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Buying Bulk / Price per pound.

jocappyjocappy Member Posts: 207
edited February 2012 in Buying & Selling Topics
Looking to purchase Lego locally by the pound. What are the average fair price per pound of clean Lego.
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Comments

  • pcironepcirone Long Island, NYMember Posts: 346
    I think $5-$10 a pound is fair, depending on type and condition of parts. That being said, if you work at it you can eventually find bulk Lego for much less. A few months ago I got 70 pounds for $20 at a yard sale, that's less than 30 cents a pound.
  • LegoboyLegoboy 100km furtherMember Posts: 8,804
    ^ WOW!!!
  • akunthitaakunthita USAMember Posts: 1,037
    @jocappy, as pcirone said; $5-$10/pound is a fair price. You could get lucky finding something better, but anyone who knows anything about LEGO will sell it for the above price.
  • Pacific493Pacific493 Member Posts: 379
    It really depends on what you are buying and from whom. If you're dealing with someone who is unsophisticated and unknowledgeable in the ways of Lego, you are more likely to find some incredible deals like the one mentioned above (70 pounds for $20). $5-$10 a pound is generally pretty fair. However, there are several variables that can significantly affect the price. For example, if the lot is a single-owner collection that comes with manuals and minifigures, it could command a higher price. If the set is vintage and comes with the manuals, I have seen prices as high as $20 to $25 per pound depending on what sets are included. I buy a lot of older lots from the 1980s and typically pay right around $10 per pound, but have paid much more for special lots.

  • recordmanrecordman Member Posts: 44
    My experience doing a lot of garage sales is similar to what's been said. The higher the weight, the less per pound. I've been averageing $2-$3/lb when over 20lbs or so. Sellers generally want $5-$10/lb when it's under 3-4 lbs. At one garage sale, a woman whose son was out of college, brought out a tub with about 40 lbs of pure Lego. She was firm at $75 which would have been my offer anyway (all very clean). I was stoked. After sorting it at home, it turned out to have 163 figs, mostly late 80s /early 90s.
  • jocappyjocappy Member Posts: 207
    Just got 13 pounds for 20 bucks but needs some cleaning. Any ideas how to determine what sets the mini figs are from?
  • L3GOCOLL3CTORL3GOCOLL3CTOR Member Posts: 5
    Lego 'pound' prices have gone up to about $7-$10+ on eBAY. Separated colors are even higher, especially the grey/gray colors.
  • Jonn420Jonn420 Member Posts: 267
    edited February 2012
    i know there was a thread somewhere and i looked and couldnt find it.
    so anyways , im looking to make some cool MOCs and i wanna buy bulk legos from Ebay...
    i dont wanna buy per/piece....(400pcs. for 40$),i wanna get like $50 lbs for $XX...
    What is a good going rate for bulk in lbs....i dont have alot of money, but i have alot of ideas.
  • FurrysaurusFurrysaurus Hiding in the kitchen.Member Posts: 156
    i always heard it was about $10 USD / pound.
  • avoiceoreasonavoiceoreason Member Posts: 224
    ^ Yep, that's about the going rate, but if you're patient you can find some lots cheaper than that, maybe as low as $6/lb. But in general, for a good lot, expect to pay around $10/lb.
  • Jonn420Jonn420 Member Posts: 267
    thank you guys
  • dougtsdougts Oregon, USAMember Posts: 4,129
    I would also add to look at WHO you are buying the lot from. If it is a seller who sells a lot of Lego, odds are that they have picked through and taken all the choice pieces and figs out (minus a few items to put on top for photo purposes), leaving you with essentially the "leftovers"
  • Jonn420Jonn420 Member Posts: 267
    yeah, i was bidding on a few that looked promising, but got sniped. id much rather deal with collectors on the forms here.im usually a good judge of character just from reading post ppl leave,i find that more trustworthy than strangers on ebay.i was huge into trading star wars figures back in the day,and learned to weedout bad apple traders.so im much more comfortable dealing with traders.
    Andor
  • BrickarmorBrickarmor USAMember Posts: 1,257
    Just want to say I'm glad this thread was already here, and that I prudently scanned the category before starting a new post. I've gotten two lots in the past month on ebay, 17 and 24 lbs, at $4-5 per pound INCLUDING shipping and handling. So I wanted to come find out exactly how elated I should be... The 17 lb lot included at least $40 in Power Functions motors alone!! The 24 lb lot is coming soon from Goodwill in Seattle; pictures looked promising...
  • plasmodiumplasmodium UKMember Posts: 1,941
    edited May 2012
    How much would be a reasonable amount to spend on a large-ish amount of standard building bricks (i.e., 2x4s, 2x2s, that sort of stuff, in standard colours, like red, black, white, blue, yellow)? How expensive would it be to get it new? Would Pick-a-brick (online? in-store?) be best? Is there a bucket-type set which anyone recommends? In short, what's the best way to get a good deal on lots of plain building bricks?
    Andor
  • seonadancingseonadancing Member Posts: 92
    Buy the Lego XXL box that has 1,600 bricks.
  • BoiseStateBoiseState Member Posts: 804
    I have 10 6868 sets, Hulk's Helicarrier. Got a bunch of them cheap when they first came out, but quickly found out that selling the minifigures themselves brought in more money than selling the sealed set(people are strange!). The set by itself seems fairly worthless, should I keep them together or just dump them and sell them as bulk?
  • BrickarmorBrickarmor USAMember Posts: 1,257
    I see sets on FeeBay all the time that say "no mini figures". Worth a shot.
  • BoiseStateBoiseState Member Posts: 804
    Ya, I checked them out. Seem to be going for about 15 bucks, but with the fees from EBay and PayPal it's a pain. I think jade is goi g to take them off of my hands.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas TexasMember Posts: 8,409
    Buy the Lego XXL box that has 1,600 bricks.
    That used to be a deal, but that set has really gone up in price...

    5512 is the set number, for what it is worth...
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas TexasMember Posts: 8,409
    *edit* - well, maybe not, there are a few cheaper copies of that set on Bricklink, go get em while you can...
  • AFFOL_Shellz_BellzAFFOL_Shellz_Bellz Member Posts: 1,263
    Price per pound can also vary depending on the area you find it in my experience. Just paid between $4-5 a pound for a lot between 65-70 pounds. Lucked out with over 100 figures, and about 20+ of the light yellow bricks that are uncommon.
  • Son1shineSon1shine Member Posts: 29
    edited June 2012
    Hello,

    I was wondering if any of you have a general algorithm per se for buying LEGO in bulk by the lb (like off of Craigslist). There is a lady selling 30 lbs worth, they are all jumbled in a big bin with no manuals. She said there is star wars, harry potter, city and dinosaurs. The picture isn't great quality so I can't tell what is in there. She was starting off at $250, now she is saying $200 and she just wants them gone.

    I am asking because it is about a 45 minute drive, so I want to have an idea if it is even close to worth it before I pack up all three kids and drive out there. =)

    Any thoughts? What would you pay for just general pieces for building inventory? I know it will be worth more if there are minifigures, which she says there are.

    Thanks!
  • madhatter160madhatter160 Member Posts: 1
    On eBay, I've seen bulk lots go for anywhere from $5-$10 or so per pound depending on what is in the lot and who is selling it. $200 for 30 lbs sounds reasonable to me.
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Member Posts: 4,401
    @Son1shine - Hiya. Please note that there are already a couple of existing discussions on "Buying Bulk" that may be able to assist you. As such, I've merged your question here. Please read the discussion above and also feel free to browse the various categories for other existing threads that might be of some help. Thanks! :o)
  • jeffmacejeffmace Member Posts: 28
    @Son1shine (and anyone else interested in buying bulk), I can't give you any type of algorithm, but I can show you a listings of bulk LEGO sold on eBay broken down by weight. You can slide the bar to pick your weight and if you are told what type of sets make up the bulk you can filter it by theme. You will see wide range of prices for what you are looking for, but there are quite a few near that $200 mark, so it doesn't seem too far off.

    Take a look, it will help act as a guide for what people are paying.
    http://www.brickpicker.com/bpms/bulkdata.cfm
  • Son1shineSon1shine Member Posts: 29
    Thank you so much @yellowcastle and @jeffmace. That is a big help!
  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    @Son1shine ~ I buy a lot of bulk Lego from Craigslist and for random Lego, I usually pay around $5/lb. For Star Wars Lego or with lots that come with manuals, I will go as high as $7/lb.

    This is taking into consideration the following:

    1. The weight is almost never correct. A lot of people "guesstimate". Without fail, every single purchase has over-estimated their lot weight by anywhere from 5-10 lbs. So take that into consideration when setting your price.

    2. There will be quite a few non-Lego pieces (ie Hot Wheels cars or Megabloks - booo) or really dirty/broken pieces that are beyond salvaging.

    3. Minifigures do up the ante a bit but 50% of the time, they are chipped, bitten and incomplete. Unless they can show separate photos of all the minifigures, I tend not to count that in my asking price.

    All told, after everything has been sifted and cleaned and tossed out, the actual cost is closer to $8-10 a pound for what we end up keeping and using.

    That 30 lbs of Lego that woman is selling is probably closer to 25-27 lbs. So $200 is a bit too high. I would see if she's willing to part with it for $160 - especially given that you have to drive 45 minutes to pick it up.

    Good luck!
  • BrickarmorBrickarmor USAMember Posts: 1,257
    What surprised me the most at first was that a seemingly common sense notion does not hold, namely, that the bigger the lot the less per lb/kg. There are numerous variables, from cleanliness to completeness and everything in between, but the fact that a smaller lot sells for $5-6/lb in no way means that a large one will go for less. Shipping has to be factored in on FeeBay, driving time (ie gas) and questionable content for CL. My most recent foray on CL turned out rather well, but at the meet-up I was so excited I forgot something that could have really caused some grief: I accepted the giant tied-up bag without inspecting it! It wasn't five minutes later I was kicking myself, unnecessarily it turns out, but it could have been 25 lbs of rocks, hair, and MegaBlechs. So take heed, and remember to inspect.
    Andor
  • Son1shineSon1shine Member Posts: 29
    Thank you guys for all of the help and insight. That is really helpful. The lowest she would take was $190 to consider it sold. She wasn't getting home till 6, and had 2 other people coming after 6. Too many variables to buy sight unseen, and I don't want to drive 45 minutes and have someone walking out with the LEGO 2 minutes before me. Thanks again, that is all really good insight to remember in the future.
  • kennykenny Member Posts: 12
    Hey i need a couple fair prices and maybe one of you is a potential buyer. i have 58 pounds exactly of legos and theyre parts from castle star wars and other random sets. No sets are built though but clean condition and no junk. Price in U.S. please. also i have rare minifigs such as: original knights 1994 and the trucker lego guy from 1988 and original falcons knights and original chinese guards and avatar airbender and vikings and more. price please for those dudes all clean. I would sell everything plus another 50 minifigs for 350. any takers?
    Andor
  • kennykenny Member Posts: 12
    also i have tons of lego star wars original obi won, qui gon jin, anakin, those purple droids, original geonosian, original palpatien, original cound duku, yoda, the whole jabbas palace crew from 2002 and more. prices please again
    Andor
  • CCCCCC UKMember Posts: 19,298
    ^ and ^^ current prices are at www.bricklink.com
  • BoiseStateBoiseState Member Posts: 804
    Put this in the marketplace, but if you have Jabba and the palace mixed in there, you'll have no problem getting rid of the 58 pounds.
  • AFFOL_Shellz_BellzAFFOL_Shellz_Bellz Member Posts: 1,263
    Regarding my previous post on May 29, we just sorted the last of that bulk and ended up with various sets including 6353 Coastal Cutter, 8 Insectoids sets, and those are the only ones we've built.

    Have been paying as low as $3 lb lately.
  • LaziterLaziter Member Posts: 76
    edited June 2012
    I've been thinking of putting up some ads in the local paper where I live.
    I know there's plenty of people out there with LEGO they just don't know what to do with, so my plan is to put up an offer where I pay by the kilo (that's about 2.2 pounds on the rough).
    I just don't have any idea how much a fair price for either part would be.
    Considering that I live in Denmark and we have taxes that surpasses most other countries, LEGO might be expensive.
    A rough calculation suggests any amount in US$ + 25 percent (that's the consumer tax), so throw guesses in US$.
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Member Posts: 4,401
    @Laziter - Please note that I've merged your question here. I think you'll find your answers above. Thanks! :o)
  • LaziterLaziter Member Posts: 76
    Thx.. I never noticted this thread before, even did a search.. But thx for the merge/linking :-)

    Looking at those prices above, I'll never get that low here in Denmark.. I did an estimate on my own, roughly based on used sets and weight.. Got to about $25/kilo (or about $11.30/pound).
    Maybe I should just stick to importing bricks at a slow pace and avoid taxes and whatever might come..
  • LaziterLaziter Member Posts: 76
    Well.. Didn't take long before I got an offer..
    40 kg (that's about 88.8 pounds) for about $690..
    I'm about to call it a deal, but I still wanna try for less.. Even though the seller says there are some old Pirate and Star Wars set in there.
  • AFFOL_Shellz_BellzAFFOL_Shellz_Bellz Member Posts: 1,263
    Make your final offer based on what is in the lot, for some those would be good options while for another person not so much. If there are a lot of specialty pieces difficult to use in rebuilding it might be a reason to reduce the price.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas TexasMember Posts: 8,409
    Even though the seller says there are some old Pirate and Star Wars set in there.
    It seems every seller says there are Star Wars parts in every lot. :)

    That being said, lots of Star Wars sets are full of normal bricks, so unless you know which sets, it may not mean much. It is the key rare bricks that matter, not the bulk of the bricks found in all sets.

    Another thought... Sets seem to have much smaller parts than "brick boxes". From a value point of view, getting lots of brick box parts in a bulk lot would seem to be a poor deal, so if they are set type parts, I would think that is better.
  • LaziterLaziter Member Posts: 76
    These are some of the sets:
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=6541-1
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=4559-1
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=5988-1
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=7141-1
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=7139-1
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=4555-1
    http://brickset.com/detail/?set=6286-1
  • AFFOL_Shellz_BellzAFFOL_Shellz_Bellz Member Posts: 1,263
    what one values depends on what they build I suppose but I'd buy that lot in a heartbeat and try to build the sets, but I like vintage trains, pirate ships, and such.
  • LaziterLaziter Member Posts: 76
    I decided to buy the lot.. I'm meeting up with the seller on monday to close the deal.
    I'll probably just build the Star Wars sets, the rest will just be sorted out into boxes.
    The train has no interest, so I might just sell some of the parts from it.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    ^ if skull's eye is in there you should build that even if just to sell it. Wish you were US. I'd be interested in the ship and that train.
  • LaziterLaziter Member Posts: 76
    edited July 2012
    The ship will be built for sure. Not by me though, but my gf has a certain love for the pirate theme. She has every single set from POTC and wants more.
    The train is another matter though, I like the windshields and bricks in it, but the trails, motor and the other stuff I don't need or see any reason to work with, so I might sell those parts. I'm not sure on that part though, I have a daughter, she might find that train to be fun to play with.
    Andor
  • kennykenny Member Posts: 12
    edited July 2012
    I have about 56 lbs ( give or take a pound ) of lego parts from random sets. I am trying to sell the bulk of legos and 75 minifigures from: star wars, knights ( old and new ), and other minifigures. Any body give me a good estimate what it should go for or even give me an offer ( though i am going on ebay soon if nobody here wants it ). I think 450 and i pay shipping is fair but anybody give me an estimate. I also have a huge star wars lot that you can message me about for pics and details. Thanks :)
    Andor
  • cynthilinacynthilina Member Posts: 188
    PM sent.
  • CountryboyCountryboy Member Posts: 36
    PM'd
  • kennykenny Member Posts: 12
    Countryboy, i did not receive a message from you if you sent one, sorry.
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