Collectors choice 2011

Coolsplash

Wanted to know, what are MUST have sets in 2011 with respect to particular themes.

prof1515

It's always matter of personal opinion so there is no such thing as a "MUST have" set. You're asking a question for which there is no single answer. :-)

Legoboy

Doc actually covered a similar topic in his blog. A really good read imo, although you don't need to tell him that.

http://gimmelego.blogspot.com/2011/12/gimme-lego-awards-2011.html B

StuBoy

^That's a great read, nice to have some info and opinion on themes I usually don't pay much attention to. Its nice to venture into other themes occasionally. I got into Alien Conquest because of the great comments of Earth Defense HQ on this forum, and would agree that set ticks all the boxes for best set!

In terms of the other themes I'm interested in - Mill Village Raid would be my pick for Kingdoms, Bank and Money Transfer for City, and Hillside House for Creator.

Coolsplash

Thanks for the info guys, and the link @flump6523.

@StuBoy, I must say I am sleeping less ever since I have joined Brickset Forum as I keep checking it out for information and hot tips. I am looking for someone to get me the Mill Village Raid as its available on such a good offer. Bank and Money Transfer I have ordered from somewhere else. Hillside House is a no for me right now :P

Problem with me in buying Lego is I have limited access. Due to this forum I have found out about Barnes & Noble and quickly jumped ahead to order some Lego Technic Books I wanted since sometime. But I need other options where I could buy directly or to acquire help from someone.

airjordan

Hello all, I am sort of new to the collecting idea. I have always loved to build with instructions and using my hands (obviously). I mentioned that it would be great to have some type of mentoring from this wonderful group of people pointing me in the right direction. My local LEGO store appears to have quite a few sets that I see you all collecting, but before I make the next step in purchasing I would like to confirm with others. Also, I very much understand that there is no guarantee that they will end up having been worth collecting.

Off the top of my head, I know they have:

Death Star
Tower Bridge
Queen Anne's Revenge
Shuttle Expedition
Maersk Train
Pet Shop
Grand Emporium

Please let me know what your opinions are on said sets, as well as other CURRENT sets worth collecting. I am not looking for the UCS Millenium Falcon (in my dreams), or the Taj Mahal. Just sets that will be sought after in the same manner as these. I am looking to purchase atleast two of each. I will not be able to let them sit in my closet for a few years with out building one so I plan on building one and keeping the other for resell.

My most recent purchase was two Star Wars Advent calendars that many of you so graciously gave the heads up that Wally World had for 50% off. Is it worth keeping them MISB or can the Yoda Santa be taken out and looked at.

Thank you everyone for your time!

LostInTranslation

For those who haven't already seen it, the results are in on the Gimme Lego (aka DrDave) Readers' Choice award:
http://gimmelego.blogspot.com/2012/01/2011-gimme-lego-readers-choice-award.html
Happy to say I own the winning set :)

pantenkind

^^ Yes...to all of them :-) They are all amazing sets and I own all except the tower bridge and have been very happy. As far as your question for future profitability and or collectability it has been determined and shown on a number of occasions that there is in fact no rhyme or reason. Now you can take the high price sets and they will always (almost) be sought after after they have retired, but to predict a set to explode like the falcon did is impossible. Personally I think the heyday of LEGO sets climbing like that are over. I believe it was a perfect storm of price, internet and just the number of collectors at the time coupled with the fact that up until then sets climbing like that was unheard of. Now, any set that has that potential is being bought in large numbers by about everyone. My advice to you is to buy the sets you want first. Then, if you have extra money you can buy a few extras here and there but really its just a gamble. The bottom line is have fun, its our hobby and if your like me the value is in the enjoyment and not a "retirement fund".

airjordan

Thank you pantenkind, I am about to go pick up a few sets. Are there a couple sets in particular that I should get now? I plan on purchasing a couple times a month but wondering what would be 'priority' now.

Si_UKNZ

OK, this could be fun, I'd like to have a go at my own version of DrDave's awards.
I'll limit it to the sets released in 2011, rather than the sets available in 2011, since it's easier to get the list (http://www.brickset.com/search/default.aspx?year=2011)


1. Best theme: Pirates of the Carribean.
This theme did have a few duffs in it, but the great sets really were fantastic, as demonstrated by the QAR: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=4195-1

2. Most disappointing theme: City
The only interesting City set released in 2011 was Bank and Money transfer, which is hideously overpriced in the UK at £41, and at over 10p/piece, that's more like star wars prices. This is a close tie for me between Castle and City, both had loads of great stuff in 2010, but 2011 was much weaker. I'll let the Castle theme off, thanks to King's carriage and the minifigs and details in MVR.
Bank and Money transfer: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=3661-1

3. Best Non-Licensed Set: Camper van
The Camper van might be a bit fragile, but it was always going to be challenging for Lego to produce this set. The details are fantastic, and amazingly they've managed to get the essence of all those curves, and the character of the van shines through. A really fun set. This one just beats Pet Shop because it's so much more imaginative, and must have been a real challenge to get right.
Camper van: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10220-1

4: Best set of the year: Diagon Alley
This set has it all - it looks great (especially Ollivanders, which I'm mad about), has great minifigs, well thought through details, and great playability. This is the kind of set they should have been producing for the Potter licence all along, and thank goodness they managed to sneak this in before the theme gets dropped. A great set.
Diagon Alley: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10217-1

5: Best technic set: Unimog
It's big, it's mad, it's orange. I don't have it yet but I can't wait.
Unimog: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8110-1

6: Best polybag: Christmas tree:
There have been several polybag Christmas trees, but none that look this good.
Christmas tree: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=40024-1

7: Best value small set: Forbidden Forest:
Four great minifigures, a tree (always look good) and the rare toadstool and water parts make this an absolute bargain at £10/$12. Brilliant. Even better value if you can pick up one of the 33% off ones.
Forbidden Forest: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=4865-1

8: Best small set: Flying mummy attack
A lovely plane, some great minifigs and an Egyptian column for good measure meant that a lot of people got introduced to the PQ theme via this set. Captains cabin is a close second, but the minifigs in that set were just OK.
Flying mummy attack; http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7307-1

9: Best medium sized set: Cannibal Escape
Lego's last effort at depicting tribal people was (I believe) as part of the Pirates Islanders theme. I also love this theme, but it's about time Lego had another go, in particular with the newer flesh coloured minifigs, as the symbolic yellow doesnt quite seemed to work for tribal people who have more flesh exposed! Lego really got the styling right in this set, with a heavy use of bones, trees and leaves, and the minifigs are fantastic. The chief's chair looks amazing. Runners up for this were Flatbed truck, a good value technics set, and hillside house, another creator house with the usual three different builds, all quite good this time. But Cannibal escape is just so much more imaginative and fun.
Cannibal Escape: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=4182-1

10: Biggest surprise: City of atlantis
Who would have thought that the Atlantis theme would produce a good set? This set is a great mix of classical architecture, really fun minifigs, and seaweed! The RRP of £50 is great, but when Amazon dropped them briefly to 40% off, this became the most ridiculously good buy available. Atlantis turned good after all.
City of atlantis: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7985-1

11: Biggest let-down: Trains
Where are they all!? If 2010 was the year of the train, 2011 was the year of waiting for another one to come along. A close second was the fact that 2010 was the year they started gluing magnets.

12: Best duplo: Cars pit stop
Cars make so much more sense as a Duplo series, and the bulid and finish of the cars just oozes quality. My son goes crazy for this set, but the crowning glory has to be the VW camper van piece, which is so well done it's the best duplo piece of all time in my opinion.
Pit Stop: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=5829-1

13: Most under-rated set of the year: Brick calendar:
A couple of series 1 minifigs (did everyone else miss that?!) and a load of rare numbered bricks for only £11 make this a great buy, which most people seem to have missed as it's not in one of the big themes.
Brick calendar: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=853195-1

14: Best CMF: Mad Scientist
I do like the punk, which incidentally was predicted in the software "Lego Loco" from 1998. The Punk appears in the title video, exactly as he was eventually released!
However, I have to go for the mad scientist. This is the minifig which 1382 scary studio always deserved. http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=1382-1
Mad Scientist: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8804-16

15: Best revival: Dwarves and vikings
Who would have thought we'd ever see either of these again? Fantastic. Now all we need are some new sets to go with them :)
Viking: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8804-6
Dwarf: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8805-12

Legoboy

A good list Si, much of which I'd go along with. But just a query, Best non-licensed set' being the camper van. A great great set, but is it not licensed by VW?

iadams

Good list. I particularly agree about the brick calendar: it's 30 second stock life didn't help.

richo

My choice would be Queen Anne's Revenge for favourite set from last year. Much prefer it to the Imperial Flagship actually.

Still not got Diagon Alley, so maybe my view would change if I had that set. Can't seem to see a good deal on it though, and don't really want to pay £130.

Earth Defence I thought was worth a go this week at £37.48 though.

Si_UKNZ

^ QAR is indeed a great set, it's close for sure. DA is just so unlike anything else.
Tesco had DA at £100 a couple of weeks back, not that that helps you!

@Flump .. not sure if this is licenced or not - they're hardly likley to sell any more campers off the back of it. But yeah, you may be right, it does use the VW logo.

Coolsplash

Great list @Si, thanks. Sadly I have missed out DA, won't listen to anything negative about City (precioussssss) and still looking for a better deal for BMT, cannot afford UCS styled sets like Camper Van but amazing set yes, missed the City of Atlantis, got the trains and loved them and so on :)

Do await a PM from me @Si, might need a little help from you.

BrickDancer

How about Imperial Shuttle? That's a monster build that looks amazing.

jocappy

VW box has VW logo so that means it's licensed right?

Si_UKNZ

i agree about imperial shuttle but it was2010.

not sure if the camper is licenced!

Coolsplash

Well with the VW logo on the box it means licensed. But you never know about TLG's strategy with license products.

BrickDancer

@jocappy I just got my 2 VW's today, bottom of box it says "Officially licensed by Volkswagen". So yes its confirmed.

Just wishing for a Porsche 911 now!

jocappy

^ word.