LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[blueandwhite]

I'm hoping that some of the more coveted ones turn out to be a bit easier to find. I would be disheartened to discover that the cheerleader and the Robin Hood clone turn out to be among the rarest of the bunch. Hopefully some of the less popular figures prove harder to find. This would undoubtedly push their value up without disappointing or frustrating other collectors looking for some of the early favourites.

[David Thomsen]

I'm hoping that some of the more coveted ones turn out to be a bit easier to find. I would be disheartened to discover that the cheerleader and the Robin Hood clone turn out to be among the rarest of the bunch. Hopefully some of the less popular figures prove harder to find. This would undoubtedly push their value up without disappointing or frustrating other collectors looking for some of the early favourites.

That's kind of like having a card game where the super cool powerful card is more common than the run-of-the-mill basic card.

It'll probably be something like this:

Common: Nurse, Skater, Crash Test Dummy, Diver, Cheerleader. In other words, the ones that Your Mom would probably like.

Rare: Spaceman, Robot, Robin Hood, Wrester. In other words, the one that would be the most exciting to kids. I'm almost willing to bet that the spaceman with his super cool laser gun is a rare one.

[Rick]

Actually that is a good move. It allows people to keep buying more until they get the complete figs they want. It is a common marketing ploy, and Lego gets money out of it.

Ahem, yeah, sure, from TLG's perspective it's probably a good move (otherwise they wouldn't have implemented it), but I think he was reasoning from his own perspective (which is what most people tend to do ).

I think they are probably still top secret so he is actually just unable to release the information.

He mentions that in the article yeah.

Common: Nurse, Skater, Crash Test Dummy, Diver, Cheerleader. In other words, the ones that Your Mom would probably like.

Rare: Spaceman, Robot, Robin Hood, Wrester. In other words, the one that would be the most exciting to kids. I'm almost willing to bet that the spaceman with his super cool laser gun is a rare one.

... now just look at what kind of speculation a little sentence in a blog post can stimulate Anyway, what I see from most people's reaction, there don't really appear to be any unanimously favored or disliked figs (besides maybe the diver and crash test dummy which aren't called favorites that much, I admit).

[Peppermint_M]

That's kind of like having a card game where the super cool powerful card is more common than the run-of-the-mill basic card.

It'll probably be something like this:

Common: Nurse, Skater, Crash Test Dummy, Diver, Cheerleader. In other words, the ones that Your Mom would probably like.

Rare: Spaceman, Robot, Robin Hood, Wrester. In other words, the one that would be the most exciting to kids. I'm almost willing to bet that the spaceman with his super cool laser gun is a rare one.

My mum actually likes the emo kid the best.

You have to have "uncommon" figures but it doesn't mean they are impossible to find, its just likely there will be two/three in each big box as opposed to each box having all the figures in the collection.

I don't mind. With a price like that, if I put the change I would spend on crisps, chocolate and pepsi while in work into a jar, at the end of every week I can buy two or three figures and if I add the money I would spend on Starbucks hot chocolate and food when in town on saturday I can buy another two figures. It's good for my diet and means I spend my money on figures

[Lordofdragonss]

But Look. You know this feel when you find sommething rare? It's amazing ;] That's why I love things like this!

Hmmm...

The super rare: Nurse, Cheerleader, Spaceman, Forestman

Rare: Clown, Magician, Caveman, Emo Kid, Indian

Common: Wrestler, Zombie, Ninja, Robot, Ninja, Diver, Cowboy.

New molds= rare minifig

[CP5670]

... now just look at what kind of speculation a little sentence in a blog post can stimulate Anyway, what I see from most people's reaction, there don't really appear to be any unanimously favored or disliked figs (besides maybe the diver and crash test dummy which aren't called favorites that much, I admit).

I like the crash dummy actually, as well as the (presumably printed) license plate he comes with.

There are only 3 or 4 figures I'm interested in though, and the space guy is the only one I think is a must-have. Unless you can feel inside the bags I will probably end up getting them on Bricklink. I don't like lotteries.

[Rick]

I like the crash dummy actually, as well as the (presumably printed) license plate he comes with.

I guess this further proves my point. I for one am not too interested in the space guy. As long as TLG presents a nice assortment, I might not be that hard to find a trading partner.

[hollisbrick]

NZ price $NZ 3.99 each

Series 1 June release.

Series 2 September release.

Wow

Thats a great price! Must buy a ridicules amount

[blueandwhite]

But Look. You know this feel when you find sommething rare? It's amazing ;] That's why I love things like this!

Hmmm...

The super rare: Nurse, Cheerleader, Spaceman, Forestman

Rare: Clown, Magician, Caveman, Emo Kid, Indian

Common: Wrestler, Zombie, Ninja, Robot, Ninja, Diver, Cowboy.

New molds= rare minifig

You say that now, but wait until you've spent $150 on these guys and you still don't have the Nurse or the Spaceman and you find that sellers on bricklink have picked up on their relative obscurity and are charging $25-30 for those figs .

If the odds of picking up a rare figure is 1 in 60, it may cost a small fortune to get them all. I'm still a LEGO fan primarily for the bricks and building potential so I'm not too fond of the notion of spending a few hundred dollars simply to complete a line of sixteen minifigs. Add in a second wave and you could be talking $300-400. That's a pretty hefty chunk of LEGO budget right there.

[Mr Spielbrick]

Interesting to see that while some think (logically) "new parts = rare", the Forestman is perceived to be one of those rare buggers. He's got some of the oldest parts in Legodom! Seriously, those quivers, bows and pointy hats were all over the place 20 years ago.

Oh.

Sort of answered my own question there.

We'll just have to wait and see. I'm personally hoping to trap a Forestman, Zombie, Cheerleader, Nurse and Emo Kid. (Since we're listing fav's!)

[vexorian]

One of the issue with there being rarer figs is that it is unlikely we'll ever agree on what are the best figs. I bet the cheerleader is a must-have for town fans, but the sci-fi guy inside of me requires me to get as many robots as possible. Crash test dummies and wrestler also sound sort of fun.

In fact, most of them are really plain awesome, so it seems that making ones rarer than the others is unnecessary.

Edited January 27, 2010 by vexorian

[General Magma]

Actually that is a good move. It allows people to keep buying more until they get the complete figs they want. It is a common marketing ploy, and Lego gets money out of it.

-Omi

I said a bad move for us collectors.

TLG runs away with the money and profit and we can't get the minifigs we want.

Besides, people may quit buying them if it will cost too much for them to buy many more bags.

~ General Magma

Edited January 27, 2010 by General Magma

[posades]

I said a bad move for us collectors.

TLG runs away with the money and profit and we can't get the minifigs we want.

Besides, people may get angry and quit buying them.

~ General Magma

I don't think anyone will get angry and quit buying them, they'll probably just decide to go the Bricklink route to get their favorite ones instead of playing a "lottery" (which is just as bad because LEGO doesn't receive any of the profit).

[Peppermint_M]

New IRL Pictures

^{Image via Pocket Lint}

From the London Toy Fair, plus a brief article. More images at the link!

[Etzel]

In the close-up picture of the clown and crash dummy I think it looks like the arms got that square on the inside, indicating the lower quality type of minifigs that some were worried about. It's hard to see so I'm not completely sure. Personally I don't find those minifigs much worse so I will still get them, but it's sad that TLG can't stick with their usually high quality.

[Captain Blackmoor]

The cheerleader looks pretty.

Seriously though, this is a great collection of minifigs to have!

A sad thing is indeed they can't keep their usual great quality. I hope to get some of these though.

[angel1802]

Just three words : I Want Them... Maybe not all (maybe yes) bref !!! Let's save 32$ to have them !!!

I have questions... Will they sell the minifigs just in Lego stores or in other stores like Target, Wallmart, TOy'r'us... ? Because making a trip to a lego store everyday won't be fun... And will they sell them online ? Just in case...

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh !!!! I just read something bad !! The second update really scares me.

It's going to take forever and money to build one (specially if u're not lucky !)

Update 1: Grahamh_100 found this page on the LEGOLand Windsor site (try this link to the image on flickr if it doesn

Edited January 27, 2010 by angel1802

[Modulex Guy]

Is it just me or does the pic with the diver looks...cheap?

Looking at the legs, the plastic appears to be kinda transparent and a lesser quality plastic, I hope its just the lighting but some of these figures look a bit poor on quality.

I pray to God that these are not made in China with the cheap plastic, IMO that would be a bad move by LEGO.

[Rick]

In the close-up picture of the clown and crash dummy I think it looks like the arms got that square on the inside, indicating the lower quality type of minifigs that some were worried about. It's hard to see so I'm not completely sure.

Before we start assuming this to be 'true': I don't see that at all. And the clown which has its arm in the same position clearly doesn't have that. All minifigs look perfectly fine to me.

[escortmad79]

It better not be just in Lego Stores considering there are only 3 in the UK & they're all down South!!

Update 2: We�€™re seeing information from a number of sources that suggest each bag will contain a selection of parts from across the range of the 16 figures, and not a specific figure as had previously been supposed. So a single bag you buy might contain the Clown's hair, the Zombie's head, the Robot's body, and the Cheerleader's legs.

It better not be!! That'd be crap

[Holodoc]

Is it just me or does the pic with the diver looks...cheap?

Looking at the legs, the plastic appears to be kinda transparent and a lesser quality plastic, I hope its just the lighting but some of these figures look a bit poor on quality.

I pray to God that these are not made in China with the cheap plastic, IMO that would be a bad move by LEGO.

Before we start assuming this to be 'true': I don't see that at all. And the clown which has its arm in the same position clearly doesn't have that. All minifigs look perfectly fine to me.

I have to agree to Polish Guy: The legs indeed look cheap!

They do so at almost every minifig I looked at. I can only tell from the legs, but if the legs are made of crap plastic, why should the body part be different? 5$ for the first photo of a minifig torso without the head!

And I'm really frightened by this.

So TLC is not going to make cash like no time before, they even fool us with cheap chinese plastic?

If we get to see a Lego representative at our event, there is going to be a clear word about that, I can tell you!

I need to make my sig even bigger...

[CP5670]

I don't think anyone will get angry and quit buying them, they'll probably just decide to go the Bricklink route to get their favorite ones instead of playing a "lottery" (which is just as bad because LEGO doesn't receive any of the profit).

It depends on who the target audience here is. For AFOLs, you're right. On the other hand, I can certainly imagine a kid buying one or two packs, not getting what he wanted and avoiding them in the future. In fact, I would expect that to be the typical response from kids, who won't have the money or patience to buy large quantities of these packs.

I have to agree to Polish Guy: The legs indeed look cheap!

They do so at almost every minifig I looked at. I can only tell from the legs, but if the legs are made of crap plastic, why should the body part be different? 5$ for the first photo of a minifig torso without the head!

And I'm really frightened by this.

I don't see any clear evidence of bad plastic in that blurry picture, but it was always pretty obvious to me that these would be coming from the Chinese factory, simply due to the "collectible" nature of these sets.

In any case, I don't see why there is this uproar over the China-made minifigs only. We have been seeing junk plastic for 3 years now in almost every Lego set, coming out of all of TLG's factories including those in Denmark. The Chinese minifigs are only a tiny part of the problem.

Edited January 27, 2010 by CP5670

[MrTools]

Please tell me that is not what i think it is

look on his arm, please tell me its a shadow...

[vexorian]

Update 2: We�€™re seeing information from a number of sources that suggest each bag will contain a selection of parts from across the range of the 16 figures, and not a specific figure as had previously been supposed. So a single bag you buy might contain the Clown's hair, the Zombie's head, the Robot's body, and the Cheerleader's legs.

It is as if they are doing a large effort to stop me from buying these things.

I don't care if the plastic comes from China as long as it is not cheap plastic. I am waiting for reviews and stuff before assuming they are using the bad plastic (these are just samples so the quality may vary for better or worse), if it is, it means there is a lot of money I will not be spending on these figs, so maybe it is a good thing...

It actually seemed to me that the accessories have that characteristic gloss from cheap plastic. Also, most of the robot's body. I noticed it before I read the other posts but I didn't want to say it before seeing more people's opinion (yeah, sheeple) It could just be the lightning or my clueless eye though. The "square" on the clown's arm could really be lightning, there seems to be a light above the "square".

[Peppermint_M]

The mixed part theory has already been debunked, both by the images and the hypothosis of market share.

We discussed it to death a while back but it seems the rumour will not die.