Brick Update

So last year, in various small phases, I got rid of most of my LEGO. What I kept were the sets I appreciate most, and that I can actually display. For the most part, it is the modular series, plus a bunch of minifigs such as Star Wars, etc. There are other small collections I have yet to part with – one each of the Harry Potter series, all unopened, as well as some classic castle sets, with their boxes.

For me, it became overwhelming to try to store all of the LEGO I bought. The truth is that OWNERSHIP was not the most engaging part of the hobby, but rather: THE HUNT. I loved scouring the forums for good deals at retailers, searching ebay and second-hand markets.

And that drove all kinds of dream-collections, such as wanting to army build in too many different themes: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, classic castle, etc. If I had unlimited space, I could perhaps consider this. But I’ve decided I want to spend more of my time appreciating LEGO, and less time dusting LEGO.

Will I buy any LEGO this year? Maybe a set or two. But not any more than that one extra shelf can handle.

As I have said in earlier posts, there are two other motivations for me behind this decision:

1. LEGO is simply making too many amazing sets to reasonably collect the ones I like. The just announced the Simpsons set, which looks amazing, all of the themed stuff looks fun (TMNT, LOTR, Hobbit, Star Wars, etc) and even many of the other themes have so many cool elements and colors, such as Chima. Even the new LEGO Movie sets look really neat. And this is without considering the HUGE sets – from the Star Wars UCS stuff (amazing stuff) to something like the Opera House. It’s simply too much of a good thing. I am not complaining, I am just recognizing that it forces me to have strict limits.
2. I’ve grown bored of the idea of LEGO as investment.

All this said, I will continue the blog because I continue to be a huge LEGO fan! I still frequent a lot of the fan sites and follow lots of YouTubers who review LEGO stuff. It’s still very much a part of my day-to-day life.

Thanks.

Amazing to see how wiped out the LEGO aisle is at Target today, especially as all the other toy aisles still had plenty of stock. In the final photos, you can actually see that Target employees are adding other games to the LEGO shelves, just to fill up the empty space. Even though I have been a bit down on the overwhelming rise of “LEGO as investment,” it is impossible to argue that kids simply LOVE LEGO and that for each kid that grows up with this toy, that turns into an adult who has a sentimental affection for all things LEGO. When you see an aisle wiped clean like this, you are looking at decades of increased love for LEGO:

I’m back! While I haven’t been buying LEGO, I have still been following LEGO news, and checking out the LEGO section whenever I am in stores. I will actually be getting rid of even more of my LEGO, really pairing down to just a small collection of sets I want to display. But I really like this hobby and community, so I have zero plans of disappearing.

I have taken plenty of photos of LEGO sections at stores this year, but hadn’t had the time to post until now. I recently stopped by Toys R Us, and boy did their LEGO section grow. Not only does LEGO still occupy a main wall when you walk in, but it is a huge section now, not just one aisle.

I can’t help but ask how they will sell all of this – how much more LEGO can be sold, even during the holidays? Okay, let’s take a tour:

Here is the big wall of LEGO at the front of the store, a mix of different themes:

The entrance to the LEGO section:

Behold! This is almost double the size of the previous LEGO section:

It’s hard to believe that these older Ninjago sets are still plentiful:

Not a bad sale for LEGO minifigures:

TMNT polybags:

Legends of Chima is a theme I haven’t paid too much attention too, mostly because I’ve been overwhelmed by the sheer number of new minifigs, pieces, and colors. Very cool looking stuff though:

A more classic Castle theme. Funny how the castle set has that alarm on it, was this a primary target for theft?

Monster Fighters still lingering:

Super Heroes:

The 2013 LEGO Star Wars Advent calendar. In previous years, you could barely give these away it seemed:

Evidently, this is the last of the Planet sets for the US. I heard that series 4 is being released elsewhere, but not here:

An example of why I have to stop collecting LEGO in the way I had previously. As amazing as this looks, I can’t possibly keep up. And this is just ONE theme! And it doesn’t take into account things such as army-building. Love the minifigs though:

So much lovely Star Wars LEGO:

While I don’t care for the Lone Ranger brand, these sets are very impressive:

Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Another theme I would love to get into in a really big way, but simply don’t have the space:

Pretty awesome looking Technic race car:

Toys R Us exclusive polybag:

More big Technic sets:

City. At this point, there is so much to look at, I’m not even noticing individual sets:

A pretty good selection of baseplates too!

Sorry I’ve been quiet here on the blog, life has been extremely busy this year, including preparations for moving. The move has required me to pare down my LEGO collection, but as I have mentioned earlier, I have also soured on the idea of LEGO as an investment. Now, there is nothing negative about this, I still LOVE LEGO, still have bunch of it, and will continue to remain active in the hobby.

I got rid of most of my collection today, here it is all packed up in the truck:

There is an oddly freeing feeling of not having so many stacks of boxes around. And this will allow me to focus on the hobby in a smaller, perhaps more meaningful way. Just buying a few sets I really want to build, and spending less time hunting for sales and analyzing which sets are good for investment.

Thanks.

It’s true, I will be selling off most of my LEGO in the coming months. Let me say up front, this DOES NOT indicate any loss of love for LEGO or the hobby. I will continue with this blog and with following the LEGO community.

So the reasons are two-fold. First is what I explained in my last post, that I have concerns about a LEGO investing bubble. So thinning the herd allows me to keep what I love, and let go of what I don’t need five copies of!

The second reason is that it looks as though I will be moving. I’d love to arrive there with a sense of space, instead of stacks and stacks of LEGO. So from a strictly practical standpoint, I want to see LEGO around me as something to enjoy, not something to store.

I haven’t bought any (or much) new LEGO in the past couple of months, it’s an odd feeling. But I still love the hobby. Thank you all for continuing with it too! I’ll continue with this blog, sharing photos of my toy store visits, etc.

In the past few months, I have been feeling more and more as though the investment value of LEGO is peaking. It seems that the moment a new theme or set is announced, there are discussions about it’s potential aftermarket value years down the road.

I remember hearing some story about a famous banker who pulled out of the stock market before the Great Depression in the 1920s because the person who was shining his shoes tried to give him a good stock tip. The moral was: if the investment value of something is so “hot,” that everyone knows about it, then there is clearly some mania in the market.

I come from a collector & investor mindset with lots of things, I grew up in a family where we collected things and where we had some businesses based on that. For instance, we had a baseball card business in the 1980s, and I watched that hobby grow and then crash in the 1990s. Then I saw it again and again, with things such as Beanie Babies.

Now, to be clear, there is NO PEAK in the LEGO world for the playbility of LEGO as a toy. Others have said this in the forum: that LEGO has an inherent value because you can always build with them, that they are a timeless toy, and because all pieces are interchangeable with one another. I agree with that, and I am not jaded with LEGO as a toy.

But I will be selling off some of my sets. Not all, just some.

I think the final straw for me was LEGO renewing the Star Wars license for 10 years, and beginning to reissue older sets such as the Republic Gunship and the UCS X-Wing. I have some of these, and paid a premium for them. So I’m going to get rid of those and overall, lower my financial investment in LEGO as a collectible.

I have also been feeling as though LEGO is producing WAY TOO MANY AMAZING SETS! I know, this is absurd to even consider complaining about, but WOW, there is so much great LEGO out there. All the modulars, the VW Bus, Haunted House, that cool plane, etc – all those adult-oriented sets. But even the regular themed sets look so cool. For example: the Lone Ranger stuff. There is simply too much to buy!

Anyhow, I will absolutely continue this blog and continue collecting LEGO. But I will likely stop “investing” in LEGO, and pair down my collection a bit. I am not recommending you do the same, you should do whatever feels right for you.

2013 sets arrive at Toys R Us:

I stopped by the LEGO Store in Rockefeller Center to take a peak at many of the 2013 sets actually on the shelves:

Lots of new LEGO 2013 sets arrived at my local Target:

Huge displays of Legends of Chima at the LEGO Store today, plus other 2013 sets. LEGO is doing a LOT of branding on Chima, it was the whole front store display, and it was really packed in front of the sets they had for sale.

2013 Super Heroes sets were on display, but just a few left. Overall, the store was PACKED with people, along with a long line.