Really? That much for a sealed BSB?

[SkaForHire]

Hello All,

So I have been trying to build up my imperials lately to crew my new Imperial Flagship, so I have been lurking Ebay looking for deals. Anyway, I came across a sealed BSB that is ending today and gasped. Now I am not looking to buy a BSB (I have at least three complete, that I didn't buy NISB) but I am fascinated with this auction because of the ridiculousness of the prices. Here is the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260632025202&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I thought I would spark a discussion here about prices of sealed sets, and do you think they are worth it? Also, I know I have seen a poll a few years back on this next question, but I am going to ask it anyway - What do you do when you buy a sealed set that has been discontinued? Do you open it, store it, display it in box?

At the time of posting this, the BSB had 20 hours left and was at 377 American dollars, with the reserve still unmet. That seems to me way too much to pay for this ship. I think the most I have ever paid for a BSB is 110 dollars (albeit seven or eight years ago.) But I put mine together, they are already opened, and I just keep the box around and do nothing with it really. Even before this set was re-released as a classic, the price of a MISB was only around 210 American... Has the extra years really been that kind to this set?

And in finality, is there a point where Lego prices for sealed sets get absurd in your mind?

This post is not intended to knock anyone's collecting habits, I just wanted to get some feedback on why people pay so much for something, when they can buy four of them opened and have a super sweet fleet battle!

[Brig. Brick]

I want to ask with another question...

have you ever search the BSB on Amazon?

check it out:

Black Seas Barracuda

and, about if I open, store, or display a discontinued lego?....

well, I have to say that I would open it....

if I keep it sealed in a box is because I hope selling it.

by the way, I will never sell a Lego

[Big Cam]

I feel your win, when I first got back into Lego, I wanted all the old star wars sets, but they seemed to have tripled in price.

As much as it sucks for us buyers, I understand the huge inflation you see on sealed sets, especially a 20 year old $100 set.

In terms of supply and demand there are barely any bsb for sale, so of course people are willing to pay more, also don't forget the 20 year job the seller had. They had to move this sealed box everytime they moved, they had to find a safe place for it, and essentially care for it for 2 decades. A lot of members on this forum aren't even 20 years old. So when a bsb comes up for sale for $500, or more, remember someone bought it brand new, resisted opening it and stored It safely for close to a quarter of a century. The price gets a little easier to swollow when you look at It like that. At least to me.

Cheers.

[Siegfried]

If you want a mint BSB then I think it's worth it. But I personally don't want to buy anything that I afraid to or am unable to touch. I just don't get the concept of buying LEGO and never opening it.

[Mister Phes]

At the time of posting this, the BSB had 20 hours left and was at 377 American dollars, with the reserve still unmet. That seems to me way too much to pay for this ship.

For a 6285 in MISB around $500 would seem a fair price these days.

I just don't get the concept of buying LEGO and never opening it.

I do

Same as anything rare - the signifigance of the collectale is all in the mind of the beholder.

[Siegfried]

I do

Same as anything rare - the signifigance of the collectale is all in the mind of the beholder.

Indeed! To me LEGO is about play value. No touch = no play. But sometimes I wonder if you're the LEGO playing type...

[Dan the Brickman]

That all depends on alot of things for me. Currently, I am ordering a couple of opened ships, and miscellaneous ship parts off of Bricklink, and I have chosen to go for the cheaper, non "mint" stuff, just to get a few good starter ships for my fleet.

later, I will save up to buy one of those "Mint" boxes, just for the thrill of opening an old classic for the first time/being the first to open it. I probably will just go with partial sets, and parts mostly, just to save money.

Basically, you must decide for yourself, "what is it worth to ME". How much do I make per hour, and think of that in terms of how many hours it would take of work to "buy" the item.

For me, I make $7 an hour. So, It would take 14 hours of my time to get a set that costs around $100.

Is this set worth working that much for? Would I stand that long in a line outside of a toy store to get it for free if they were giving it out for a free Christmas promotion?

...

That is what goes through my weird brain anyways...

[Mister Phes]

Play with LEGO? That's what kids do!

I have 99.9% of Pirates LEGO sets out of the box, I have generous collection of MISB Pirates sets and I have an extensive parts collections.

So I see no point in opening the MISB because I've got more loose bricks than I could ever use. The MISB collection can stay where it is for now and one day it will end up in my museum.

And when that happens I'll take a year off and build Pirate MOCs all day long, every day...

Basically, you must decide for yourself, "what is it worth to ME". How much do I make per hour, and think of that in terms of how many hours it would take of work to "buy" the item.

Ahhhhhh, but some people get lucky and find long forgotten MISB sets in toystores, while others find great eBay bargains. So your income doesn't necessarily always play a part of the self preceived value.

[Siegfried]

Play with LEGO? That's what kids do!

You'd change your mind if you saw me; I've been running around with my Venator dropping bombs on people and doing (generally bad) Palpatine impersonations.

[Mister Phes]

You'd change your mind if you saw me; I've been running around with my Venator dropping bombs on people and doing (generally bad) Palpatine impersonations.

I was only kidding of course - I forgot to use my "grinning madly" smiley () to indicate my lack of sincerity.

But in all seriousness, an adult's relation to "toys" has changed over the past decade.

Hobbiests have collected things like cars and trains for a long time now, but thanks to the Internet (namely websites like eBay and forums like these) the spectrum has broadened to almost anything. If it was popular when you were a kid there is most likely a dedicated adult fanbase somewhere on the Internet or will be in the future.

No doubt this trend will continue to increase and this is strengthened by LEGO sets aimed towards the adult market. The 10210 Imperial Flagship would be Pirates first venture into such waters.

[Siegfried]

Hobbiests have collected things like cars and trains for a long time now, but thanks to the Internet (namely websites like eBay and forums like these) the spectrum has broadened to almost anything. If it was popular when you were a kid there is most likely a dedicated adult fanbase somewhere on the Internet or will be in the future.

Indeed! It's wonderful that the internet has allowed smaller groups of people transcend borders and become large groups.

The 10210 Imperial Flagship would be Pirates first venture into such waters.

You should have bought it. It's beautiful!

[SkaForHire]

I see everyone's points. I guess it just seems so alien to me, as if the last time I opened my pocketbook to Lego (over two years ago, just look at the dates between my posts this month and the last time I posted!!!) pirate ships seemed to be cheaper. Like I said, I have way too many ships to think about buying MISB for opening, or even for owning. Of course I say this as I just raided the last two 6243s from the TRU nearby because it was BOGO 50%. I probably will only open one and hold on to the other - either for a rainy day or for selling ten years from now. Although I said that about the Red Beard Runner in my closet at home, or the stacks of ninja knights I bought in the 90s! I keep thinking, "Oh, I am going to sell that!" and I never do. All that Viking Lego also just sits there saying "open me" when I originally thought it said "sell me..." I think I have some shell sets from the 90s just lying around too. I think my student loan companies might like some of that MISB money!

Right now I am trying to find the most economical way to get more imperials... I probably should sell a few of those sets for cashflow. Also I suddenly realized I am going to have to start teaching more classes in order to continue buying Lego, especially with the new Kingdoms coming out. If only there was actually adjunct work for a pirate historian!

[Mister Phes]

You should have bought it. It's beautiful!

I would have rushed out and bought two from Myer for $199 had I been aware of the sale. It seems I no longer get Myer catalogues and this was a very harsh way of realising this fact.

So I've subscribed to the Aussie Sales! thread to get daily updates on the Australian LEGO market.

I also contacted Myer and they said they might be getting some more Imperial Flagships in around Christmas time for the $199 price. But obviously there's no guarentees there so I'll be sailing the eBay seas looking for a good deal.

I see everyone's points. I guess it just seems so alien to me, as if the last time I opened my pocketbook to Lego (over two years ago, just look at the dates between my posts this month and the last time I posted!!!) pirate ships seemed to be cheaper.

Depends on the region... They're slightly more expensive in my waters. Unfortunately.

Right now I am trying to find the most economical way to get more imperials...

Did the 2009 Pirate theme help bolster your Imperial army with the influx of new Imperial minifigures?

Also I suddenly realized I am going to have to start teaching more classes in order to continue buying Lego [...]. If only there was actually adjunct work for a pirate historian!

You could create information products and sell them via the Internet. Of course you'd have to learn how to set it up, but its automated so once after the initial setup and refinement you sit back and let the plunder find you.

[Siegfried]

I would have rushed out and bought two from Myer for $199 had I been aware of the sale. It seems I no longer get Myer catalogues and this was a very harsh way of realising this fact.

I can inform you next time I hear of a Pirate related sale if you like. They are sold out locally for me.

[Mister Phes]

Well that be mighty kind of you Mister Siegfried. It seems Pirates sell out fast in here too. Those sets on sale at Target last year must have been gone within 48 hours.

But with a daily digest of the Aussie Sales! thread delivered straight to my inbox I should be able to keep on top of sales. In theory anyway.

[brickzone]

When new, the BSB cost a fortune in relative terms (relative to income, cost of everyday things, etc.) and about the same in *absolute* terms as modern-day sets that size (in fact possibly more - I think RRP in UK was £100, and many places would have sold it for more in those days).

Apply inflation of 3% (probably not far off as an average 1989-2010) to the US RRP of $110 and you end up with $204.63 - making the auction price not look so high considering the desirability of the set. You also have to account for storing the item (not an issue for one item, but an issue if keeping many) and the fact that you could get a far far higher rate than 3% if you just save your money over a fixed 20 year term.

I think people are probably silly to buy Lego sets as investments - you could get a higher return by conventional methods. Also at the time of purchase one doesn't necessarily know the sets that will make a small return (well, OK, possibly some traditional Star Wars sets are a sure investment). I think on many Lego sets you won't make anything like the small return you get on the most-wanted sets, when you account for inflation and Lego RRPs of new sets only very slowly increasing.

[Mister Phes]

I think people are probably silly to buy Lego sets as investments - you could get a higher return by conventional methods.

This is indeed true but there is more than one way of generating income from collectables.

Some art collectors for example, lease parts of their collections to busineses and exhibitions, similiar to how an investment property accumulates capital grow and rent from tenants.

I've never heard of anybody doing this with LEGO, the value of even the rarest LEGO probably wouldn't appreciate as much as certain artworks, although there might be a market for it one day.

[SkaForHire]

They did somewhat, I didn't really have the money until this summer to buy any of them. I actually have not bought any of the smaller sets, but I really need to get some before they are all gone.

As for the information products, I have looked into that. Teaching college classes still pays a lot better when they are offered to you. That and creating information about pirates is hard, because there are so many enthusiasts it is hard to tell the difference between a professionally trained historian and a pirate buff when deciding where to buy your information.

I would have rushed out and bought two from Myer for $199 had I been aware of the sale. It seems I no longer get Myer catalogues and this was a very harsh way of realising this fact.

So I've subscribed to the Aussie Sales! thread to get daily updates on the Australian LEGO market.

I also contacted Myer and they said they might be getting some more Imperial Flagships in around Christmas time for the $199 price. But obviously there's no guarentees there so I'll be sailing the eBay seas looking for a good deal.

Depends on the region... They're slightly more expensive in my waters. Unfortunately.

Did the 2009 Pirate theme help bolster your Imperial army with the influx of new Imperial minifigures?

You could create information products and sell them via the Internet. Of course you'd have to learn how to set it up, but its automated so once after the initial setup and refinement you sit back and let the plunder find you.

[ThatGuyWithTheBricks]

If you want a mint BSB then I think it's worth it. But I personally don't want to buy anything that I afraid to or am unable to touch. I just don't get the concept of buying LEGO and never opening it.

Then I guess you're going to want to kill this guy:

pic

Yep, those are all unopened.

[Mister Phes]

As for the information products, I have looked into that. Teaching college classes still pays a lot better when they are offered to you.

Yeah information products can make millions if its the right niche (fincance, weight and finding a mate are the three biggest) but unfortunately piratical history isn't one such niche.

[natelite]

Then I guess you're going to want to kill this guy:

pic

Yep, those are all unopened.

that guy has money, i'll give him that but is not very bright. left them in a super fire hazard zone (boiler to the left and a propane tank to the right) and he left them in the basement too without any floor clearance. he's just asking for them to either burn down or the boxes to be soaking wet from basement flooding. hey, sump pump can fail and when it does...nyuk, nyuk...

[FelixTheCat]

Good to see the BSB are fetching a good price still. I've got an original MISB one which has an extra layer of shrinkwrap around it due to a promo where they gave you a Castaway island for free. Cause of this the box doesn't even have shelfwear. I didn't pay anywhere near that price for it, and I've got about 8 others so no reason to open it. Sometimes they're just good to have and there's not much chance of loosing money on a set thats already 20 years old.

that guy has money, i'll give him that but is not very bright. left them in a super fire hazard zone (boiler to the left and a propane tank to the right) and he left them in the basement too without any floor clearance. he's just asking for them to either burn down or the boxes to be soaking wet from basement flooding. hey, sump pump can fail and when it does...nyuk, nyuk...

Propane tank is empty and he's probably set them up there cause it's the only room in the house that would allow him to get far enough back to fit it all in one picture.

[AndyC]

Then I guess you're going to want to kill this guy:

pic

Yep, those are all unopened.

Actually I kind of feel sorry for him. To me, if you don't open them you just spent an awful lot of money for a cardboard box. And not even a usable cardboard box at that.

Lego needs to be set free! And played with.

Actually he'd probably be more upset at the number of MISB old Star Wars sets I've bought, opened and played with!

[Tycho McKorley]

Lego needs to be set free! And played with.

I couldn't agree more. A while ago I purchased one Wolfpack sets and readily enjoyed the experience of opening the box.

Oh, by the way, just to throw in my two cents, let me state something about inflation. If you assume 2% inflation on a yearly basis, it'd take around 20 years for prices to double. Since the BSB came out about 20 years ago, it should roughly sell for $200 today. Since it's selling on ebay for around $500, that means that in real terms it's more than doubled in price.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Tycho McKorley

[Artanis I]

I would have rushed out and bought two from Myer for $199 had I been aware of the sale. It seems I no longer get Myer catalogues and this was a very harsh way of realising this fact.

So I've subscribed to the Aussie Sales! thread to get daily updates on the Australian LEGO market.

I also contacted Myer and they said they might be getting some more Imperial Flagships in around Christmas time for the $199 price. But obviously there's no guarentees there so I'll be sailing the eBay seas looking for a good deal.

I went to Myer the day the sale began and I think there was only 1 or 2 left, and all Emerald Nights were gone. Not even counting the huge gaps in the shelves & tables (from what had already sold so far) this was the biggest display of Lego I've ever seen there. Aussie AFOLs, eh.

I couldn't agree more. A while ago I purchased one Wolfpack sets and readily enjoyed the experience of opening the box.

Oh, by the way, just to throw in my two cents, let me state something about inflation. If you assume 2% inflation on a yearly basis, it'd take around 20 years for prices to double. Since the BSB came out about 20 years ago, it should roughly sell for $200 today. Since it's selling on ebay for around $500, that means that in real terms it's more than doubled in price.

My problem with MISB is that they're only MISB once. After I've opened it that's it, you can't have the "opening a MISB" feeling again. It's like with trying to have your cake and eat it too - it's a once only experience. So I put off again and again but eventually give in.

I can understand an old set costing so much when MISB (because it's very rare - supply&demand), but I saw on eBay today a castle (I forget which one) "buy it now" for $500... and no it wasn't from the 80s or 90s, it was one of the more recent ones, knight's kingdom or crownies. What nutbags would fall for that?! Buy one MISB and two used from Bricklink for that price.