What would you do?

[k1ngsize]

Hi everyone!

Today I saw an ad on russian lego forum, some lady wants to sell a huge lot of lego, she claims that its weight is about 10 kilos (25 pounds). She says there are no instructions, nor boxes, but she also says that it should be 99% complete. The sets are from years 1998 to 2003 and are from various themes, from Happry Potter, Star Wars, City, Rock Raiders, Technic.

She provided some photos, but those are not all the parts she says, there are much more:

http://foto.mail.ru/mail/olesya.volkova/37/

http://foto.mail.ru/mail/olesya.volkova/38

She says that the whole lot is 2 FULL plastic bins like those:

Thanks to your forum, I already identified these sets:

4990

4707

4708

4709

These are obviously very good sets and there should be a lot, lot more.

I have no experience in buying used lego without instructions and boxes, but I think it should be fun. Or maybe I'm wrong?

What do you think?

She want 350$ for all this stuff.

Zeya just helped me to identify another set from this lot

5978

[Zeya]

I'm glad I could help out. Unfortunately, I am not (yet?) an expert at Lego. I just came out of my dark ages. I responded because I happened to see that tent piece elsewhere on this site.

But I can recommend the website Bricklink to you. It's basically a treasure trove of set information. They have pretty much all Lego sets, broken down by inventory (bricks) and show exactly everything that is in the set. I would see which unique looking bricks are in the photo and then try and find them on Bricklink by doing a search in the catalog:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalog.asp

If you only have a notion of what theme or set something is from, maybe try going to a page like this:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogTree.asp?itemType=S

and then look at images of the sets in that theme and see if you can spot it. Like maybe you see a tall roof piece that looks like it's from Harry Potter. Look at images of completed sets and try and spot it.

[vexorian]

Hi.

They are mostly unsorted and mixed. I think that as long as she does not complete any set with the parts. 350$ is too much. So far, it strikes me more as a 100$ collection. Probably decent at that price but 350 is too much as long as she does not complete any set. You know, if the sets were complete, she would build them. The safer assumption to make is that the sets are not complete. She can find instructions in the web....I am a cheapskate in regards to used LEGO though.

You should try negotiating the price. I doubt there are many people that would pay her 350$ and if you make a solid offer for even 80$ she might one day give up and try you. You should also consider the sorts of MISB sets you could find at 350$, that's an opportunity cost.

The big base piece and some walls are interesting, but you could find them at bricklink much cheaper than 350$ if you wanted them.

Another thing to consider is if you really have the space and time to sort them.

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely some great bits. But without a way to verify the sets are complete, the price seems large. I would really buy it if I could and the price was around 100 because it is a great bulk of pieces with tons of potential, but 350$ strikes to me as too much. It is ultimately your choice though.

Edit: Ok, I was horribly blind about the minifigs, I found them. Maybe I would pay 120 because the minifigs increase the chance the sets are complete...

Edited December 3, 2010 by vexorian

[benhead]

$350?Thats way too much for played with pieces!Those 2 tubs are going to have alot of parts with stress cracks,bent then re-straightened bits,parts that no longer stay connected cause the studs are rounded.

I would`nt pay more than $80,knowing that possibly 1/3 to 1/2 of them may be damaged and unusable.

[k1ngsize]

hi guys, thanks for replying

well i must say, i looked for the similar stuff on ebay, and the price range for lego bulk of 25lbs is about 200$

http://cgi.ebay.com/25-lb-Legos-Mix-Lot-Sets-Parts-Pieces-Mini-Figs-Manuals-/110618491812?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c1603ba4

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-LOT-BULK-LEGO-PARTS-PIECES-2-35-LBS-STAR-WARS-/170574018081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b700f621

not to mention that I live in Russia and here Lego is 2 times more expensive than in lego shop online, that's for new items of course, but we have pretty smal market for used lego also, so that lady's lot I was talking about is pretty unique I would say.

Anyway I agree that 350$ is pretty high price, I would pay 250$ though :)