LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[Inconspicuous]

Well, I succeeded in grabbing 14 packs at a Borders in Austin, Texas while on vacation. I had to buy them for $3 each, but I got all the "good" stuff (2 zombies, 1 cheerleader, 1 nurse). I think I can trade my doubles, and only have to buy two figs to get a complete set.

While at one Borders, they told me something interesting. They said they they didn't know where to put the minifigs, so they kept them in the back. They thought that 4 year-olds would rip open the packets, and out of confusion, they kept them hidden. When the decided to put them out front, someone bought them all.

I encourage you to inquire a bit further at Borders, because just 'cause it's not out doesn't mean they don't have it.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Found a box in the most unlikeliest of places yesterday. A very small regional department store (only exists in a handful of states IIRC) had a box out, straight up $1.99 pricing. They do carry Lego, but usually don't stock a large supply and tend to let stuff sit on the shelf for indefinite periods of time. I won't name the store, because I'd like to protect my location and anonymity, but it's a small regional East Coast department store chain that typically serves as an anchor store for malls throughout the region.

With that being said, I'd encourage you all to consider similar stores in your area. Dept. store chains, not national in scale, that carry Lego in some fashion but certainly not enough to compete with TRU's, Target's, or WalMart's inventory. They just might have gotten a box in.

[Big Cam]

Actually Target and Walmart now have them or at least by me, but they were not in the Toy department but in the collectible cards areas here, and target had them on a funky aisle too. If you don't see them in the stores scan the barcode (pricing not what the fig is) thru a store scanner and it will tell you if your store has had them or not yet, but they are now hitting the big chains so all gloves are off now.

also I never said they would be at target or Walmart, I said someone said they saw them, but now I am since I have seen them with my own eyes, now.

the Quote is from LEGO's own website on the minifigs, go look it up yourself, and you find where it says the minifigs will never be reproduced ok, anyway this is all pointless the figs are now popping up in Walmarts and Targets.

So you have actually seen them in a target or Walmart, or are you speculating?

[Erdbeereis]

No sign of them at my local Target. I'm very glad I found a bunch in Germany, so I have a set plus extras of my favorites.

[Asterios]

So you have actually seen them in a target or Walmart, or are you speculating?

nope saw them in person and felt them in my hands and hating the fact all my money is tied up in a house were getting and I had no money to buy any of the boxs they had.

[Archer]

I bought one of each figure, and while 15/16 were perfect, my magician came with a cavemen head. Has any one else had this issue? I asked shop@home for a replacement but they would not do it. anyone know How to go about rectifying this situation? (My toysrus is sold out entirely)

[Asterios]

well looks like the shortage is gone since alot of these things are now popping up on BrickLink and even boxs and cases.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Asterios

[Carbohydrates]

well looks like the shortage is gone since alot of these things are now popping up on BrickLink and even boxs and cases.

There won't be a shortage on the secondary market for a good, long time. I think when most people are referring to a shortage, they're referring to the fact that they're sold out at primary retailers like TRU and LEGO stores.

For those looking for complete sets on BL, there are 5 complete super lots for $44 each, 6 at $50, and 3 at $63.

[blueandwhite]

nope saw them in person and felt them in my hands and hating the fact all my money is tied up in a house were getting and I had no money to buy any of the boxs they had.

Where did you buy your other boxes from?

[Asterios]

Where did you buy your other boxes from?

bought those for the ELKs lodge when they popped up in TRU earlier one got the figs at $1.99 ea. second box got them at $2.49 ea. right now I only own 1 complete set of the figs which is enough for me so not hunting all over the place for them.

[---Vertea---]

My local TRU got one last shhipment and I literally ran over there the morning I found out. They had a full package of them and I was able to feel out the Astronaut, zombie and robot. They really are some top-notch minifigs.

[natelite]

i received my EE shipment today. those who ordered, check your mailbox! i opened 2 boxes and sorted the bags. yup, for both boxes the composition exactly matches what was already published. i will check the other 8 later but i think that's too much of a coincidence by now to go waste my weekend sorting bags.

[Apache]

I bought one of each figure, and while 15/16 were perfect, my magician came with a cavemen head. Has any one else had this issue? I asked shop@home for a replacement but they would not do it. anyone know How to go about rectifying this situation? (My toysrus is sold out entirely)

Sure, I'll trade you magician head for the caveman head...or I'll just trade you a brand new Magician. Anything else your needing to trade for since it wouldnt be good to just trade 1 head.

[Grimmy]

This is really a big let down and I'm saddened that Lego did this. How are kids supposed to collect them all or the ones they want, when they only have 1 month to get them! That's ridiculous! I really should boycott them but me and my niece really like these new figures in the pics but nowhere in the Boston area here seems to have them now. When I claled the store had them but when I got there they were gone! I called 3 different Lego stores. One store said they sold out of them at the beginning of the month and never got more! The Walmarts, Targets, Kmarts, around here never had them because I checked those since they are near me. The Lego store that did have them was 45min away and I couldn't get there in time with money.

I love collectible limited edition stuff but 1 month is a sham and it's not fair to kids especially. I'm upset about this. I'd still be upset even if I got them because it's not fair to others. A set of 16 figs online is going for $70 and as someone else said $5-8 each one, usually plus $2 shipping. I don't believe that Lego didn't know the demand. They are so cheaply priced. I can't believe they didn't have them for 6 months or something. It's funny I tell people that Legos are worth more then saving your money in gold (for those who are protecting themselves against the overinflated American dollar being devalued)

I'm even tempted to stop buying Lego all together for a while. I don't like how Lego goes through some sets so fast.It's summer anyway and me and my niece might be better off exorcising and just enjoying the sets we have gotten so far.

Lego has to be doing more with these minifigs then just the $2 bags. I can't imagine they went through the trouble of creating these new figs just to have them for 1 month and not put them in small sets later on. It blows my mind! If Lego were smart they would do the right thing and extend it. A similar thing happened in EQ2 a long time ago and now when someone buys an expansion, everyone gets a reward of a little pet or something.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Grimmy

[Raphy]

Hey Grimmy, I totally agree. One month just isn't fair.

However, I refuse to believe that TLG would be so unfair as to stop production of Series 1 before the official release date, June 21st, after Series 1 was sold out on Shop@Home, they're not that uncaring. :P

I have still to get them..... today, I've visited my local Corvallis K-Mart, Borders and Fred Meyers. Nil! If me and a whole bunch of other people end up without any I'll personally complain to TLG for not sending them out enough. :/

EDIT: THEY'RE BACK ON SHOP@HOME, WOOOO!

http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8683

Edited June 28, 2010 by Raphy

[Carbohydrates]

EDIT: THEY'RE BACK ON SHOP@HOME, WOOOO!

http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8683

Still listed as "sold out," though.

[blueandwhite]

Hey Grimmy, I totally agree. One month just isn't fair.

However, I refuse to believe that TLG would be so unfair as to stop production of Series 1 before the official release date, June 21st, after Series 1 was sold out on Shop@Home, they're not that uncaring. :P

I have still to get them..... today, I've visited my local Corvallis K-Mart, Borders and Fred Meyers. Nil! If me and a whole bunch of other people end up without any I'll personally complain to TLG for not sending them out enough. :/

EDIT: THEY'RE BACK ON SHOP@HOME, WOOOO!

http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8683

Believe what you will but Eurobricks' resident insider Grogall isn't known for being wrong. If he says that series 1 production stopped in March and that shop@home will not be restocked I wouldn't be quick to so quick to question it. Remember, LEGO was intent on producing a collector's product and like anything aimed at collectors shortages are to be expected. Let's not forget, Grogall also mentioned that series 2 production was halted in May before series 1 hit the shelves so the hunt for series 2 may be just as stressful.

I wish you the best luck in competing series 1 though.

[Raphy]

Oh lordy. Great.

Thanks for your wish of luck though.

Running out of product before the official release date..... how unprofessional.

[Apollo VI]

Oh lordy indeed. I have checked everywhere - TRU, Target, Borders - and I haven't found even a scrap of evidence that the collectable minifigs have hit any of those stores. The Lego asile didn't have them, the areas near checkout didn't have them, and the collectables/cards asile didn't even have them. The employees I talked to were oblivious of them, of course. So the way I see it, they either haven't hit my region or there's some insane AFOL collectors in my area that vaccum up the boxes as soon as they go on the shelves

As for the news that the first series has apparently stopped production, well, that is insane. Guess I won't be buying these. It's probably for the best, I really shouldn't be spending as much on Lego as I do already

[RileyC]

I was able to complete a whole set today and they are really nice minifigs. The printing of these guys are truly great prints but its such a shame that they were printed on lower grade plastic. The plastic is better than the chinese plastic that has been in the past though but there is something thats still not up to the Billund standard. I just hope its fixed by series 2 which looks amazing!

[Dunjohn]

So the way I see it, they either haven't hit my region or there's some insane AFOL collectors in my area that vaccum up the boxes as soon as they go on the shelves

This set is a funny way to find out if there are other AFOLs in your area. I don't know anybody locally but I haven't pulled a Zombie or Cheerleader from my local Smyths in ages so somebody has access to the barcodes.

[XimenaPaulina]

The plastic is better than the chinese plastic that has been in the past though but there is something thats still not up to the Billund standard.

Yeah the difference is quite noticeable - the plastic of the collectable minifig is less shiny than that of the standard minifigs. I also hope they fix this problem in Series 2.

[Big Cam]

Yeah the difference is quite noticeable - the plastic of the collectable minifig is less shiny than that of the standard minifigs. I also hope they fix this problem in Series 2.

I kind of doubt it, being that this has been discussed many times, it seems awareness was more the point of these figs.

[jamtf]

I kind of doubt it, being that this has been discussed many times, it seems awareness was more the point of these figs.

Production run of series 1 lasted until March and series 2 was done at the end of May. Basically, this means that the quality will most likely be the same and that TLG does not have time left to correct or change things based on AFOLs perception.

The places where I found my figs had not been picked by other AFOLs although I noticed that I did not find a single cheerleader amongst my purchases in one particular store i.e. someone before me went through the figs the exact same way I did (using a barcode list) and managed to hoard all the cheerleaders .

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

This set is a funny way to find out if there are other AFOLs in your area. I don't know anybody locally but I haven't pulled a Zombie or Cheerleader from my local Smyths in ages so somebody has access to the barcodes.

Agreed. Since the minifigs were launched, there's little doubt that there's some serious collectors in my area, obviously more dedicated and financially willing than myself. There's obviously some full-boxers around here as opposed to the get-the-set crowd like myself.

Edited June 28, 2010 by Mr. Elijah Timms