The oldest set you have ever found in a toy shop?

[Karto]

A couple years ago, a store called Vavantas nearby Louvain in Belgium, decided to get rid of all their old Lego stuff to make room for the new lineups. They advertised it by offering a 50% off on everything and that's how I learned about this store. It's a family business and they have three stores in total (that's what you need to look for!). They sell cloths, office furniture but they also have a nice selection of toys including Lego. I went there and I had the chance to find some old 12V sets and supplementals (including a 7866 Remote Controlled Road Crossing) and old town sets (Legoland and System) from the 80s. They were sitting there waiting for me for 20+ years . Note: Now there's only new stuff.

Unfortunately, this is extremely rare to come by here in Belgium. The Americanization of the retailing industry has lead to the disappearing of smaller toy stores. Only a few remain because they specialize (usually in what they see as high-end toys: expensive wooden and metal toys). Large toy store chains don't keep older sets somewhere in an attic.

[Kalagorn]

The set: 6753 Highway Transport

Found in Toyzone, originally made in 2009, bought in 2013

[Destroydacre]

In 2012 I found 2 or 3 6497 Twisted Time Trains (1997) in a store called White Elephant (they have a lot of guns/ammo/camping/fishing gear in addition to toys) for $35. Didn't pick any up though as it's a set I already own. Still was very surprising to see.

[Nebuloid]

This old shop in my town up to about 2 years ago still had some sets from the 80's laying around ! I also remember buying classic space sets there in about 1998.

The shopkeeper wasn't friendly at all so almost nobody ever went there...

Edited May 21, 2013 by Nebuloid

[Zzz]

I remember seeing set 365 from 1975 in a toy store, it must have been around 1984 or so. They had other old stuff, perhaps even older, but I only remember this one as I wanted to have it and asked by parents and well, I didn't get it. This is probably the oldest sealed set I have ever seen.

In the new days, I found a new 6441 from 1997 in a toy store in Italy in 2010, so it was 13 years old then. I don't know if I regret it not to have payed the 80€ he wanted. I remember I checked BL and there was one for sale not more expensive, so I figured it's not worth it. Cool set, though.