Anyone else torn between opening an old set and keeping it MISB?

kempo81 · March 2011

My darling wife who puts up with my Lego obsession was kind enough to buy me the amazing UCS Millennium Falcon (10179) for Christmas a couple of years ago and it's been sat in it's perfectly preserved box ever since. At the time we were in a 2 bed flat and there was NO space to speak of to build it so it was a good excuse to keep it nicely MISB ;o) We have since moved to a new pad and i'm ashamed to say 6 months in and it's still in the box. Not only that, i'm lucky enough to have moved to a house with a converted loft that I have been allowed to occupy as my "Lego Room"!! I promised myself (and my wife) it would be built; and not just become the most expensive cardboard box ornament in the world! I have no reason or excuses not to build the mighty Corellian YT-1300, but a little part of me wants it to stay perfectly preserved where it is...

vynsane · March 2011

I just barely understand the 'MISB' collector mentality. What's the purpose of buying something if you're never actually going to use it? I can understand the thought that it will be 'worth more' if it's never been opened, but honestly, that set will probably always demand a huge amount of money going forward. If the extra maybe $100-$200 that being in-box will command is worth you storing it and never enjoying it, then by all means, leave it in the box, but if you're not even considering selling it, then all it's achieving is wasting space.

Of course, from what I've heard, it's so huge that your wife will probably be screaming "OMG PUT IT BACK IN THE BOX, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO EAT???" once it's fully assembled ;) - I don't know how big that converted loft is, but most accounts of the build have said the only place to do it is the dining room table.

drdavewatford · March 2011

I finally built mine last year; while I'm a collector and understand that certain sets will go up and up in value if kept MISB, there are some sets that just have to be built, and 10179 is one of them.

So my advice ? If you now have the space, love LEGO and love Star Wars then build it ! It is massive and extremely impressive.

bluemoose · March 2011

... kind enough to buy me the amazing UCS Millennium Falcon (10179) for Christmas a couple of years ago ...

So, your wife bought you an expensive present & you're thinking about maybe selling it, unused, because it's worth a lot of money? Doesn't really matter if it's LEGO or not, you know what you need to do ... build it & make a big fuss over how wonderful a wife she is, and how totally unworthy you are of her love. This is one of the secrets to a long & happy marriage ;-)

Also, it's a great model & you'll kick yourself if you never have the opportunity to build it :-)

atkinsar · March 2011

Mine is still in the box too, but I tell myself that's a space issue. Once it's built though, here's where to put it...

[see image below [HM]...]

kempo81 · March 2011

Wasn't expecting marriage advice from this question but thanks for the tips anyway ;o) Selling it is not in my thoughts at all which absolutely beg's the question... "then why not build it"?? I think you have identified my concern between you though; where is it going to go after I build it?!! There is room in the loft to keep it out but what purpose would that serve? It should be on show for all to see the exquisite brilliance of this set when fully assembled. DrDave, I do love Lego SW (it's what pulled me out of my dark ages) and for that reason alone it WILL be built! Thanks for the comments guys and welcoming me into the forum :o)

Matthew · March 2011

I have several sets like Diagon Alley that I haven't built yet, because I have to rotate my Lego, there isn't enough space otherwise, that's City, Castle Harry Potter and now Star Wars. (I feel like punching myself for starting to collect Star Wars Lego because I will now have to restrain myself not to buy all the old sets for mad prices) but I really want to build Diagon Alley but I know it will be worth twice what I paid for it in a few years but I know I will never sell it so it's just stupid, I keep going round in circles and by the sound of it you are too. My advice would be OPEN THAT BOX, you won't regret it!

Matthew · March 2011

Wasn't expecting marriage advice from this question but thanks for the tips anyway ;o) Selling it is not in my thoughts at all which absolutely beg's the question... "then why not build it"?? I think you have identified my concern between you though; where is it going to go after I build it?!! There is room in the loft to keep it out but what purpose would that serve? It should be on show for all to see the exquisite brilliance of this set when fully assembled. DrDave, I do love Lego SW (it's what pulled me out of my dark ages) and for that reason alone it WILL be built! Thanks for the comments guys and welcoming me into the forum :o)

You posted your comment when I was still typing mine! Looking back it does look a bit long winded, to say the least :-)

bluemoose · March 2011

It should be on show for all to see the exquisite brilliance of this set when fully assembled.

For me it's the journey, rather than the destination ... I build for the enjoyment of the build; built sets rarely last intact for more than a week or two. The UCS Falcon lasted about a year, as we were displaying it at various Brickish events in the matched-scale Docking Bat 94, but it's very rare for anything to survive that long in our house :-)

Yellowcastle · March 2011

I'm so glad it's not just me. Additionally, my wife bought mine as well. There's just something so serene about old unopened Legos. It's like I have my own time traveling toy store. And it's not just the falcon for me...my little toy store also has an unopened rapid river village, imperial procession, black sea barracuda, main street, Viking ship, city airport, sandcrawler, etc, etc

Edit: Not to mention all the modulars. OMG, maybe I've just transformed from builder to collector and just never realized. :o)

atkinsar · March 2011

@Yellowcastle, you're a builder as well??

drdavewatford · March 2011

Ha - my wife bought my 10179 as well. I sense a global conspiracy to keep us occupied and out of their hair !

And don't get me on to my backlog of MISB sets which I'd like to build - the new trains, all the new Harry Potter sets, Shuttle Adventure, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, Sandcrawler, UCS Vader's TIE, Town Plan, UCS X-Wing, UCS Darth Maul Bust, AT-OT, MMV, Grand Carousel, New Slave 1 (in fact pretty much all the new Star Wars sets) etc. etc. etc......! I keep being asked if I'm hoarding all this stuff to sell. I actually would love to build it but time is short right now. Still, I can hopefully retire in 25 years and then I should have time.

Still, at least I've built all the modulars !

:-)

Yellowcastle · March 2011

Well I now have a designated room and am putting up tables shortly. Then I begin making my city (with medieval neighboring city). :o)

Huw · March 2011

I just barely understand the 'MISB' collector mentality. What's the purpose of buying something if you're never actually going to use it?

I'm with you there... It's all very well keeping sets MISB so you can sell them one day, but you never will. You'll always leave it MISB and wait for it to rise in value...

vynsane · March 2011

I will admit I presently have a MISB table saw (well, some water damage to the box, since it was in the basement during 'the thaw'). We bought it at Home Depot to get our total above $300 so we could defer the payments for 6 mos without interest... but it will actually probably be opened in a few hours as I have need for it ;)

Reading some of these comments, man, I wish I had the money to buy enough sets that I don't have the time to build them. Alas, right now I haven't the time to even build the MOCs I have in mind, but still... The week after Christmas was a LEGO marathon. I built Creator Sonic Boom, new Slave I, SP3 Lunar Limo and Undercover Cruiser, Atlantis Neptune Carrier, World Racers Snake Canyon, Gator Swamp and Blizzard's Peak, Clone Wars Pirate Tank, Midi-Scale Imperial Star Destroyer, Separatist's Shuttle and finally, le pièce de résistance, Shuttle Adventure.

Maybe I should've spread them out a bit, but I'm like a kid again, having just re-emerged from my 'dark age' a year ago. I can't contain my excitement to build them all immediately.

Tervlon · March 2011

I'm not a MISB man either, for a number of reasons. Usually I have no place to keep boxes, especially since MISB is mostly just Danish air. The other reason is that I usually raid parts out of boxed sets for MOCs. Out of the last 20 sets I've bought I probably built 2-3 and then sorted the rest directly into the collection. I'm not much of a collector though, I'm a MOCer. If there is such a word.

Rainstorm26 · March 2011

I have the same problem with 10179. I bought it for $375 and now they are going for close to $1200. I just think about all the sets I could buy for the differential and it makes me think about selling it. I mean it really is a great looking set, but almost $1000???????

starfire2 · March 2011

@Atkinsar: did you build that case yourself? It looks awesome.

atkinsar · March 2011

Sadly not, I saw it on the Internet a while back and I think DrD has referenced it in a blog too. I might use it as inspiration though when I move house, my uncle is a talented carpenter so maybe he'll help me out.

drdavewatford · March 2011

Sadly not, I saw it on the Internet a while back and I think DrD has referenced it in a blog too.

Man, you have a good memory ! You're right - it was back in September of last year:

URL is : http://gimmelego.blogspot.com/2010/09/monsters.html

Just a brief mention, about 3/4 of the way down.....

jayr17 · April 2011

So, your wife bought you an expensive present & you're thinking about maybe selling it, unused, because it's worth a lot of money? Doesn't really matter if it's LEGO or not, you know what you need to do ... build it & make a big fuss over how wonderful a wife she is, and how totally unworthy you are of her love. This is one of the secrets to a long & happy marriage ;-)

Also, it's a great model & you'll kick yourself if you never have the opportunity to build it :-)

This was my thought too Bluemoose. I guess my question like, vynsane, is did you buy it as an investment or as something that makes you happy? I can fully appreciate your lack of space, but if you can get creative (think verticle) you might have a very nice way to display it without covering your coffee table. I tried to convince my wife that we needed one (since she is also a Lego fan and is warming up to Star Wars) but instead the "where would we put it" issue won out. We regret it now, since it is no longer available without a rediculous mark up. We have curbed our regret by buying sets when we see them that are really nice, and take advantage of the discounts when we can (found an OOP Ferrari 8185 at a TRU we had not visited before while looking for S4 minifigs, and got 10% off to boot) . I gave my wife a "touche' " when I pulled the same excuse for not getting her the Grand Carousel... but in my defense I thought it would still be available for another year (just read Huw's comment about some sets going quick like the Limo/helicopter, and the Grand Carousel and had a pang of regret).

Post edited by @Matthew 03/04/11 15:37 GMT
Reason For Edit: Added Quote

kor · April 2011

I have a small collection (see pic) of MISB sets that I'll probably never open. I can get any of these loose on ebay or bricklink and already own many of them that have been opened.

For me, I really enjoy the package artwork and it takes me back to when I was a kid (the older sets anyway) trying to convince family members to buy more Lego toys while we were at the store. However, the 10179 is pretty expensive even as a used toy and WAY to cool not to be built. I think I would have to put that bad boy together!

drdavewatford · April 2011

Love the pic, Kor - there's something about looking at LEGO boxes that fills me with joy, particularly when they're pristine !

gime · April 2011

Oh those old LEGO boxes are sooo cool. My goal would always be to buy two copies - one to build and put on display, and second one to store unopened, just for pure unhealthy feeling of having something from the past.
MISB are a pretty good way of investing money, most sets never lose their value (acc. inflation).

atkinsar · April 2011

Indeed, those are some lovely looking sets @Kor. Theres is just something so fantastic about looking at MISB toys (but especially LEGO of course), it really brings your childhood back.

thesinisterpenguin · April 2011

My goal would always be to buy two copies - one to build and put on display, and second one to store unopened, just for pure unhealthy feeling of having something from the past.

I call that "one for play, one for display".

rocao · April 2011

I, too, can't remove my perspective of fond reminiscence of classic Lego and the feeling evoked by their boxes, but I still do try to objectively compare them with modern packaging. The classic ones win every time.

I love the crispness of your 6066. That's such a great set with a tremendous amount of playability, especially considering its size.

I fantasize about being able to photograph my vintage boxes, but it would be a herculean effort, which is a nice problem to have.

Crankin · April 2011

I just sold a 10179 three weeks ago on eBay for $1250.00. Used. I assembled ig when I got it. Then my 7 year old son wanted to build it. I told him that if he built Fire Brigade by himself then he could build the falcon. He blew through the brigade so we broke out the falcon. He ended up building more than half of it himself. I helped with the rest. So then we decided to sell it. It was a first edition with certificate and letter from Lego all in mint condition. But it sold for more than new sets are selling for. New sets are going for around $1150 - $1200 new.

My point is that it's a great build and you may find that it doesn't lose as much value as you think.

Oh...I still have another 10179 MISB. If I ever get the urge in the future. I may just break into that one and build it a third time.

Build it.

scholte23 · April 2011

I've never brought a Lego set that wasn't MISB, I just like to get all my Lego Brand New. My theory is that I don't buy Lego to make money, I buy Lego because I love it and i know that I will never sell it, so I open and built every set so can have it on display for my enjoyment. I think that anyone who is out to make money on Lego is not a true Lego Lover

Build it, it will be the talking point of your house

rocao · April 2011

I think that anyone who is out to make money on Lego is not a true Lego Lover

I understand your view as it pertains to leaving a set sealed and never playing with it. But, I assure you that profiteering and loving Lego are not mutually exclusive. Lego is an expensive hobby -- perhaps THE most expensive of toy collecting -- and many collectors resort to funding the hobby by reselling.

princedraven · April 2011

Mine is opened (not built yet). To me this is the ultimate build (being a star wars and lego fan), cant wait to build it, display it for a week or so (have to eat meals on our laps :)) and then dismantle and put back into storage again till my first son is old enough to help me re-build, put on display and then dismantle again, then store, bring down again when my second son is old enough, display, dismantle and then finally probably sell for their college fund :).

If you are just going to keep it MISB it could be anything, you may as well just invest in something else, the beautiful thing about this model is taking 1000's of tiny bricks and turning them into a masterpiece.

And TBH the value opened is not that significantly less, so would be more than happy to sacrifice that extra £100 for the experience of building one of the best lego sets ever made.

TechnicMan · April 2011

For me the fun is in the building. I buy quite a lot of secondhand sets on eBay without boxes/instructions. Once I've built them and admired them for a bit they get dismantled and absorbed into the rest of the collection. Even my two recent new purchases, the Death Star 10188 and Imperial Shuttle 10212, have met the same fate. I can always build them again in the future if I want!

Galactus · April 2011

I've doubted wether to hold on to some MISB's or to open and enjoy them, but I came to the conclusion that I don't want them for the money - and I don't need them for that (yet) either - and I just love to build. So I have no unopened boxes apart from the ones recently bought.

Building the 10179 was great and I'm looking forward to get started with the 10188.

I've never brought a Lego set that wasn't MISB, I just like to get all my Lego Brand New. My theory is that I don't buy Lego to make money, I buy Lego because I love it and i know that I will never sell it, so I open and built every set so can have it on display for my enjoyment.

I'm liking it better new as well. The only second hand Lego I bought was my second 10144 and all my loose bricks from Bricklink.

legoclone · April 2011

I just can’t be a MISB collector, and here’s why. Let’s say I get a great set and leave it in the box so that eventually I can resell it as mint. Ok, so I get a financial return on it, maybe even a great return my money. But after the transaction I really only enjoyed looking at the box of the thing I owned without really ever enjoying it for what it was. Eventually the money I earned in the selling will be gone as well and all that I will have is the memory of an unopened box. Since I don’t want to go to my grave with memories of unopened boxes I must indulge my love of Lego’s and allow them to fulfill their purpose and be built by mine or my kid’s hands. Anything short of that and really all I did was act as a Lego warehouse.

Of course, if one collects Lego’s purely as an objective investor there is nothing wrong with that either and good luck to those people. They allow people like me to get our hands on a set we may have had to miss out on otherwise.

knuclear200x · April 2011

I also can't imagine the idea of selling an old Lego set and the idea of someone BUYING it for a bazillion dollars. Even though it happens...

I just think that in this day and age people would just ask/look for an instruction booklet scan and dig through their containers for similar pieces, maybe regardeless of color. And we can all just search here for pictures of those old boxes.

So...I'll just be the other guy to say yes to opening it.

Crankin · April 2011

No one is mentioning the fact that many people like myself buy multiple copies. One to build and a couple extras to sell (and pay for the ones we build). So there is a way to be a true Lego lover and also support your hobby through sales of unopened sets.

fox171171 · April 2011

I haven't built mine yet. Can't wait. Wondering if my pool table would be big enough to build it on. Still need to build my UCS Star Destroyer as well. Space to display it is probably the main hold up. Would like to build a display case to keep the dust off of it, and be a bit of a diorama of a docking bay (not necessarily 94).

If I had the money to buy two or more, one would be to build and display, the others would be for parts. To heck with MISB! (Though I do keep all of the boxes.)

brickupdate · April 2011

I agree with @Crankin - that if I really like a set, I will buy multiple copies - one to keep MIB, one to build, and on occasion, other copies that I feel I could sell one day to help offset the overall cost of those I am keeping. Yes, I justify all this with the "investment" mentality - that in the back of my mind, I feel that certain sets only increase in value, offsetting any risk, or any justification that I'm spending too much on LEGO! :)

Legorunner · April 2011

I have a question.

I recently acquired some Lego from an estate auction few days ago. Some of the Lego are still factory sealed in their boxes. The Exploriens, all of them completely sealed, I got some loose classic space sets too.

Should I keep the Exploriens completely sealed or break it open and enjoy building them?

What's your opinions guys?

Thanks.

TalasAntares · April 2011

Personally, I only buy a set if I am going to build it. Sort of defeats the purpose of buying a "construction toy" if you aren't going to "construct" it. But then I know others have a different opinion, so either choice is good. I'm not going to fool myself into thinking that I will sell off my Lego at some point in the future (thinking that a sealed set will bring more ching)...

wagnerml2 · April 2011

Frankly, it depends on why you bought them. The exploriens are hard to find in good sealed condition and would command a pretty penny. If you weren't big on the theme, I'd sell them and buy something different to build. You might get twice the sets for the money.

Eric · April 2011

^^ I agree, Sell em, and buy something you prefer. Don't crack open, If you like them, still sell em, and then buy them already opened. Yes, a bit of mucking around but you'll probably make a bit of a profit. :)

Si_UKNZ · April 2011

^^ I'd sell them too so someone who's mad about them can enjoy.

bluemoose · April 2011

Me, I'd open & build them. There's nothing quite like the feeling of opening an old set, with fresh bricks, instructions & stickers, and then settling down to build it :-)

madforLEGO · April 2011

^-- I used to think that way, but Id rather sell it and buy a used one.. I guess it is a preference, but it just seems crazy when you can sell a MISB set for 200 dollars and buy a barely used one for 100 (using a Santa Fe Series 1 car as an example) The boxes are great, but I do not require them if it is for my collection (although I always try to get Boxed sets (not brand new) from the 80's-90's if I can)..
That is why I am also going to have to open one of my Cafe Corners just to open it.. Thank goodness that TRU, Lego.com, or whoever ALWAYS seems to mangle at least one of the boxes for a set if I am buying multiple of one so I can safely say Ill open that one because the Box is mangled anyway...
But I have learned my lesson from not opening my last MISB 10190 Market Street. That I should open one as soon as possible because I did not open any of my Market Streets and I'd be crazy to do that now.

brickmatt · April 2011

^^Same here; if I buy an old set, I go for still sealed, at least if the price is reasonable.

Yellowcastle · December 2011

21 months and mine is still sealed. And with each and every day that goes by, I imagine the likelihood just decreases...

madforLEGO · December 2011

I wish I had the dilemma of whether or not to open a UCS Falcon.. Never got one partly due to money and partly due to feeling they would not go up (yes I know silly decision)... but my friend says in the grand scheme of life he would sell sets like that. I asked him why? He said because it is a flipping plastic toy set that you can get 1800 for, AND this guy also collects LEGOs as well....
like Brickupdate says, buy one to keep MISB.. I get one to open, one to sell, and one to keep, lately I have been going a bit nuts with the ones to keep...lol

LegoFanTexas · December 2011

It is a "flipping plastic toy", I know that, I've dealt with that, but you know what? You only live once, do what makes you happy, even if it makes no sense whatsoever...

People drink thousand dollar bottles of wine, that is absurd in my opinion, but they do it every day. So whatever floats your boat. :)

jocappy · December 2011

sell the sealed and purchase a opened one...

Yellowcastle · December 2011

^ Ha. Never thought of that.

Anyone else torn between opening an old set and keeping it MISB?

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