What is the most you've paid for a discontinued set?

Lego_Nerd98 · November 2015

One purchase I made a few years ago (a purchase I am not proud of) involved paying +$150 for the $99.99 set 7946 King's Castle. I guess sometimes you have to go to lengths to get the set you want. What is the most you have spent beyond the retail price for a discontinued set?

Chubbles · November 2015

I've paid over double for a couple of modulars

Legoboy · November 2015

I paid £350 for new Cafe Corner. What was I thinking?

CCC · November 2015

£5 for a CMF Roman soldier. 150% mark-up.

MattsWhat · November 2015

I think we need it as a % otherwise it precludes tiny little sets. Also, what about sets without an rrp e.g. comicon or freebie polys such as VW campervan? I have these but wouldn't say I paid over rrp if I bought them on ebay for £5 or £50.
My only ever % over retail (I'm happy for them just to be missed - otherwise it's not collecting, it's just shopping) was for Research Institute. Managed to miss out and had to pay about 175% retail because I just had to have it. It didn't fill me with pleasure though it has to be said, so I won't be repeating.
Please ignore my controversial slant on collecting, it's just the way I do things.

JudgeChuck · November 2015

I paid about £95 for a VGC, complete #928 Space Cruiser And Moonbase, which I think is about right. Most ones that I can find available on EB or BL that were much cheaper were usually missing pieces or the printed pieces were faded, so I'm reasonably happy with the price...
I did have to replace a single 2x6 grey plate, which was a bit worse for wear and two blue bricks, which were a little yellowed, but that was it, apart from carefully washing all the pieces.
I'm honestly not sure how far I'd go for a set I *really* want but, given that I would love the old modulars, but will not even think about paying what is being asked for them, I think that's my answer! :-)

wrangler6915 · November 2015

$300 for UCS Imperial Shuttle. But then sold on eBay two months later for $475. I just wanted the build experience so was glad to send it off to someone else to enjoy.

Fauch · November 2015

and to get 175 bucks lol.

125€ for vampire castle as prices seemed to be going up quite a bit. some months later it went down again :/

TechnicNick · November 2015

The only major purchase like that was a very nice #10181-1 Eiffel Tower from our own @LegoFanTexas , I think it was $500. Might have been 600... I do love the Sculptures / Landmark sets. Now trying to justify the cost of a Statue of Liberty!

mldj77 · November 2015

I paid $400 plus shipping for the Haunted House. What's worse is it's still sitting in my Lego room untouched like the hundreds of other sets I compulsively buy.

Bumblepants · November 2015

Only time I have paid over was to grab a second Maersk Train. Think it was just about twice MSRP. Needed a second locomotive though. Needed it. Trains are a dangerous addiction.

BrickDancer · November 2015

My Bricklinked UCS Millennium Falcon from about 3 years ago, costed about $1,200 after all was said done. Crazy thing is I still haven't built it yet.

Lego_Nerd98 · November 2015

mldj77 said:

I paid $400 plus shipping for the Haunted House. What's worse is it's still sitting in my Lego room untouched like the hundreds of other sets I compulsively buy.

I'll touch 'em for you. Just ship them over!

Yodalicious · November 2015

Hard to get an exact % as it was a three-set lot, but paid $750 for 4842 Hogwarts Castle, 10217 Diagon Alley, and 4841 Hogwarts Express. The only Harry Potter sets I ever really wanted. The sad thing is that I was out of my dark ages at the time they were available through retail. The same can be said for the other two retired sets I paid above RRP - 6866 Wolverine's Chopper Showdown and 4184 The Black Pearl.

I don't mind paying a premium for a set I want -- after all, LEGO is the only thing I collect -- but the fact that all 5 times I've done so was for 5 sets that I could've bought when they were readily available does eat at me a little.

LegoTT · November 2015

I paid $325 for a used Town Hall with box and instructions back in the Spring. Thought j got hosed at the time, but I think I could turn a profit if I didn't consider it my favorite modular.

PeteM · November 2015

£170 for a sealed Emerald Night a year or two ago. Because I really needed a pristine second one. Really needed...

Bumblepants said:

Only time I have paid over was to grab a second Maersk Train. Think it was just about twice MSRP. Needed a second locomotive though. Needed it. Trains are a dangerous addiction.

Seconded! ;)

Brew · November 2015

I paid $575 for a used Grand Carousel about 3 years ago. I was in a grey-age when it was out and I remember wanting it but $250 for a Lego set was more rare of a purchase back then. It's the most I've ever spent on any set, but it was worth it. A little repetitive on the build, but the end result is really magnificent. Especially with the mod I did to slow it down and put a 'real' music box on it.

samiam391 · November 2015

Does this include minifigures? :)

wardm · November 2015

I paid 180 euro for the Arkham Asylum (new) last year. So glad I did, it's an amazing set!

Yodalicious · November 2015

I'll admit when I first read the topic, I read it as "What is the most you've paid for a DISCOUNTED set?" I got very confused and my head started to hurt.

Lego_Nerd98 · November 2015

samiam391 said:

Does this include minifigures? :)

yep!

Lobot · November 2015

£750 for a MISB UCS 10179 about 4 years ago, it seemed like a lot of money at the time...

Paperballpark · November 2015

£150 for a Maersk Train last year. Love it. I have two now :)

I did pay about £350 for a Greengrocer, but that was Bricklinked, so I don't think it really counts.

mmozzano · November 2015

My highest was 849.25% over the RRP for series 1 Zombie, I also paid 741.71% over RRP for the Bumblebee girl. Eeek!!

For regular sets I've never really paid too much over RRP for any discontinued sets though I did pay 84% over RRP for a used Zombies set #9465

xwingpilot · November 2015

150% more than RRP for #30051! ;)

LusiferSam · November 2015

I'll only answer this question in term of post 1978 sets. I've got several sets from the 50s and 60s that I've paid a fair amount more for. There's really no point in even try to compare the two groups, they are whole different animals.

The highest price that I've paid for a post 1978 set is around $200 for 6075, the Yellow Castle. The was 100% complete with the box, stickers, introductions and extra pieces. It was an eBay auction that I lost. The winner backed out and seller offered it to the number two and three bidders, both of whom were no longer interested. The seller than contacted me and offered it at my max bid.

In terms of percent over MRSP, I'm thinking some of Kabaya sets would win that contest. I'm think a couple of the Ninja or KK I would be around 500% of MRSP.

TheMaker37 · November 2015

$750 For the UCS Super Star Destroyer...No regrets.

SumoLego · November 2015

samiam391 said:

Does this include minifigures? :)

And how about 'current' value versus acquisition cost?

Shpadoinkle · November 2015

Two years ago right about this time of year I took a chance on a new Brickset user who said he had a 10179 and wanted to sell it. He wanted to avoid eBay fees and online scammers and really wanted to work a direct sale. We talked for a couple of weeks, and it turned out he would be coming through the area on his way from Kentucky to his wife's family a few hours North.

I agreed to pay him $1,200 for the 10179, and for $50 more he threw in a 6211 Star Destroyer, a 10178 Motorized AT-AT, and a 6212 X-Wing. The night before I could barely sleep, and was a little crestfallen when the morning of he emailed me and must have checked the online prices for the bonus sets because he wanted to re-negotiate those. I convinced him that it wouldn't be right and we had agreed on a price and he relented. I went ahead and put an extra $50 in a Christmas card for him as a "gift", however, because that seemed okay.

We met in a gas station parking lot on a dark, cold night. They had obviously been on the road for awhile and were tired, but I was pumped. I checked the tote the 10179 was in, blue-gray ship masts, printed radar dish, everything was there. Gave him a fat wad of cash, shook hands, and we all left happy. I kid you not I still smile when I see that gas station!

Ended up giving the 6211 to a good friend of mine for Christmas that year. The rest I built. (X-wing I built that week, AT-AT two months later, and the 10179 it was 8 months before I got up the nerve to tackle it.)

Still, that was A LOT of money for me, especially for bits of plastic! ;-)

oldtodd33 · November 2015

I bought this recently. The most I have spent for an old set % wise. Although I paid $350 for a 7750 years ago. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-LEGO-System-Trains-Set-181-New-Factory-Sealed-/331705256554?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&nma=true&si=vk4unPw1547My8W0G0AaSmzPNMM%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

dragon114 · November 2015

$150 for incomplete metroliner. was missing the minifigs, the train station and the middle car. had extra strait track speed regulator, and the add-on car with no figs

samiam391 · November 2015

Lego_Nerd98 said:

samiam391 said:

Does this include minifigures? :)

yep!

In that case, I believe it was $3,000.

SumoLego said:

samiam391 said:

Does this include minifigures? :)

And how about 'current' value versus acquisition cost?

And it was money well spent ;)

Jern92 · November 2015

$185 for a MISB Medieval Market Village (almost double the RRP). Everything else I've either paid RRP for, or they've become way too expensive to consider (I'm looking at you, Taj Mahal!)

bea · November 2015

I dug though my email and found that the highest percentage over MSRP was for gorilla suit guy CMF for $5.45 after shipping (~82% premium).

Ma1234 · November 2015

I'm lucky in that I've never had a "dark age," so I've bought many of the awesome models like Cafe Corner, etc. at retail. The most I've ever spent on a set second hand is a "mere" $280 for a sealed Wetabix #1484 promotional set. I also spent $72 for a sealed, specially boxed #6523 that was hands out as a gift for Danish Red Cross donations.

Lego_Nerd98 · November 2015

@Shpadoinkle making shady deals around gas stations at night...dealing bricks is a dangerous business xD

brumey · November 2015

i bricklinked a 4-armed garmadon piece by piece from 3 different shops for 7,47USD ....
overall i paid 28USD including shipping + lots of bley slopes (rock foliage).

if u dont count the slopes and just shipping. this fucker cost me 19.50 USD which is way more if i had just purchased the assembled minifigure for 8USD + 4USD shipping...

i dont care. everyone makes mistakes!

GallardoLU · November 2015

spent $150 for the Celebration VI: Slave I (with tin of course) originally a $40 value, so a 375% increase.
also paid $125 for the Cube Dudes bounty hunters at 150% markup

messy · November 2015

Generally I won't spend more than rrp, if I didn't get round to buying a set by the time it retired then I try to not let it bother me (why did I not buy all the early modulars, what a fool!)

I did spend a whole £2 more than rrp on #4483 but I justified this to myself as it included postage. The most I've spent on a poly bag is £20, I have bid relatively high for exclusives on ebay but always get out bid as I'm just too much of a skinflint!

Lego_Nerd98 · November 2015

messy said:

Generally I won't spend more than rrp, if I didn't get round to buying a set by the time it retired then I try to not let it bother me (why did I not buy all the early modulars, what a fool!)

I did spend a whole £2 more than rrp on #4483 but I justified this to myself as it included postage. The most I've spent on a poly bag is £20, I have bid relatively high for exclusives on ebay but always get out bid as I'm just too much of a skinflint!

I wish I had bought all of the modulars, too. Those things are soooo expensive now.

BuriedinBricks · November 2015

I paid like $350 for a used GG, missing just one fig. The most on a sealed set was the IF for $250 or so, a few short months after it retired.

Lego_Lord_Mayorca · November 2015

It was definitely for #6086 Black Knights' Castle, in immaculate, sealed condition from a fellow forum member @Odindusk. I really, really admired and wanted that castle, and he was so helpful about it. I did end up building it and enjoying it immensely, so $900 seems well spent in retrospect.

Fauch · November 2015

I guess you can be helpful for 900$ oO

SumoLego · November 2015

^ I'll be helpful for $250.00.

A.Brickovsky · November 2015

I can't really compare it with RRP as the set is over 20 years old... I bought 6278: Enchanted Island, sealed, for 156 EUR including shipping, which is not bad when you compare it with 6273 for example (currently 700 EUR on BL).
Fortunately for my wallet, I mostly buy current sets, but I'm also helpless about the 1980's and 1990's... and I don't buy used bricks at all. Go figure ;)

berniebond · November 2015

I think my most expensive retired set has to be 5378 Hogwarts Castle NISB for 300 Euro shipped. Sold a few #4842 and #10217 to get to black figures quite quickly.

Got a second NIsB #10210 IF about a year ago for 250€ so this could actually be put in the brag thread, me thinks.

Minifigurewise i splashed 100€ on a sealed SDCC Unikitty...

Someday i will have to come back here writing about my NISB #6399. Someday...

catwrangler · December 2015

I got the Medieval Market Village from a Brickset member earlier this year, for 2/3 of RRP. I think we both went away very happy. Don't see myself spending that kind of money for many sets, but this was one of those "I must have been crazy not to buy that when it came out" situations...

What is the most you've paid for a discontinued set?

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