The 10 Most Valuable LEGO® Sets EVER!
LEGO® sets are a great children’s toy, but they also some of the most sought-after collectibles in the world. Rare LEGO® sets regularly sell for thousands of pounds, as serious collectors seek to complete their collection.
Collectors don’t just do it for the joy. They recognise that LEGO® sets are an investment that can reap reward in the future. They look for limited edition sets or pop culture phenomena, which will drive up its value in the future.
We’ll run through the 10 most expensive LEGO® sets and what makes them so valuable, so you know how to find a good investment piece.
1. Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon (10179)
You will be unsurprised to find so many Star Wars™ LEGO® sets amongst the most expensive LEGO® sets. That’s because it brings together two of the largest fandoms in the world: Star Wars™ and The LEGO Group community. It allows fans to recreate iconic scenes and own a little piece of the films themselves.
If you know anything about Star Wars, then it’s even less surprising that the Ultimate Collector’s Millenium Falcon™ is one of the most expensive LEGO® sets. The Millennium Falcon™ is the most famous ship in the series and plays a central role in the story.
The LEGO® Ultimate Collector Series is aimed at serious collectors. These sets are more complex and have an incredible amount of detail. The UCS has mostly featured Star Wars sets, as well as some Batman sets. It is generally only sold directly by The LEGO Group, which makes it hard to find and increases the value on the second hand market.
The Ultimate Collector’s Millenium Falcon™ set is one of the most impressive builds The LEGO Group has to offer. There are over 5,000 pieces and 5 Minifigures: Luke Skywalker™, Princess Leia™, Hans Solo™, Chewbacca™ and Obi Wan Kenobi™. Even used sets sell for hundreds of pounds, whilst unopened sets sell for almost £2,000.
2. Taj Mahal (10189)
The Taj Mahal set is an incredible feat of architecture, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site which attracts millions of visitors each year. It is almost as incredible that The LEGO Group have managed to recreate this in just under 6,000 plastic bricks. The domes, minarets and arches are all there, in a set that resells for roughly £900.
The Taj Mahal (10189) is part of the Landmarks subtheme from the LEGO® Creator Expert Series. This series features advanced sets made specifically for adult builders. The Landmarks subtheme also includes other famous pieces of architecture from around the world.
3. Café Corner (10182)
Café Corner (10182) was the first modular building released in 2007. This was part of the LEGO® Creator Expert Series. These modular buildings can be attached in different formations to make your own LEGO® brick town. This has proved popular with collectors, who love the imaginative and playful element to the sets.
Café Corner (10182) has a ground floor café and a hotel on upper floors. There are over 2,000 bricks and 3 Minifigures, which really enhance the playfulness of the set.
Café Corner (10182) is a pioneer in the modular building subtheme, which makes it so popular with collectors. Original sets often sell for more because they represent a distinct period in the history of LEGO® sets. It is valued at £2,300, making it one of the most expensive LEGO® sets.
4. Green Grocer (10185)
Green Grocer (10185) is another modular building, which was released in 2008. It represented a new phase of development for LEGO® modular building sets, as it was the first set to include an interior as well.
The first floor has a green grocers and lobbyway, whilst the second and third floors are apartments. It even has a roof terrace with umbrellas, chairs and a grill, where minifigures can relax and play.
Whilst the Green Grocer (10185) is not an original set, it is an early development set. It was the first modular building to feature an interior. An unopened set can sell for around £1,500.
5. Ultimate Collectors Star Wars™ Imperial Star Destroyer™ (75252)
The Imperial Star Destroyer™ (75252) is another Star Wars™ ship. It features a maginificent amount of detail, from engine exhausts to the iconic bridge tower. This 4,700+ piece build is certainly impressive at 1 ½ feet high and 2 feet long.
The Imperial Star Destroyer™ (75252) was recently retired in December 2022. It can sell for around £750+ currently. Based on trends with other retired Star Wars™ sets, it could go up even more in price.
6. Star Wars™ UCS Millennium Falcon™ (75192)
No, you’re not having Déjà vu. This is another, newer Ultimate Collector’s Series Millenium Falcon™. The 75192 features more detail than ever before. With 7,500 individual pieces, it’s one of The LEGO Group’s biggest sets ever! There are even 11 Minifigures, with characters from the new and original films.
This set is still being sold at the LEGO® Store, so collectors snap it up now! As we’ve seen with other UCS Star Wars™ sets, we would expect this to go up in price. The rich building experience means it will hold its popularity with collectors, whilst impending retirement will increase scarcity, which drives up the price. We can reasonably predict this will become one of the most expensive LEGO® sets.
7. Eiffel Tower (10181)
The Eiffel Tower is another iconic piece of architecture, instantly recognisable across the world. Its cultural significance was recognised by The LEGO Group who released the Eiffel Tower set (10181) in 2007. This was part of the Landmarks subtheme from the Creator Expert series.
The unique structure proves a challenge to any LEGO® set builder. Its arched legs conceal four lifts which carry Minifigures to the centre of the tower. There are over 3,400 pieces in total, and the final structure stands 3 ½ feet tall.
The Eiffel Tower set (10181) has proved popular with collectors, who relish the challenge of building. It was also a limited edition set, which increases its value even more. Unopened sets can sell for around £1,500. That’s 10 times more than the £150 it originally retailed for.
8. Statue of Liberty (3450)
The Statue of Liberty (3450) was released in 2000, as part of the Landmarks subtheme. This set requires great dexterity and attention to detail, as you work through a pile of 2,882 bricks (which are almost all the same sand-green colour). It is definitely one of the more challenging sets, as you must pick the correct brick to get the right shape and depth.
The Statue of Liberty (3450) was another limited edition set. This increases scarcity and drives up prices. Unopened sets can sell for £2,000 or more, whilst used sets can sell for hundreds.
9. Grand Carousel (10196)
One of the most magical LEGO® sets on this list. The Grand Carousel (10196) is truly captivating, with motors which actually make the horses move up and down and the carousel rotate. It’s a feat of engineering, not just LEGO® brick building.
Collectors love this set because of the challenging build it presents. Once complete, the reward is a set that really captures the fun and whimsy of the LEGO® brick. There are also 9 Minifigures, which is great for worldbuilding.
The Grand Carousel set (10196) is valued at £1,800. We’ve even seen listings at £2,500. The reason it has proved so popular with collectors is its unique blend of art and engineering; of precision and imagination. It really is the best of both worlds.
10. Star Wars™ Cloud City (10123)
Of course, we had to end our list of the most expensive LEGO® sets with another Star Wars™ set. The Star Wars™ Cloud City™ set (10123) is a recreation of the famous scene where the group are betrayed to Darth Vader™. It is one of the more playable Star Wars™ LEGO® sets. There are 7 Minifigures including Darth Vader™, Luke Skywalker™, Leia Organa™, Hans Solo™, Lando Calrissian™, a stormtrooper™ and Boba Fett™.
An unopened Star Wars™ Cloud City™ (10123) set is valued at a whopping £6,214. One reason it’s so expensive is the inclusion of the coveted Boba Fett™ Minifigure. This is one of the rarest Minifigures, because it was too expensive for The LEGO Group to produce. The Boba Fett™ Minifigure alone can sell for thousands of pounds.
The Collector's Guide: Insights for Investors
You’ve probably picked up on a few trends throughout this list of the most expensive LEGO® sets. Indeed, nearly the entire list is drawn from two LEGO® series: the Ultimate Collectors Series and the LEGO® Creator Expert series. We’ll look at what makes these series so valuable.
The Ultimate Collector’s Series was created specifically for collectors. It represents the pinnacle of LEGO® collectibles. LEGO® sets are larger and ultra-detailed. They are also hard to find, as they can generally only be bought directly from the LEGO® Store. Scarcity only drives demand, as collectors want to have this one-of-a-kind building experience.
The LEGO® Creator Expert series is also aimed at adults who want a more challenging build. It’s a diverse and far-ranging series, which can include everything from flowers to cars from famous films. However, once again we can see a pattern emerge of the most expensive LEGO® sets within this series; modular houses and Landmark sets.
Modular houses are so valuable because of the unique worldbuilding experience. You can set up your houses into a street or town, using Minifigures to tell a story. This appeals to collectors’ nostalgia, capturing all the playfulness of LEGO® bricks from childhood.
The Landmarks subtheme sets are also some of the most expensive LEGO® sets from the Creator Expert series. These sets are highly collectible, as collectors look to gather landmarks from around the world. They also provide a unique challenge and are often based on original blueprints. This enhances the building experience.
Wise investors should therefore focus on the Ultimate Collector’s Series and LEGO® Creator Expert series. You should look for sets of cultural significance, like film phenomenon or iconic architecture. You should also look for sets that are playful and imaginative in a way that appeals to collector’s nostalgic side.
These are the 10 most expensive LEGO® sets! We hope this has given you some ideas if you’re investing in LEGO® sets for the future.
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