Modular Town Hall

llanowarsoldier

I was looking on eBay at prices of modulars and saw that Town Hall was going for some serious $$. Why is that? I thought the set just retired.

samiam391

You're not the only one that finds it surprising!

There has been a lot of discussion regarding this exact topic already. I would use the search bar to find related discussion or consult this thread:
http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/1958/predictions-on-discontinuing-sets-and-their-secondary-market-value#latest

llanowarsoldier

I know the thread, but there are sooooooooooo many post to comb through I was just hoping for more specific is all

Pitfall69

Depending on the set, there is usually a 20-30% spike in price after a popular set retires. Lego pulled the rug from right under our feet. People that did not get to buy the set are scrambling to get it before it reaches $1,000, which is very possible. 

samiam391

llanowarsoldier said:

I know the thread, but there are sooooooooooo many post to comb through I was just hoping for more specific is all

Completely understand. It has never been the best thread for "staying on track".

If you use the search feature though, it works well to narrow things down. What @Pitfall69 is pretty much about it... and what you'll find in other threads (with a large amount of off-topic comments mixed in).

SumoLego

What is this "staying on track" thing?

samiam391

SumoLego said:

What is this "staying on track" thing?

If I replied with an appropriate response we would start to get off track.

oldtodd33

This is the thread I was thinking of. Too bad I didn't have the confidence to take rocao up on the bet.  http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/comment/317139/#Comment_317139

pharmjod

I'm keeping fingers crossed for a rapid build up to $1000 and then a blow by on up to heights unknown. :)

Lego91

For me this is amazing to watch as it is my first and only retired set worth so much. I really like it, because it reminds be of our ugly town hall in my city. Just a huge think with a clock tower on it. Btw, I swapped the bride with a groom, so there is a same sex marriage going on. The bride is in the wedding cake top set thingy. Maybe I need it one day. ;-)

Jern92

Lego91 said:

For me this is amazing to watch as it is my first and only retired set worth so much. I really like it, because it reminds be of our ugly town hall in my city. Just a huge think with a clock tower on it. Btw, I swapped the bride with a groom, so there is a same sex marriage going on. The bride is in the wedding cake top set thingy. Maybe I need it one day. ;-)

I swiped the groom for another bride, from the wedding set too. My gay wedding was going on elsewhere :-P

mak0137

Is $200 OK price for complete town hall with instructions?

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

If it's complete with correct parts, it's a GREAT price. Go get it NOW!

SumoLego

Searching furiously through CraigsList listings in Virginia.

Two hundred dollars is a screaming deal.

MrJackson

I find it incredible (and incredulous) that a good part of the reason it didn't seem to sell as well was because it was $199.99 as opposed to the other modulars which were 25% less.  Now it commands ludicrous prices - are there seriously people who weren't willing to pay two hundred dollars then but are ok with shelling out several car payments worth of cash now? 

I'm also wondering how long Assembly Square's lifetime will be. $280 is serious cash for a lot of people, even with a great price-per-part ratio.  It seems most people that have come in the store that have wanted one have one at this point, and they're not selling as fast as the other modulars.  We usually have a half dozen at any given point. Even with the 10th Anniversary badging, I'm curious what its lifespan will be. Looking forward to building mine. 

mak0137

Thank you so much. I am traveling so didn't have time/access for price search.

mak0137

Any particular pieces to check? How to tell if it's complete?

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

Well you could count the 2766 pieces!  From memory, the only exclusive parts are the 2 shields and the brides torso.  Rare/valuable parts:
- all thr medium nougat bricks particularly the 50 off 1x8's.
- the clock face has only appeared in 2 sets.
- thr black female hairpiece is rare.
- the black roof steeple piece (don't know the official name but at the very top) is only in a few sets.
- the black garage door section pieces are only in a few sets.
- the globe in the office.
There are definitely a few more rare/ expensive pieces but these are the ones that come to mind...

madforLEGO

mak0137 said:

Is $200 OK price for complete town hall with instructions?

Sure, if it is not a lepin knockoff.

flord

^ I was just going to type make sure it's not Lepin.

Astrobricks

mak0137 said:

Is $200 OK price for complete town hall with instructions?

Not if it's some brand new member on BrickLink with no feedback who also has Cafe Corner, Grand Emporium, UCS SSD, and UCS ISD (for example) at equally great prices.

sid3windr

MrJackson said:

I find it incredible (and incredulous) that a good part of the reason it didn't seem to sell as well was because it was $199.99 as opposed to the other modulars which were 25% less.  Now it commands ludicrous prices - are there seriously people who weren't willing to pay two hundred dollars then but are ok with shelling out several car payments worth of cash now?

I would have bought it if I was out of my dark ages, but I wasn't so I'll have to suffer the raised prices now... ;/

Sethro3

To the above poster about unique pieces, keep in mind they are dark orange and not medium nougat. I don't know if medium nougat is available in all of the arches and palisade bricks, but if it is, that might be an interesting take on it. Not that that color is any easier in finding.

I do agree $199 is a bit much, but so is $170 for the newer smaller models. Yes, they are detailed, but swallowing 199 a few years ago was iffy. Swallowing 170 for these newer models is even harder.

SumoLego

All this nougat talk makes me want a Three Musketeers bar.

Recce

The popularity of Town Hall is also due to it being able to build into many alternative models as shown by the talented MOCers. 

I've already built 3 of them, a train station, a corner hotel and a consulate building (which I later build into a GBHQ). 

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

Holy crap... I've now got this picture in my head of @mak0137 telling the guy with a $200 Town Hall to go sod off because he's OBVIOUSLY exchanged all the Medium Nougat pieces for Dark Orange and it must be true because a guy on the internet said so!  I've gone back and reread and I'm pretty sure I got everything else in my post right.  Truly sorry Mak - my serious bad there!

FACT - Town Hall is predominantly Dark Orange in colour.

FILTHY ROTTEN LIE (that I'll fight any bastard who says so) - Magni sometimes drinks FAR too much Gentlemans before lunchtime.

mak0137

No problem MAGNINOMINISUMBRA. The pictures match the instructions pictures that match pictures of the set on brickset.

mak0137

So I have negotiated a deal with a seller for the 10224 Town Hall with all pieces, minifigures and original instructions (pictures show original instructions and built model which matches the official pictures on brickset) for $200 while I was visiting New Jersey. Due to the limited time, I was unable to pick up the set and complete the transaction. He is located in NJ, south of Staten Island, NY. It seems like a great deal and I am reaching out here to see if I can get it completed somehow. Here are the two scenarios I am thinking of with someone who lives close to the area:

1.       A fellow bricksetter completes the transaction, checks and acquires the set. At a later date I acquire the set from him/her at a 15% premium ($230) for his/her efforts.

2.       If you do not have this set and wanted it for yourself (rather than resell) than you are in the same position as me. I can send you the info and you can have it. In return, if you would like (optional) you can send me $30 (15%) worth of Lego as finder’s fee. If you can’t that is fine too.   

Lego is a hobby for me and I am not a collector/completionist or a reseller, so I am limited in what I can pay for the sets even when they are retired and have high market value. This seems like an opportunity to get a set I like at a price affordable to me, however I understand the complication and hence seeking if it is at all possible to get this set or benefit from this opportunity.

This is like any other private party sale hence it can evaporate at any minute if the seller changes their mind and needs precautions to have a safe transaction. Let me know if anyone is interested in this. Thanks.

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

Unfortunately I'm about 9680 miles too far away to help!  

piratemania7

This seems darker each day...

mak0137

piratemania7 said:

This seems darker each day...

?

sid3windr

Darker orange?