Minifig business cards

weeksuk

So - I’ve had this on my desk at work for ages and have no idea how I came across
it. I was wondering if anyone has any information on them or if they are collectible. I’ve blacked out some of the name and contact details 

FowlerBricks

Isn't that a Lego designer?

CCC

Yes, they are collectable but selling them is frowned upon. Take a look a Dr Dave's collection ...

http://bricksetforum.com/discussion/comment/302253#Comment_302253

elspankdog

...and the ebay auctions get a bump again

weeksuk

elspankdog said:

...and the ebay auctions get a bump again

Don’t worry I have no intention of selling it lol 

The_Rancor

I'm envious of your minifig business card. However I've got one for a certain short-term British Lego CEO which I keep discretely at home. I think most passing viewers just think it's a minifig with some custom printing on it, but boy they are wrong!

BuriedinBricks

I have a few I've picked up over the years from different team members who have come to Brickworld in Chicago. Would not part with them for the world.

Fireheart

I think they are very cool.. out of interest how many does each employee get to give out as a business card?
Normal companies give out (use to give out in the old paper age) a box of 200 business cards to the employee.. imagine 200 minifigures on your desk.. I wouldn’t get any work done :)

CCC

It appears to be about 1000 each year.

Kevin Hinkle has been selling his own ones on ebay after leaving LEGO and it gives a rare glimpse into information about numbers that they produce that probably wouldn't be given out while they are employed and also other cool things they are given.

Selling seven different versions here, he mentions 200-1000 per version and he has been getting about 1 version per year:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Minifigure-Business-Cards-Kevin-Hinkle-All-Variants-Paper-Card-/162815333469

The V1 had only 200, but V2 onwards had 1000 per run, as seen here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Minifigure-Business-Card-Kevin-Hinkle-V-1-Traditional-Paper-Card-/162815243950

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Employee-Minifigure-Business-Card-Kevin-Hinkle-V-2-Paper-Card-/162830031958

He has also sold other people's business card minifigures, again mentioning the 1000:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Minifigure-Business-Card-Keith-Severson-V-2-/162926484771


Before it all disappears from the ebay database, it is worth taking a look at some of his past auctions for some cool stuff, mainly exclusive minifigs and clothing, he has obtained in is time there, for example:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-RARE-amp-UNUSED-ReBrick-Competition-Winner-Minifigure-/162868182255

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Zombie-Brick-Specialist-Minifigure-Female-Head-amp-Hair-NEW-/162863709243



I guess he has quite a few of the business cards that he is getting rid of and this is being reflected in the price. This one ending last week was only $31.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Employee-Minifigure-Business-Card-Kevin-Hinkle-V-6-Paper-Card-/162924822525

floridabrick

I get that these are really rare.  But I can't pay a high price and not constantly think to myself "these were given away for free".

samiam391

floridabrick said:

I get that these are really rare.  But I can't pay a high price and not constantly think to myself "these were given away for free".

Welcome to 99% of rare minifigure collecting.

CCC

The thing is, they are probably not as rare as you might think. I know he was a community liaison, and so he probably meets more fans than most lego employees that have them, but he would have had over 6000 of them made in that six year or so period. I assume other community team members have similar numbers per year. If you want a specific one, no doubt they are hard to find. But if you want any one from any employee, they are not so rare. And that is why the price of those ones produced 1000 at a time are now hovering about $30. Those that were willing to pay large sums have done so and there is more supply than (high price) demand. Only he knows how many he has left.

The expensive ones are likely to remain the ones that are from high up board members, assuming that they are not given out as frequently.

floridabrick

^^to me rare mf collecting means SDCC items or gifts with purchase from many years ago (which weren't handed out for free).  But I hear you, which is why I'll never own any of these and will just stick to my monofigs. 

^totally agreed.  Rare is a relative term.  Kevin would have been able to maintain higher demand for a longer time and generate much higher prices if he hadn't stated that he has 100s or 1,000s of these! 

PS. $30 IS the high price I was referring to!    

gmonkey76

At least I know LEGO made yellow arms with black short sleeves now. Been needing a pair for sometime now. I'll just have to wait to see if I can find them at a decent price.

DeMontes

@gmonkey76 The Dino Tracker collectible minifigure from Series 12 had yellow arms with black short sleeves. Since you are US-based you could pick a pair up pretty cheaply on BL

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=981982pb035#T=C&C=3

gmonkey76

^those are dark brown not black.

DeMontes

@gmonkey76 oh...That’ll teach me to try and be helpful 

gmonkey76

^if it wasn't for being for my sigfig they could do, but I wear black t-shirts 99% of the time. 

iso3200

^Probably easier to change your t-shirts than start a quest for elusive body parts ;-)

gmonkey76

^not since I have over 300 black t-shirts. 

iso3200

I used permanent marker pen to get around the issue on mine :-)

CCC

Yeah, one place a Sharpie will work fine.