I am in my 70s and built Lego off and on through my adult life. Then it became my Covid Sanity. I am single with no grandchildren. But I am making plans that when I am gone, my Lego will be boxed and sent to a charity that collects Lego and distributes them to schools, children’s programs and children in need. That’s my investment thinking for now. 😊
Thanks for a great video. I'm slightly younger than you, started Lego collecting pre-covid while thrifting and collecting pieces for grandkids. Started out buying Lego in bulk through online bidding, and still am selling used sets and MFs from the hundreds of pounds of bulk we bought. As of last year, investing in new sets at about 25k annually. eBay shipments now for used sets, and in the future for new sets. I think I'll still be able to drop a new Lego box in a cardboard box and put a mailing label on it well into my late 70's. You can too!
Tom, great video explaining the other side of lego investing ( holding for the next generation and not selling ). I have been investing in the Star Wars theme for almost 5 years now for my possible grandson. I need to branch off of the Star Wars theme and focus on a theme for a possible granddaughter as well. Your recommendations for the girls themes are spot on! My kids loved the Harry Potter theme as well and can see that theme doing well for them in the future. Thanks for taking the time to make the video and sharing with the rest of the LEGO community.
Thanks for posting. I’m having fun both building and saving sets for my granddaughter. If you think of other themes that catch your eye that I missed, let me know! Cheers!
Really enjoyed listening to you. That is a great idea. I am in my 50s and have just started Lego investing a couple of years ago, mostly to try and fund my Lego habit. My great nieces are in to Lego too but they don’t like the friends dolls as they don’t think they are real Lego. DUPLO sets with animals are normally a good investment. Getting sets at a good discount and buying when they are close to retirement is important apparently.
Interesting info about your great nieces not liking the dolls. I have to be sure I'm balancing sets with regular minifies and some sets with dolls, so when she's old enough she can make that choice. I hadn't thought of that! Thanks for your post and sharing your observation with our community! Happy building!
Two weeks ago my 18yo boy/girl twins passed road tests and started college (yesterday). Last year (with their okay) I sold about 75% of their childhood Lego for $20,000. They now have decent used cars and first semester of college 100% paid for by their Lego. Most of the sets, all complete (open and used but clean, undamaged, with boxes/stickers/instructions) were modern classics (Emerald Night, Maersk Train, Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, etc) and mostly 10-15 years old. There's still some $5000 of Lego left -- but, special favorites we're keeping. The original investment for the $20K sold (and the remaining $5K)? Less than $3000. This was Lego for fun and only an accidental investment. I could kick myself for not purposefully investing and buying multiple copies of these sets (and keeping them sealed) since my kids' births when I was mod-40s -- imagine if I had started investing in my youth (I was never interested in Lego as a kid -- I was into GIJoe, Tonka, etc). So, I won't be pursuing Lego as an investment now in my 60s -- butt my kids, after seeing the investment potential, are planning to do so. And we still buy and build Lego for fun.
What a fantastic story. I aim to give my granddaughter that head start with my “Grandparent Lego Investing.” Congratulations on your accidental investment and best wishes to the twins as they head off to their next chapter!
And what I also love about your story is the fact that these were used, played with sets. So often Lego investors think that only in the box sets hold value. Your story is proof that sets that have been played with, providing they were well cared for, remain complete and have their original boxes, and are classic sets - can hold value. I love this story!
Last year I sold Lego sets twice to two elderly women in Germany! They said the same thing, they are investing for their grand children. While I was a bit perplexed at that time, seeing your video I now understand that senior LEGO investing is actually a thing.
Hi, love your video, I am from the UK and just starting a secondary business selling lego. I would definitely buy the lego city adventure sets. They are due to retire at the end of year and will only have been on sale for 6 months. This is really unusual and the mini fig character 'Johnny Thunder' doesn't come out very often. What ive read and seen about Duplo is the animal sets are more desirable on the secondary market. On the Star wars lego the recent buildable droid set looks ideal for younger builders. Best wishes and good investing LJ
@@tbsince1954 Hi, been hard at work, the ones I thought might be interesting are 60437, Jungle Helicopter it has a new animal moulds of an adult and child Gorilla, 60424 Jungle ATV a small set but a new red panda mould. 60425 Adventure Seaplane with crocs, 60426 Jungle Off Roader with a tiger. Finally one from last year is 60376 Artic Explorer it has some wonderful Seal moulds and a small ski-doo build. Best wishes LJ
I understand the appeal of the Lego Harry Potter theme from a children's perspective. However in terms of investing, there might be some downsides to this theme. First, there is very little new material coming out forcing the LEGO Group (TLG) to create minifigures for the same old characters and to reissue sets over and over again. For example, the new Hogwarts Express (76423) was released last year immediately after the last one (75955) retired. This thing will be recreated as long as TLG releases Harry Potter sets, limiting it's investment potential because in the future, a customer will be able to buy the train from the regular lineup at a low price instead of paying a higher price on the secondary market. Secondly the Harry Potter theme does not lend itself well to army building (no orcs, storm troopers, clones...), limiting the pool of customers that would buy the same set multiple times.
Thanks for your perspective on this. Since the "investment" is principally for play value for my granddaughter, it's not a primary worry. But I see your point, and it will undoubtedly impact the value of the used set on the secondary market once she outgrows it. Still--Harry Potter. Gotta have some! :-)
There are plenty of sets that I got 25 years ago sold them wish I did not sell them not only for value but also unique themes no longer around and that's cool now
I hear you. The nice thing about being a new Lego collector at 70 is I don’t have to sell- the motivation is to keep for my granddaughter. But, there are plenty of other collectables I’ve had that I sold and can licking myself about! Thanks for sharing!
I am in my 70s and built Lego off and on through my adult life. Then it became my Covid Sanity. I am single with no grandchildren. But I am making plans that when I am gone, my Lego will be boxed and sent to a charity that collects Lego and distributes them to schools, children’s programs and children in need. That’s my investment thinking for now. 😊
That’s an awesome investment strategy- I love it!
Thanks for a great video. I'm slightly younger than you, started Lego collecting pre-covid while thrifting and collecting pieces for grandkids. Started out buying Lego in bulk through online bidding, and still am selling used sets and MFs from the hundreds of pounds of bulk we bought. As of last year, investing in new sets at about 25k annually. eBay shipments now for used sets, and in the future for new sets. I think I'll still be able to drop a new Lego box in a cardboard box and put a mailing label on it well into my late 70's. You can too!
Thanks for sharing that. I’m happy you are finding success!
The idea of investing, means you must store many boxes, and not enjoy them, as for investing at 70, you do so for kids or grandchildren
I agree!
Tom, great video explaining the other side of lego investing ( holding for the next generation and not selling ). I have been investing in the Star Wars theme for almost 5 years now for my possible grandson. I need to branch off of the Star Wars theme and focus on a theme for a possible granddaughter as well. Your recommendations for the girls themes are spot on! My kids loved the Harry Potter theme as well and can see that theme doing well for them in the future. Thanks for taking the time to make the video and sharing with the rest of the LEGO community.
Thanks for posting. I’m having fun both building and saving sets for my granddaughter. If you think of other themes that catch your eye that I missed, let me know! Cheers!
Really enjoyed listening to you. That is a great idea. I am in my 50s and have just started Lego investing a couple of years ago, mostly to try and fund my Lego habit. My great nieces are in to Lego too but they don’t like the friends dolls as they don’t think they are real Lego. DUPLO sets with animals are normally a good investment. Getting sets at a good discount and buying when they are close to retirement is important apparently.
Interesting info about your great nieces not liking the dolls. I have to be sure I'm balancing sets with regular minifies and some sets with dolls, so when she's old enough she can make that choice. I hadn't thought of that! Thanks for your post and sharing your observation with our community! Happy building!
@@tbsince1954 you’re welcome. I am glad that you are collecting all sorts of sets. Not all girls are girly girls. I know I wasn’t.
Two weeks ago my 18yo boy/girl twins passed road tests and started college (yesterday). Last year (with their okay) I sold about 75% of their childhood Lego for $20,000. They now have decent used cars and first semester of college 100% paid for by their Lego. Most of the sets, all complete (open and used but clean, undamaged, with boxes/stickers/instructions) were modern classics (Emerald Night, Maersk Train, Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, etc) and mostly 10-15 years old. There's still some $5000 of Lego left -- but, special favorites we're keeping. The original investment for the $20K sold (and the remaining $5K)? Less than $3000. This was Lego for fun and only an accidental investment. I could kick myself for not purposefully investing and buying multiple copies of these sets (and keeping them sealed) since my kids' births when I was mod-40s -- imagine if I had started investing in my youth (I was never interested in Lego as a kid -- I was into GIJoe, Tonka, etc). So, I won't be pursuing Lego as an investment now in my 60s -- butt my kids, after seeing the investment potential, are planning to do so. And we still buy and build Lego for fun.
What a fantastic story. I aim to give my granddaughter that head start with my “Grandparent Lego Investing.” Congratulations on your accidental investment and best wishes to the twins as they head off to their next chapter!
And what I also love about your story is the fact that these were used, played with sets. So often Lego investors think that only in the box sets hold value. Your story is proof that sets that have been played with, providing they were well cared for, remain complete and have their original boxes, and are classic sets - can hold value. I love this story!
Last year I sold Lego sets twice to two elderly women in Germany! They said the same thing, they are investing for their grand children. While I was a bit perplexed at that time, seeing your video I now understand that senior LEGO investing is actually a thing.
Yes! Thanks for your comment!
God bless you.
Hi, love your video, I am from the UK and just starting a secondary business selling lego. I would definitely buy the lego city adventure sets. They are due to retire at the end of year and will only have been on sale for 6 months. This is really unusual and the mini fig character 'Johnny Thunder' doesn't come out very often. What ive read and seen about Duplo is the animal sets are more desirable on the secondary market.
On the Star wars lego the recent buildable droid set looks ideal for younger builders. Best wishes and good investing LJ
Thanks so much! Are there any particular adventure sets that you really like?
@@tbsince1954 Hi, been hard at work, the ones I thought might be interesting are 60437, Jungle Helicopter it has a new animal moulds of an adult and child Gorilla, 60424 Jungle ATV a small set but a new red panda mould. 60425 Adventure Seaplane with crocs, 60426 Jungle Off Roader with a tiger. Finally one from last year is 60376 Artic Explorer it has some wonderful Seal moulds and a small ski-doo build. Best wishes LJ
Great mindset!
I appreciate that!
On another note, recently found out how much the Friends Elves series has increased in value
I had a look at those sets. My guess is my grandaughter would love these someday. I'm going to try and pickup a set to hold for her.
I understand the appeal of the Lego Harry Potter theme from a children's perspective. However in terms of investing, there might be some downsides to this theme. First, there is very little new material coming out forcing the LEGO Group (TLG) to create minifigures for the same old characters and to reissue sets over and over again. For example, the new Hogwarts Express (76423) was released last year immediately after the last one (75955) retired. This thing will be recreated as long as TLG releases Harry Potter sets, limiting it's investment potential because in the future, a customer will be able to buy the train from the regular lineup at a low price instead of paying a higher price on the secondary market. Secondly the Harry Potter theme does not lend itself well to army building (no orcs, storm troopers, clones...), limiting the pool of customers that would buy the same set multiple times.
Thanks for your perspective on this. Since the "investment" is principally for play value for my granddaughter, it's not a primary worry. But I see your point, and it will undoubtedly impact the value of the used set on the secondary market once she outgrows it. Still--Harry Potter. Gotta have some! :-)
As a 61 year old man, I received the gift of seeing a family in Philippines, all enjoy, from age 9 to 45
Wonderful! Lego is for all ages!
you look good for 70
Thank you!
There are plenty of sets that I got 25 years ago sold them wish I did not sell them not only for value but also unique themes no longer around and that's cool now
I hear you. The nice thing about being a new Lego collector at 70 is I don’t have to sell- the motivation is to keep for my granddaughter. But, there are plenty of other collectables I’ve had that I sold and can licking myself about! Thanks for sharing!