but I've accumulated a lot of plant parts from PAB that I ought to use.

560Heliport

^ Or, of course, I could use my monorail tracks... I have all three monorails, plus the track accessory packs... ;)

datsunrobbie

Picked up #76157 for $8, missing box and one part

PLATE 1X2 W/ SHAFT 12M

andhe

datsunrobbie said:

Picked up #76157 for $8, missing box and one part

PLATE 1X2 W/ SHAFT 12M

Anyone else shout 'SHAFT!' in a Theme from Shaft way when reading that? No... Just me...?

MattDawson

Managed to pick up a copy of #21319 about a month ago (maybe longer) for £30 (RRP 70). I've yet to open it properly, but it looks all there...

Tom79

Not a huge brag at all but sometimes a bit of patience pays off, some time ago I had mentioned here I found a bag of several Castle sets in a thrift store. The bag included about two-thirds of #6073 but just yesterday (OK, so that is more than a bit of patience though) I found a complete #6073 minus minifigures (well, not exactly without minifigures, for some unfathomable reason it came with a Batman and Spider-Man) and half of the instructions plus a 1984 catalogue. Still not bad for €3, just a couple more pieces for the first bag and a few shields here and I can has two #6073 castles ;-)

Bobflip

Pfffffff, not found a haul like this before! £3300, but plenty of amazing sets for the price.

lowlead

@Bobflip Dang!  Did someone just decide to punch out of their LEGO hobby all at once??  That looks like complete, walk-away-I'm done resignation!  Nice haul.

WesterBricks

Those pictures have shown me the future, when I’m dead and gone, like Ebenezer Scrooge. My wife will unceremoniously box up my entire collection, sell it far under market value, and some lucky bricksetter will post it in the brag thread.

Lo1sJess

🤩 wow

lowlead

WesterBricks said:

Those pictures have shown me the future, when I’m dead and gone, like Ebenezer Scrooge. My wife will unceremoniously box up my entire collection, sell it far under market value, and some lucky bricksetter will post it in the brag thread.

...unless, in your last Will and Testament, you request your cremation casket be filled with every last LEGO piece, and you become one with the ABS for eternity.

*calls attorney*

iwybs

Snagged a 99% complete Justifier at B&M for $80, just missing the minifigs and a couple tiles and plates. That set really is a better model of the ship than any fan build I’ve seen, but man is it overpriced.

Bobflip

lowlead said:

@Bobflip Dang!  Did someone just decide to punch out of their LEGO hobby all at once??  That looks like complete, walk-away-I'm done resignation!  Nice haul.

Bit of a house clearance type situation. They knew of the value but also knew of the time and effort to restore and sell individually and was happy to work out a mutually beneficial deal :-)

WesterBricks said:

Those pictures have shown me the future, when I’m dead and gone, like Ebenezer Scrooge. My wife will unceremoniously box up my entire collection, sell it far under market value, and some lucky bricksetter will post it in the brag thread.

I mean… if you don’t tell her how much you spend, that’s a risk, haha! Gotta choose between an earful and potential enforced spending limit, and an untapped inheritance. I guess you could put a clause in the will that it gets appraised first!

arathemis

I already told my wife there is an excel file with all the sets I have and the price I payed for them, and under no circumstance she should settle for less than that, specially since I only buy at clearance (meaning 40% off, or more, even the exclusives I manage to get them like this).
So she knows what needs to be done if I suddenly go visit God. 

jason1976

lowlead said:

...unless, in your last Will and Testament, you request your cremation casket be filled with every last LEGO piece, and you become one with the ABS for eternity.

Going on current prices, it's probably better to request your casket / coffin and headstone be made from your Lego collection!

On that slightly morbid note, merry Christmas all!

SumoLego

WesterBricks said:
...sell it far under market value, and some lucky bricksetter...

Where is this sale?

SumoLego

lowlead said:

*calls attorney*

I used to know a guy.  But this is definitely a thing.  Make sure you have a worthy trustee!

FollowsClosely

Not bad for new bricks.

gelkster

Small haul yielded surprising results! Funny that most of the parts I needed for the Snowplow (3 curved orange plow pieces, green car door, side gas tank stickered 2x4 tile) I already had from a previous haul- as if they were waiting pateintly for the rest of the set to come along someday...& TODAY was that day 🤣

#1580 Lunar Scout
#6483 Coastal Patrol
#6781 SP-Striker
#6883 Terrestrial Rover
#60055 Monster Truck
#60058 SUV with Watercraft
#60083 Snowplow Truck

gelkster

then my connection picked this up & let me have it to look through. I see indications of #6979 Interstellar Starfighter (the red micromotor is present & working) & #31109 Creator Pirate Ship.

gelkster

In this photo I'm about to push the full tote down the stairs & hope the pieces sort themselves...most likely against the odds.

Tom79

I'd like to see a picture 'after' :-D

Keilup

gelkster said:

In this photo I'm about to push the full tote down the stairs & hope the pieces sort themselves...most likely against the odds.

Don't forget to put about 30 containers at the bottom so the parts will all end up in the right place.

WesterBricks

I paid $60 for this lot. I came for the Green Grocer, and I stayed for the incomplete bits of City and Winter Village.

Switchfoot55

You lucky dog. I need to learn your secrets!

WesterBricks

1. Spend way, way too much time online.
2. Develop an absurd ability to figure out what a set is from one or two unique parts.
3. Be willing to ask the seller questions if the photos are rubbish.
4. Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Switchfoot55

I have developed a decent knack for step #2. In the first picture above, the framework for the horse cart in the WV Bakery jumped out right away. I find a lot of satisfaction in scanning a photo obsessively, identifying what you think is a part, whether that's based on color, a sticker, a part it's connected to, or the way the shadow highlights the cat turd next to it. 

Plus, I hate counting unhatched chickens. Who has time for that!

I think I could live into your 4 step method!

WesterBricks

~~ cancelled ~~

gelkster

Switchfoot55 said:

I have developed a decent knack for step #2....I find a lot of satisfaction in scanning a photo obsessively...

That's what I do with my connection guy. He sends pics of the haul/pickup & any "unique" parts that stand out, I scan them closely, & from there I can get a fair idea of what's in there.

WesterBricks

Update on my $60 bulk lot - #10185 Green Grocer was only missing 66 parts and three minifigs. After scouring my collection, in the end I only need 13 parts and the three minifigs, totaling $50 or so.

The other sets are very incomplete, but I think I can Frankenstein a few things like the semi trucks from #7642 Garage, and the Winter Village Bakery building itself from #10216.

Bonus addition - a few early collectible minifigs like the Sumo Wrestler, Punk Rocker, and Hazmat Guy (missing his head), and many parts from #6754 Family Home, which will be nice additions to my collection.

1265

WesterBricks said:

Update on my $60 bulk lot - #10185 Green Grocer was only missing 66 parts and three minifigs. After scouring my collection, in the end I only need 13 parts and the three minifigs, totaling $50 or so.

The other sets are very incomplete, but I think I can Frankenstein a few things like the semi trucks from #7642 Garage, and the Winter Village Bakery building itself from #10216.

Bonus addition - a few early collectible minifigs like the Sumo Wrestler, Punk Rocker, and Hazmat Guy (missing his head), and many parts from #6754 Family Home, which will be nice additions to my collection.

Good on you. Too much work for me. I have a job and a family. :)

SumoLego

WesterBricks said:

1. Spend way, way too much time online.
2. Develop an absurd ability to figure out what a set is from one or two unique parts.
3. Be willing to ask the seller questions if the photos are rubbish.
4. Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.
5.  Figure out where WesterBricks lives and get to the FB listing first
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Made a minor revision.

samiam391

1265 said:

WesterBricks said:

Update on my $60 bulk lot - #10185 Green Grocer was only missing 66 parts and three minifigs. After scouring my collection, in the end I only need 13 parts and the three minifigs, totaling $50 or so.

The other sets are very incomplete, but I think I can Frankenstein a few things like the semi trucks from #7642 Garage, and the Winter Village Bakery building itself from #10216.

Bonus addition - a few early collectible minifigs like the Sumo Wrestler, Punk Rocker, and Hazmat Guy (missing his head), and many parts from #6754 Family Home, which will be nice additions to my collection.

Good on you. Too much work for me. I have a job and a family. :)

Maybe he does too and he's just better than you at multi-tasking. 

Nice find @WesterBricks!

Switchfoot55

Well, I attempted to implement WesterBricks 4 step process this weekend. After identifying several lots on a few selling platforms, I quickly messaged the seller to ensure the listed had been properly marked as "Willing to ship." ....apparently people don't actually intend to ship when that is marked. 

Glad I hadn't started counting chickens at any point.

Onward!

Spidrax

A sealed Classic Space set with a mint blue astronaut minifig for $29!

Well the box was open. But the inner bag is sealed. It has all those little holes in it like I remember from my childhood. 

Still trying to decide if I should keep it sealed or open it and build it...

Keilup

WesterBricks said:

Update on my $60 bulk lot - #10185 Green Grocer was only missing 66 parts and three minifigs. After scouring my collection, in the end I only need 13 parts and the three minifigs, totaling $50 or so.

$110 for a complete GG plus all the extra stuff?  I'd be all in for that.  Most likely the only way I'd ever end up with a GG.  Great find!

WesterBricks

^ I haven't ordered the missing parts yet, but they'll be $50-60 before shipping, so I'll predict that I will be under $200 when it's all done.

Oldfan

When I was padding my shop.Lego cart in order to get the Blacktron Cruiser, I included two 6-packs of the Series 24 CMF.  When I opened the boxes, I found that between the two I had gained all 12 figures from the series with no duplicates.

I don't know if this is a true brag, or whether this is how the 6-packs work for the CMF, but I thought this was pretty amazing. I was fully expecting to get maybe 4-5 unique figures with at least one in triplicate...and with my luck it would certainly not be the spaceman!

FollowsClosely

^ you have a 50/50 change of getting all 12.

WesterBricks

I recently bought a small bulk lot on eBay that contained most of #21325 Medieval Blacksmith. As usual, missing some parts and a minifigure, but the previous owner had also hulk-smashed several parts during disassembly. I replaced most of the parts from my collection, and the rest was secured in New condition with ONE BrickLink order.

I’m about $70 into it, $50 for the lot and $20 in replacement parts. It’s a really nice build.

Modeltrainman

@WesterBricks
WHOA! Isn't that the new(er) IDEAS one?