Why does the Silver Centurion figure cost so much?

EddieDoesntMind

The figure was just released in January and it is already one of the most expensive superhero figures that aren't from a con. Why is that? 

bobabricks

I think it was pretty limited for what it was... It's also an Iron Man suit, so that might have had something to do with it.

Farmer_John

I think in this case the Lego game it was released with wasn't too well received, so there wasn't near as many of these sets made available (compared to the Iron Patriot set).

EddieDoesntMind

Hmm, I guess that explains it. I just hope in the coming months the price goes down a little.

iso3200

I think the figure was only available with the editions sold at GameStop in the USA and Game in the uk, whereas a lot of the other games with poly special editions like Iron Patriot were available from Amazon and other sellers - so I'd guess larger quantities were more readily available.

Also for the Marvel Avengers game there was another poly, the quinjet, available in the UK from other outlets such as Smyths. I guess that may have diluted numbers as well.

brickupdate

Pretty much every individual part in this polybag was exclusive to it. Unique prints and colors. Here is a screenshot from Bricklink. Since it is SUCH a popular character, the uniqueness of every part of it made it a hot item. I went ahead and paid $40 for one a couple months ago. Looks like it is still at about that price range in the aftermarket. 

Edmic

Offer and demand are way out of line on this one.

would be nice if LEGO would scan market a little and in cases like this release a polybag with just the figure, or include it in another set. Sure it would cause LEGO to be less of an investment, but it would make LEGO much more open for play and collecting, and in my opinion that's what LEGO should be about.

SprinkleOtter

Edmic said:

Offer and demand are way out of line on this one.

would be nice if LEGO would scan market a little and in cases like this release a polybag with just the figure, or include it in another set. Sure it would cause LEGO to be less of an investment, but it would make LEGO much more open for play and collecting, and in my opinion that's what LEGO should be about.

How is releasing a poly with a distinctly children's game not catering to children?

CCC

Edmic said:

Offer and demand are way out of line on this one.

would be nice if LEGO would scan market a little and in cases like this release a polybag with just the figure, or include it in another set. Sure it would cause LEGO to be less of an investment, but it would make LEGO much more open for play and collecting, and in my opinion that's what LEGO should be about.

You could say the same for any $50+ set, just release the figures that people want in a cheap set.

Edmic

SprinkleOtter said:

Edmic said:

Offer and demand are way out of line on this one.

would be nice if LEGO would scan market a little and in cases like this release a polybag with just the figure, or include it in another set. Sure it would cause LEGO to be less of an investment, but it would make LEGO much more open for play and collecting, and in my opinion that's what LEGO should be about.

How is releasing a poly with a distinctly children's game not catering to children?

You understand me wrong, surely it's all intended as a toy, in theory that all sounds nicely, practice however is that children can't afford a lof of minifigs due to collectors causing a big price raise on a lot of minifigs. I have about 40/50 sets of SW but no minifigs, and given the price of the originals our boy will not get them also. Either i buy a bunch of random non SW ones in a lot, or i seek for a SW package from another brand.

What i mean to say it that the collecting part of some Lego items causes that the children will not have them to play with unless their parents where nice enough to buy the packages while in store or are willing to spend a lot of money on the original figures.

And i am not talking about putting out more of the huge sets like the UCS sets, those where in my opinion never ment to be a toy to play with.

Anyway it's just my opinion, i am not demanding.

natro220

I don't understand your argument.  There are currently dozens of Star Wars sets available in the store that come with the minifigures.  Have you been only buying used sets, without the minifigs?  Are you saying new Star Wars sets are too expensive?  I can see the argument about the after market on discontinued sets, but if they're for your kids, just buy new sets and that solves that problem.

playwell

Yep the cheapest way to get new Lego for your kids is to look out for sets on sale in the shops, lots of deals to be had. Its surely only us AFOL paying £10+ for a polybag?

paul88

Yes, there are many SW sets available at reasonable prices.  That is, unless you mean you are only buying used.  But still, for the price of a few used sets you could probably buy a new set that would include figures.  You can also watch for discounts depending what country you are in.  I picked up the kylo ren shuttle for only $60 after it was reduced

brickupdate

Edmic said:

It would make LEGO much more open for play and collecting, and in my opinion that's what LEGO should be about.

LEGO has hundreds of different sets for sale across dozens of different themes. Does this one figure, of a minor character, break the entire system of "play and collecting" of LEGO? 

As for "collecting," in pretty much every collector market, it becomes a market because there are "rare" items. Not impossible to get, but rarer than others. That is what fuels a market. 

Should a kid spend $40 for Silver Centurion? Nope. Is their childhood ruined when there are so many other variations of Iron Man suits available? To me, I have a difficult time seeing how Silver Centurion indicates some bad direction for LEGO that they need to address. 

This is just my opinion. I 100% respect yours, I do not mean to come off as arguing. 

BrickDancer

^I think Edmic's comment is the same that we see every year about SDCC Exclusive figs, but just not to the same extent of rarity and high price when talking Silver Centurion or Iron Patriot. And we all know how the general populace is disgruntled with TLG because of this issue every year at this time.

brickupdate

BrickDancer Good point. 

ReesesPieces

@EddieDoesntMindif you are interested I have a silver centurion that I will sell for $30 or for similar valued poly or set.  Let me know.

SumoLego

These are essentially throw-away promotion items for Lego.  Creates some buzz, a little Internet fervor and hopefully sells some sets and more importantly - the license fee for the comic books.

CCC

Edmic said:

SprinkleOtter said:

Edmic said:

Offer and demand are way out of line on this one.

would be nice if LEGO would scan market a little and in cases like this release a polybag with just the figure, or include it in another set. Sure it would cause LEGO to be less of an investment, but it would make LEGO much more open for play and collecting, and in my opinion that's what LEGO should be about.

How is releasing a poly with a distinctly children's game not catering to children?

You understand me wrong, surely it's all intended as a toy, in theory that all sounds nicely, practice however is that children can't afford a lof of minifigs due to collectors causing a big price raise on a lot of minifigs. I have about 40/50 sets of SW but no minifigs, and given the price of the originals our boy will not get them also. Either i buy a bunch of random non SW ones in a lot, or i seek for a SW package from another brand.

What i mean to say it that the collecting part of some Lego items causes that the children will not have them to play with unless their parents where nice enough to buy the packages while in store or are willing to spend a lot of money on the original figures.

And i am not talking about putting out more of the huge sets like the UCS sets, those where in my opinion never ment to be a toy to play with.

Anyway it's just my opinion, i am not demanding.

No, it is not intended as a toy, it is intended as a promo item to help sell something else.

shotgunchipmunk

So unfortunately they did something a little different with these guys.  In the past LEGO would send GameStop extra polybags in addition to the ones for the preorders.  This allowed someone to get one if they purchased day of release.  For some reason with this polybag stores got exactly enough to fill the preorders and no extras.

It's a shame, because I'd really like to have this figure but there's no way I would shell out so much money for a single minifigure.

SprinkleOtter

^ Do you have something to back that up? Because I have not found that to be the case...

bendybadger

Unashamed pimping of http://bricksetforum.com/discussion/24121/charity-raffle-1-entry-updated-16th-july#latest 

Chance to win a Silver Centurion for just £1 for an excellent cause

shotgunchipmunk

SprinkleOtter:  based on a conversation with my local GameStop.

SprinkleOtter

^ Some say that. Others don't

chuckp

I checked with the 3 GameStops near me about 2 weeks after the game came out and I was told the same thing, just enough for the pre-orders and no extras. 

At around $40-ish on Ebay, the Silver Centurion really isn't that much out of line with previous promo figs. I thought the Iron Patriot fig was going for that or more at it's peak.

77ncaachamps

So it begs the question: where are the other Crnturion Polybags? Can't believe that Lego would just print up a specific number of figures...

Yodalicious

^ A good number of them are residing in my personal collection. 

My name is Yodalicious and I have an Iron Man problem. 

ReesesPieces

Yodalicious said:

^ A good number of them are residing in my personal collection. 

My name is Yodalicious and I have an Iron Man problem. 

I can confirm that @yodalicious has at least two of them.

gmonkey76

Last time I did a preorder from game stop, and did store pick up on the day of release they said they were out even though I got there before they opened and I was the only customer. When I said I didn't want the game then one magically appeared. That's why I ship it to my home now. I wouldn't be surprised if game stop employees are keeping them to sell on ebay, and they are just telling lies.

SumoLego

77ncaachamps said:

So it begs the question: where are the other Crnturion Polybags? Can't believe that Lego would just print up a specific number of figures...

1000's upon 1000's are lost in a TRU distribution hub amongst 10,000 Dareth v. Nindroid polys...

SumoLego

Yodalicious said:

^ A good number of them are residing in my personal collection. 

My name is Yodalicious and I have an Iron Man problem. 

My name is SumoLego, and I have a CMF problem.  Should we start a support group?  

bandit778

@SumoLego
I thought that's what the forum was.
It's just  unfortunate that the addicts have taken over the help groups.

Yodalicious

SumoLego said:

Yodalicious said:

^ A good number of them are residing in my personal collection. 

My name is Yodalicious and I have an Iron Man problem. 

My name is SumoLego, and I have a CMF problem.  Should we start a support group?  

I thought this was our support group. I don't just come here for the witty banter.

bendybadger

SumoLego

^ Come for the Bantha, stay for the poodoo.  And the memes.

@Yodalicious
I thought this was our support group. I don't just come here for the witty banter.

Hmmm, if that's the case, @pharmjod should be writing me a prescription.

playwell

@bendybadgeryou are making me sad that Lego still have not made one, where is this support group? What is this topic about again?

Farmer_John

SumoLego said:

These are essentially throw-away promotion items for Lego.  Creates some buzz, a little Internet fervor and hopefully sells some sets and more importantly - the license fee for the comic books.

Last summer's Bat-Pod giveaway is the same thing...just to spin up interest in Lego. TLG made the decision to intentionally limit the worldwide number of these sets to 1000, so they apparently have no problem with only a few people getting a set. And I doubt they have a problem with some people not getting the Silver Centurion either.

SumoLego

In that case, they want people to buy the video game.  Some money there on the licensing fee for Lego, some money there on the royalty fee for Lego, and the guarantee that there will be future Lego Marvel Superhero games.

That's why the synergy of the Lego Movie, Lego Movie sets and ancillary Lego Movie merchandising for the movie is such a money-maker! 

Lego may be leaving some money at the table by not producing everything themselves, but when it goes bad - like Galidor - it can be a triple loss if you don't license the manufacturing/production of the ancillary products.

Farmer_John

I guess what I was trying to say is that TLG ultimately doesn't care if everyone isn't able to get every set or minifigure, or even get them at an affordable price. Expensive Lego minifigs or sets make their products appear to be valuable; not just a bunch of plastic pieces in a cardboard box. It's also probably why TLG doesn't worry about the aftermarket...it adds value to their brand.

CCC

SumoLego said:

In that case, they want people to buy the video game.  Some money there on the licensing fee for Lego, some money there on the royalty fee for Lego, and the guarantee that there will be future Lego Marvel Superhero games.

It is also extra sales figures on release day, which impacts Top Ten type lists of games, which influences further sales.