How do you tell if a set is collection- or investment-worthy?

streeker

I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion, but I don't know if the modular buildings will be a great investment. Sure, you'll recoup the MSRP, make extra, but to expect to make the same kind of crazy return as CC or MS?

Imagine if today was 2015, and you're a newly minted AFOL just coming out of your dark ages, and you're looking at the modulars, intent on getting them all, and then you see the pricetag of the combined retired sets -- CC, MS, GG, FB, GE, PE-- 6 sets to catch up. Do the math. Would you? Could you--even if you wanted to?

Most of us here are probably missing two sets at the most, and people balk at spending over 400 dollars for one set (rightly so). How are you going to feel if you're the 2015 AFOL and pay for SIX sets? Either you get extra picky and choose only the ones that are aesthetically pleasing to you or circumvent the high pricing and DIY by piecemeal through bricklink. Or win the lottery.

And how many more modulars will there be down the road? It's doing very, very well. Will each new modular dilute the resell value of every modular (save the rarest ones, i.e., CC and MS) that came before it?

The only completist parallel that I can draw is going back and buying up all the Star Wars UCS sets. Anybody have any prespective here to give? Duchessa?

I'm not saying the modulars are a bad investment. I think they'll be a good, but not a great investment. You'll make extra, but don't be so easily seduced by the returns on the CC to expect the same for the GE. Too many people are in on the game now.

I should say, I'm a hobbyist. I buy what I like, and what's on deep, deep discount. I don't sell sets, much of the above is from the buyer' side, so what am I missing?

tk79

I agree with the above, but to play devil's advocate, the price of cc, ms, and gg might make the ge, fb and ps seem cheap at $250-$300. I know I was grateful to pay $220 for GG when getting into the modulars, but I didn't pursue anything older/more expensive.

Still, that could be a reach that those 3 would sell for that much...and even if they do, do you want to tie up that much space and money until 2014-2015?

streeker

^The newer modulars may be more attractively cheaper which is good for the buyer, but as a seller, it depends on what return you're expecting. Did you buy your stockpile of GE and expect to double your profit or are you going to be disappinted that it isn't triple or quadruple the return of the CC? It's all about the expectation.

LegoFanTexas

The star wars UCS sets are an interesting example. With only a few exceptions, I now have them all, 10143 just arrived today and the ywing is on the way.

The two hard ones are the xwing and 10019, those may be hard to do. The snowspeeder has illuded me as well.

So having just started this year, I've got a decent back collection.

But I know I am the exception, the number of people who can just spend 5K on lego without much thought is probably rare. :)

Maybe we just need to have a lego build party at my house. :)

brickmatic

^ Yes.

sidersdd

I bought the UCS X-Wing (used) this year. Haven't put it together yet, but looking forward to it. I'm a bit of a completist on the sets. I bought this one without the box because it was a good deal. If anyone has a box to sell, I'm interested.

Coolsplash

Ok hearing so much about the 7939 Cargo Train I have decided NOT to sell it :D And yes it is amazing and adds up nice to your very own City model/plan.

I am a newbie from Pakistan. Any tips and pointers will be appreciated.