Till a few years back, the legendary classics like 8880, 8448 etc. were selling at crazy prices in Ebay. But recently I have noticed that these sets (used but complete) are available at quite reasonable prices like £80-£150.

However, recent classics like 8258 are way above the odds as usual.

I am not sure why that is but my guess:

1. 1990s classics are now ~20 years old. They are showing their age (electronics of that age e.g. 8479 is often hit and miss).
   
2. Stud full construction is now becoming obsolete and latest Technic fans are inclined towards studless. Some old classics now appear ugly compared to modern streamlined sets.
   
3. Recent Technic sets offer nearly all functions, if not more (granted that since that era TLG didn’t offer gearbox in any official sets even though MOCers are creating gearboxes without much hassle). So why would people buy old sets at inflated price?
   

Thus, the assumption of old sets always appreciate in value may not be true.

E-bay are low for at least few years. I bought almost all flagship sets for amounts between 30 and 70 euro in the past five years. Its bricklink that are insanely high.

On of the reasons is that "E-bay boom" is over and we all seem to have gotten all our missed childhood sets. In last 5-10 years E-bay has become widely popular and people were finally able to purchase all missed sets and that kept prices high.

Other reason is that in the past five years lego technic has seen quite an revolution in design and parts (mostly power functions but also other stuff like panels, frames etc...). This has made most of older sets incompatible and obsolete.

Set 8258 is typical case of set with lots of usefull parts (panels, la-s, frames, wheels) and thats why its price is fairly high.

Iv seen 8868 go for huge money a few years back, now there way lower,

Ebay prices are very seasonal, they go down before christmas because lots of people are trying to get some extra money, go way up after christmas because people are spending their chrsitmas money, etc. I havn't noticed a large scale trend in the last 2 years I have been paying attention.

My guess is that many people who had these sets in their childhood are now adults looking to make money and not being into technic for many years they don't know their value and so are selling them at RRP thinking they are getting a good deal selling something used and 20 years old for their original selling price. The majority of more recent sets like 8421 are still owned by people who are perhaps not quite adults looking to pay the mortage yet.

Edited January 7, 201312 yr by allanp

Regarding studless vs. studfull: this may indeed be a factor. I remember that I used to think sets like 8868 looked beautiful, and I absolutely hated studless sets when they were first introduced, but now it's the other way around: I think 8868 now looks very dated and primitive due to all the studs everywhere, and much prefer the studless looks of, say, 8258 and 8285. The pneumatics of 8868 still kick a$$, however.

Edited January 7, 201312 yr by jantjeuh

When i was a kid, my mom bought me a 851 farm tractor set. I had the box for it up till about 09, still had the original price sticker on it after all those years. $19.99, would have been in the late 70's I,d say. I saw one on E bay with a buy it now of 90 bucks a while ago. Seen a lot of the older sets too over the summer on it go for good money.

Dan

Amazon also has the same seasonal trends as eBay. A good example is when I decided to take the plunge back into Lego after 25 dark years, I puchased the 8258 Crane truck last February for $175.00 in the U.S. (I also snagged an 8070 Super Car for $90.00 as well so it was a weekend that people were trying to clear out inventory.) Now, the lowest price on Amazon for the 8258 is $255.00 (and the 8070 is $198.00.) I am pretty certain, the price will go back down in the few months that follow the mad Christmas rush for Lego sets.

As far as the insanity on Bricklink goes, I find it interesting that many used items exceed the new price for items on Lego.com or on the Lego Education web site. I guess if the market can bear the price then it is not insanity to ask high prices, but I am typically willing to spend less money to get a new part.

an 8145 set MISB from 2007 is selling for more than a 8448 set MISB from 1999.

I have to admit. its weird. Some older sets, which should be valuable are not that really expensive. Some older smaller sets in perfect condition are very cheap. I guess, technic sets dont have minifigs...

In a way its a good news for anyone who likes lego and use it more then just for shelving. I tried to look in to a few old Lego system/space sets for myself. replace the lego i had in childhood and lost. Prices are quite mad compared to technic!

Good point mentioned here already - Studless vs studded. When i was a child it was all about studded parts, now i see it became 95% studless. It is more functional, smarter, gives for better angles and forms, but it really can leave some huge gaps and look to "skeletony" for my liking. I do understand that younger generation who started off with studless and this is the way lego goes. so older studded technic sets do not have that popularity. Nothing wrong in that.

anyway, i am hoping to pick up that lovely 8880 even cheaper so!

There's only so many people going to drop £800 or whatever on a Technic set.

So my guess is that it has nothing to do with the type of set, and everything to do with how many qualified buyers there are with a serious collector mentality.

Probably the marketplace has cleared of sellers at those prices.

Edited January 7, 201312 yr by andythenorth

There's only so many people going to drop £800 or whatever on a Technic set.

So my guess is that it has nothing to do with the type of set, and everything to do with how many qualified buyers there are with a serious collector mentality.

Probably the marketplace has cleared of sellers at those prices.

I guess simple law of supply and demand? Or something like we use in car forums: "its only worth as much as someone is willing to pay".

I guess simple law of supply and demand? Or something like we use in car forums: "its only worth as much as someone is willing to pay".

Just recently I had seen that Paul sold a custom piece built of entirely new style parts for over $700. I can't see exactly who they are because the names are hidden, but 4 different people bid over $600 and 3 bid over $700

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281035093658

I am curious if a custom piece comprised of old Technic parts would sell for as much. It just seems to be that the new wave of people getting into Technic do not care about the older stuff. Which I guess is understandable.

Holy cow! I once paid less than that for a real car!

Holy cow! I once paid less than that for a real car!

That's nothing. I know this was just a charity auction, but still

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270979582067

Hi,

I would love to get my hands on 8258 but the price on amazon is very steep (£399). It's in the hundreds compared to 9397 at Argos which is less than £100. But I noticed the price escalated during the run up to xmas.

Yeah, I bought a 8258 back in 2010 off the LEGO site for 160, I see them going for 260 280 on E bay these days. Like to pick another one one, there's a lot of good parts in the set.

Dan

Edited January 8, 201312 yr by skylinedan

I'll trade a unopened 8053, 9397, and a 8258 which still has all bags sealed but box open for a used UCS star destroyer in good shape. :D US ebay shows a bunch of listings going for 500-600$, which sounds about right, but I am open for negotiation. Shipping would be a pain since I'm in germany, and I havn't checked UK ebay.

This has certainly been the case for sets that I've been following since coming out of my dark ages. I've long since given up on ever owning a number of the UCS Star Wars sets, but lately it seems that I just have to wait patiently and I'll score a nice older Technic set (e.g. #8674 Ferrari F1 Racer 1:8) for a modest sum on ebay.

Just food for though: maybe we experience with lego same thing that property market in the world? A nice big buble, which is bursting now? Prices on some older sets are just out of lialia land. No one who is saine mind and who works for his money will buy it.

Maybe we can expect prices dropping to a bit normal price range?

For few years, TLG itself went thru a dark age. They didn't bring good quality Technic sets. However, in last few years, some good Technic sets are coming out. This shows that, buyers who thought somehow they needed to grab old classics (at insane prices), can now see similar/better quality sets are available again at reasonable price. If people can buy things new cheaper not much point in buying old at inflated price.

New sets are getting better and better - why stick to old?

Also I think many AFOLs buy old sets because they remember wanting them in childhood. However for increasingly many AFOLs the old sets have no emotional meaning, because they were too young, or not even born at that time. Or already own the classics.

Or realize they can get the parts at Bricklink for less and forget about the box - which is after all just a box.

And, it might also have to do with the change to the stone gray colors in about 2004. After all, any set from before 2000 has old grays. With the new grays so common nowadays that most will have definitively switched, the fact that a set has old gray means it's incompatible with the parts collection.

For few years, TLG itself went thru a dark age. They didn't bring good quality Technic sets. However, in last few years, some good Technic sets are coming out. This shows that, buyers who thought somehow they needed to grab old classics (at insane prices), can now see similar/better quality sets are available again at reasonable price. If people can buy things new cheaper not much point in buying old at inflated price.

That's a pretty good theory. For me personally, it's only been in the last 2-3 years that the bigger Technic sets have really appealed to me. So prior to that it seemed like I had to find older sets to get bigger impressive ones.

It will be very interesting to see what the updated mobile crane does to the resale of the older one.

Edited January 8, 201312 yr by Brix

Thats a good point too, when the new one comes out, will it take away some of the appeal of the 8421 to the point it drops in value ? One could look at the old red excavator, and then when the 8043 came out did it drop in price ? Thats another thing too, gonna be interesting to see how much the 8043 goes up in a few years now that it's retired.

Dan

And, it might also have to do with the change to the stone gray colors in about 2004. After all, any set from before 2000 has old grays. With the new grays so common nowadays that most will have definitively switched, the fact that a set has old gray means it's incompatible with the parts collection.

Some of the best models that I have seen at Lego events have a mix of the old gray and the new gray integrated into the same model. It really add a level of realism and the final models do not have the "plastic" look that is common to Lego models.