So this year started to delve into the dark underworld of lego investing.
The plan is simple, buy discounted lego, hold until said set retires, or supply outstrips demand.
Mainly I have been very good at buying lego. Time will tell if it has paid off.
Although the principle is clear, there are sets that perform better than others and a certain element of due diligence is required.
The best sets to buy are ones nearing retirement, at a premium discount and popular ones.
So I thought what I would start doing is analysing different sets and themes and see how they perform after retirement.
I've documented, all of the architecture sets, what the RRP was on purchase (remember looking at buying discounted lego), how long the product was the market and what the prices on amazon were after 1,2 and 3 years of the set being retired.
Retired sets: I've analysed 33 Architecture sets, starting from sets released
Lets start off with ten different sets
Lego: 21002
Empire state building
RRP: £19.99
Days on market: 1662 Retirement date: 30/10/2014
Price after 1 year: £36.81 2 years: £59.99 3 years: £59.99
Price today: £72.99 Percentage increase: 265%
Lego: 21003
Seattle space needle
RRP: £19.99
Days on market: 2067 Retirement date: 09/12/15
Price after 1 year: £54.46 2 years: £69.99 3 years: 89.99
Price today: £124.56 Percentage increase: 523 %
Lego: 21004
Guggenheim
RRP: £34.99
Days on market: 1354 Retirement date: 26/12/13
Price after 1 year: £90.00 2 years: £150 3 years: £160
Price today: £209 Percentage increase: 497%
Lego: 21005
Fallingwater
RRP: £74.99
Days on market: 1732 Retirement date: 08/01/2015
Price after 1 year: £200 2 years: £273 3 years: £326
Price today: £326 Percentage increase: 334%
Lego: 21006
Whitehouse
RRP: £39.99
Days on market: 2023 Retirement date: 22/12/2016
Price after 1 year: £86 2 years: £99 3 years: £99
Price today: £115 Percentage increase: 187%
Lego: 21007
Rockefeller plaza
RRP: £34.99
Days on market: 931 Retirement date: 26/12/2013
Price after 1 year: £54 2 years: £95 3 years: £89
Price today: £89 Percentage increase: 154%
Lego: 21008
Burj Khalifa
RRP: £22.99
Days on market: 936 Retirement date: 26/12/2013
Price after 1 year: £90 2 years: £95 3 years: £40
Price today: £120 Percentage increase: 420%
Lego: 21009
Farnsworth house
RRP: £54.99
Days on market: 1176 Retirement date: 25/06/2014
Price after 1 year: £82 2 years: £126 3 years: £257
Price today: £440 Percentage increase:700%
Lego: 21011
Brandenburg gate
RRP: £34.99
Days on market: 823 Retirement date 09/12/2013
Price after 1 year: £44 2 years: £56 3 years: £74
Price today: £125.35 Percentage increase: 258%
Obviously, these few are a while ago but I think they show there is a clear increase once the sets do retire, some of the percentage increases are superb.
This is part of the reason why I see this as such a good investment, if you got some spare space, get some lego
Architecture may not be the best example, there will be more to come.... slowly
As I hope to build a nice little compendium of lego prices, so that when I can buy a little bit more, I will have a much better idea of what is valuable and what is not
Next, I hope to do the other 20
