Lego units have a shortage issue that’s fueling a dear resale market, making some units value as a lot as $16,000.
The New York Times reports that this has led to Lego kits (Lego—and the NYT—observe that the plural of Lego is Lego, not Legos) being thought-about a collector’s merchandise, like Pokémon playing cards. It has additionally led to a thriving felony community of thieves searching for their subsequent plastic brick rating.
A couple of weeks in the past, a 29-year-old man was arrested for 2 separate Lego heists in California, one the place he’s accused of stealing 200 Lego bins, and one other alleged theft of over $10,000 value of Lego merchandise. Final yr, thieves in Oregon have been caught stealing 4,000 Lego units value greater than $200,000, and robbers in California stole more than $100,000 value of Lego units and equipment from a retailer there. The proprietor of that store mentioned the stolen gadgets have been on eBay inside hours.
“It is actually ramped up within the final 5, six years,” Meghan DeGoey, the proprietor of a toy retailer with eight areas in Northern California, instructed the New York Instances.
DeGoey mentioned that her shops not too long ago had $7,000 value of Lego units stolen.
Shane O’Farrell, the YouTube creator behind “Bricks Bucks,” a Lego-investing and reselling channel, instructed the New York Instances that the rationale why Lego units improve in worth is due to the best way the system is about up: A equipment spends about two years on retailer cabinets max, after which is not manufactured once more.
In line with BrickEconomy, a web site devoted to the “economics of Lego,” essentially the most beneficial Lego set proper now’s a “new and sealed San Diego Comedian-Con 2013 Spider-Man.” It is estimated to be value $16,846 right now, with a median annual progress of about 10.8%, in accordance with the outlet.
There are a number of different costly units listed, together with a T-rex kit worth nearly $9,000.
In 2024, Artnet reported {that a} uncommon Lego minifigure from the 2000s discovered at a Goodwill in Pennsylvania offered for nearly $20,000 at public sale.
So, it is perhaps time to examine your previous toy bins and closets.
O’Farrell instructed the New York Instances that he made $250,000 final yr and has made much more than that previously when he put extra time into reselling.
By no means, ever “legos.” We might say LEGO bricks because the phrase “LEGO” ought to at all times be used to explain one other phrase.
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) March 20, 2017
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