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    • MartinP
      The Atlantis theme has twenty-three sets. These twenty-three sets were released over a period of two years: 2010-2011. Currently the Atlantis theme is retired. Out of the twenty-three sets, there are eight that have a positive CAGR. These eight sets will be ranked and explained.
      1. 7978 Angler Attack
      The 7978 Angler Attack has the best CAGR out of all the Atlantis sets, which is 16.61%. I consider that a decent CAGR. The set is down 2.51% from the last month. The set has a retail price of $19.99 USD. Since the set has 200 pieces, the Price Per Piece (PPP) ratio for the set is ten cents ($0.10 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2011. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of fourteen cents ($0.14 USD). The set has increased four cents per piece over two years. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2011: $19.99 USD 2012: $23.31 USD 2013: $27.18 USD 2014: $31.70 USD 2015: $36.96 USD This set is a great investment. If the CAGR stays the same or relatively similar, after four to five years the set would have doubled its retail value.
      2. 8056 Monster Crab Clash
      The 8056 Monster Crab Clash has the second best CAGR of the Atlantis theme. The CAGR is 12.23%. I consider that a average CAGR. The set is down 2.47% from the last month. The set has a retail price of $6.99 USD. Since the set has sixty-eight (68) pieces, the PPP ratio is ten cents ($0.10 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2010. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of fifteen cents ($0.15 USD) per piece. The set has increased five cents over three years. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2010: $6.99 USD 2011: $7.84 USD 2012: $8.80 USD 2013: $9.88 USD 2014: $11.09 USD 2015: $12.45 USD This set is another great investment. If the CAGR stays the same or relatively the same, the set would have doubled it retail price after six years in 2016.
      3. 8058 Guardian of the Deep
      The 8058 Guardian of the Deep has a very close CAGR to the 8056 Monster Crab Clash. It is only a quarter of a percent away. The CAGR for the set is 12.00%. The set has not changing in value over the past month. The set has a retail price of $14.99 USD. Since the set has 144 pieces, the PPP ratio is ten cents ($0.10 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2010. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of fifteen cents ($0.15 USD) per piece. The set has increased five cents over three years. That is the exact same as the 8056 Monster Crab Clash. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2010: $14.99 USD 2011: $16.79 USD 2012: $18.80 USD 2013: $21.06 USD 2014: $23.59 USD 2015: $26.42 USD This set is just like the 8056 Monster Crab Clash. The set is a great investment. If the CAGR stay the same or relatively the same, the set would double its retail value after six years in 2016.
      4. 7976 Ocean Speeder
      The 7976 Ocean Speeder is a decent investment from the Atlantis theme. The set has a CAGR of 9.20%. The set is down 0.83% from the past month. The set has a retail price of $4.99 USD. Since the set has fifty-four pieces, the PPP ratio is nine cents ($0.09 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2011. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of eleven cents ($0.11 USD) per piece. The set has increased two cents per piece over two years. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2011: $4.99 USD 2012: $5.45 USD 2013: $5.95 USD 2014: $6.50 USD 2015: $7.10 USD This set is a good investment. If the CAGR stays the same or relatively the same, the set will have increased 50% over the retail price over four years in 2015.
      5. 8073 Manta Warrior
      The 8073 Manta Warrior is a decent/bad investment. The set only has a CAGR of 5.69%. The set is down 2.08% from the past month. The set has a retail price of $3.99 USD. Since the set has thirteen pieces, the PPP ratio is thirty-one cents ($0.31 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2010. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of thirty-six cents ($0.36 USD) per piece. The set has increased five cents per piece over three years. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2010: $3.99 USD 2011: $4.21 USD 2012: $4.46 USD 2013: $4.71 USD 2014: $4.97 USD 2015: $5.26 USD This set is a bad/decent investment. Even though the set has a positive CAGR, the set would take four years to grow 25% in value over the retail price. That would mean it took four years to make $1 USD per set.
      6. 8072 Sea Jet
      The 8072 Sea Jet is a decent/bad investment. The set only has a CAGR of 5.69%, just like the 8073 Manta Warrior. The set is up 1.29% from the past month. The set has a retail price of $3.99 USD, just like the 8073 Manta Warrior. Since the set has twenty-three (23) pieces, the PPP ratio is seventeen cents ($0.17 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2010. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of twenty cents ($0.20 USD) per piece. The set has increased three cents per piece over three years. Her is a simple chart showing the growth of the set.
      2010: $3.99 USD 2011: $4.21 USD 2012: $4.46 USD 2013: $4.71 USD 2014: $4.97 USD 2015: $5.26 USD This set is the exact same as the 8073 Manta Warrior. Even though the set has a positive CAGR, it is low and it only profitable if purchased in high numbers. It would take four years to make $1 USD per set.
      7. 7985 City of Atlantis
      The 7985 City of Atlantis is a bad investment. Even though the set has a positive CAGR, it is very low and not very profitable. The set has a CAGR of 3.10%. The set is up 2.23% from the past month. The set has a retail price of $69.99 USD. Since there are 686 pieces in the set, the PPP ratio is ten cents ($0.10 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2011. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio of eleven cents ($0.11 USD) per piece. The set has increased one cent per piece over two years. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2011: $69.99 USD 2012: $72.16 USD 2013: $74.40 USD 2014: $76.70 USD 2015: $79.08 USD This set is a bad investment. The set has increased $4 USD over two years. That is not a lot of money made. Even if you bought many sets, the set would still not be very profitable. Some people are fooled by this because they think a positive CAGR means a good positive return. This set says otherwise.
      8. 7977 Seabed Strider
      The 7977 seabed Strider is a bad investment. The set has a CAGR of 0.75%. That is less than a percent. That is not a lot of growth at all, but there is a very tiny amount of growth. The set has a retail price of $9.99 USD. Since there are 105 pieces in the set, the PPP ratio is ten cents ($0.10 USD) per piece. The set was released in 2011. Now in 2013, the set has a PPP ratio that is still ten cents ($0.10 USD) per piece. The set has a current value of $10.14 USD. The set has only increased fifteen cents ($0.15 USD) in value over two years. Here is a simple chart showing the growth of the set:
      2011: $9.99 USD 2012: $10.06 USD 2013: $10.14 USD 2014: $10.22 USD 2015: $10.29 USD Even though this set has a positive CAGR, it is very very very low, and it does not make a difference when investing. The set would take thirteen years to gain 10% or $1 USD over the retail price at this CAGR. This is not my investment choice.
      These eight sets are the sets that have a positive CAGR from the Atlantis theme. All the set have positive CAGR, I only consider the top four sets worthy for investing. They have a high CAGR, which would make nice returns and profits unlike the other four sets that would take a long time to get a decent profit out of them. Hopefully, all these sets will continue to have these CAGR and even better ones to help in out investing
      Thanks for reading!
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      One of the reasons I decided to do the first set of planet articles was because I saw the lineup for the planet series 4 and was memorized at how awesome they were. I really felt they had some seriously higher investment value than the first three series, so I wrote down a note to myself to do a blog article about it. While doing some research for the article, I was looking through some data on BrickPicker and figured I could not do an article about the new planet series 4 sets without mentioning the three I wrote about in the first article and how I thought they could be sleeper investments.
      Now that I have finished that article, I move on to the part I am really excited about: Planet Series 4. So first, lets go through what we have seen in the first series that is notable:
      Naboo Starfighter and Naboo Sebullas Podracer and Tatooine Interceptor and Death Star X-wing and Yavin 4 Twin-pod Cloud Car and Bespin AT-ST and Endor Jedi Starfighter and Kamino Republic assault ship and Corusant Tie Bomber and Asteroid Field. Looking above, the two best and most iconic ships above are the X-wing and the AT-ST. Of the rest, there are some decent ships, but nothing crazy popular. Adding to this, the X-Wing has somewhere near 10,000 other Lego renditions of it. The Death Star is pretty cool, but I don't think there is enough size and detail there to make it a record breaking set. The tie bomber is one of my favorite ships, but not everyone shares that opinion.
      Let's compare them to the Planet Series 4:
      Snowspeeder and Hoth B-Wing Starfighter and Endor Tantive 4 and Alderaan To me there is no comparison. This line of planet sets include the ships that I was really waiting for. These ships are not only iconic, but are very detailed. I think these ships have had a lot more success in the past as investments in their other forms as well. Don't believe me? All 3 of them have been UCS sets, with two of them being some of the best gaining UCS sets out there(We will have to wait and see with the B-wing). With these coming out soon, will this change the tune of the investors in regards to the Planet Series line?
      75009 Snowspeeder and Hoth

      My Analysis: The Hoth battle scene is one of the best battle scenes in the Star Wars movies. The AT-AT's walking around, the snowspeeders trying to take down the legs of the AT-ATs while the machines move towards Echo Base. This was even further boosted by the Nintendo 64 Star Wars games released in the early 90s that had several missions centered around Hoth itself and the battle surrounding it.
      To me, this makes this set a great one to have. Yes, Hoth sets have been done before, but no sets currently have the actual planet in it (though it is only a plastic ball). Also, for about 60 pieces, the snowspeeder's detail is incredible. If you see an enlarged picture of it, its hard to tell it only includes that many pieces. The snowspeeder pilot is an exclusive remake as well, which will make it more collectible.
      Another factor that makes this set a big winner is the fact that all three of the items are special: The planet is an iconic Star Wars planet, the ship is a very iconic ship (Check the UCS versions current market price!), and the minifigure is an exclusive redesign.
      Let's look at a little bit of data for the previous snowspeeder sets:
      4500 Rebel Snow Speeder – 10.44% CAGR, more than 2X retail currently. 10129 UCS Rebel Snowspeeder – 21.37% CAGR, almost 7 times retail value 7130 SnowSpeeder – 5.37% CAGR (Been around since 1999) – More than double retail value. The only downsides with this set (besides wide availability) is the fact that it is a relatively low piece count for 9.99 at just 69. Honestly though, I think the planet and stand really make up for it because it appeals to those looking to play with it and those looking to display it.
      I would wait it out a little before buying a bunch for retail, but if you can get a sale or clearance deal with these in it down to $8, I think its a no-brainer. I think this is going to see gains like the battle packs and be worth about $25 after the first two years or so! Children are going to absolutely love these and I think that people are going to be drawn towards series 4 especially.
      75010 B-Wing Starfighter and Endor

      My Analysis: I really love this set, mostly because I really love the B-wing. Unfortunately, I think this is the weakest of the three sets in the series, though it still might not be bad to pick up. The B-wing itself is a very popular vehicle, but I think that the current weird situation with the B-Wing UCS set may cause us a few problems. Because we haven't had a set for the snowspeeder or the Tantive IV for a few years, they may be a little “refreshed” in buyers minds making them want to buy them. The B-wing could be a little overshadowed by the bigger one. Of course, maybe that works the other way and people who can't get the UCS set will buy this very small one. I am not sure i can place exactly how it will matter..
      Either way, I think this set is very cool. There are a lot of Endor sets coming out right now and I think that all of these sets are going to cause people to want to collect all the Endor sets. This, combined with people wanting to collect all of the B-wings, and collecting all of the planet series, will make sure this set is still a decent winner. Nothing great, but solid. Ignore it at your own risk.
      Let's take a look at how some of the other retired B-wing sets have done:
      6208 B-wing Fighter – 16.58% CAGR at about 3.5 times retail. 7180 B-wing at Rebel Control – 5.08% CAGR (Been around 13 years). Around 2 times retail. One x-factor here does intrigue me. If you look at the B-wing, there are really no small sets. There are no B-wing Polybags and there are no Brickmaster B-wings or bigger sets that include a small B-wing. I think that could definitely work in this set's favor because the people who typically like the smaller sets will target this one as more unique. There is no polybag to compete with it.
      My final thought on price would be to look for it at around $7. I think it might be a slight reach at $8, but it could be a big time sleeper because of the lack of another small similar set. Plus remember, B-wings are definitely a possibility in the new movies!
      75011 Tantive IV and Alderaan

      My Analysis: I think this one is really awesome. I love it when Lego takes a ship with huge intricate pieces and makes a small version of it, still with a great attention to detail. This one just looks really impressive. And it has 102 pieces which makes it one of the biggest of the planet series and definitely a great price per piece value at under $.10.
      The ship itself is a really popular ship and has only be done twice. Yes, just like the B-wing, it has a big push for it in that there have been no polybags or battle packs, or anything of that size made for it. But past that, there hasn't been a mid range set ever done for this one either. Of the two made, one is a UCS set, and one is an exclusive play-set. Both had extremely high original price-tags and are way more now. To me, that is going to have a really big impact on this set. I really think there are a lot of people out there that like this ship, but don't have either of the bigger sets.
      Alderaan itself is no terrible place to have as well. Think about all the kids that will have the Death Star by picking up the Tie Interceptor Planet series set. None of them will be able to wait to blow up Alderaan with it! The minifigure, while not exclusive, is only in the advent calender and the other Tantive sets. So there is a good chance that if this Tantive model is the first one some people will have, then this will also be the first of that minifigure they will get.
      Let's look at the two Tantive sets and how they have done:
      10198 Tantive IV – 9.59% CAGR sitting at almost 50% over retail. 10019 Rebel Blockade Runner – 11.97% CAGR sitting at almost 4 times retail. Obviously these two ships have done fairly well. With all of this, I think this set will be the best of the planet series and one that every investor should actually look at, even if at retail. It is done really well, has a lot of pieces, and it is the best looking of the series to me. I think if you even get these at $9 in a sale, they will be a big steal. I think in a couple of years, they will be $30 each. And again, they are so small they take nothing to store!
      Final Analysis: While none of the planet series seem to be good enough to shatter any records like 9465 The Zombies, I really think this line has a lot of sleeper potential. As I made clear in the earlier article, these sets will not be fully targeted by investors, but I think this series especially will be really popular among all types of builders and collectors. All three of these are very collectible ships, with two of them being the only small set made of that specific ship. Also, you can't just get one and not have all three. They are a series!
      What will really decide Planet Series 4's fate will be the length of time they are on shelves. Currently they are about to come out and a series 5 has not been mentioned. Because of this, they could maybe stick around a little longer than the other ones have. While I think they are decent investments, I wouldn't go out the first day they come out and buy 100s of them. I could be totally wrong about how popular they are. And if they sit on shelves for over a year, they will have a lot of time to go down in price and lose some of the nice upside.
      The fact is, however, that this is the most impressive full line of the series by far. Generally the rule of thumb for a series in a theme has been “the biggest set always does well”. Perhaps this will extend to this series in that “the best line of the series always does well”. As of now, my prediction is, it will.
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
       
    • Fcbarcelona101
      This entry of the BrickIndex Spotlight will focus its attention in a rather small set from one of the most popular themes of the past few years: The Forbidden Forest from Harry Potter.
      The Forbidden Forest was a set that originally retailed for $ 12 in the USA, and for that price you got 4 cool minifigs (Voldemort, Hagrid, Harry and Narcissa Malfoy) as well as 64 pieces. Of these minifigures, the only one that is really exclusive (but not really expensive) is Narcissa Malfoy. Despite the fact the minifigures are not really that unique, the set was still a pretty good bang for your buck when all things are considered.
      This set was retired around the end of last year, although you could still find it at some stores like Barnes and Noble. As far as its investment performance is concerned, the set has already more than doubled in value in a little over a 6 months, something that is not really surprising with sets within this price range. Let's now take a look at some of the trends this set has been displaying in over the past year or so.


      The number of sets sold showcases the regular pattern that most sets follow, somewhat stable during the year with the huge spike in December. The really interesting data comes from the Values table, where you can clearly see the upward trend this set has been experience ever since it went EOL later 2012. It is pretty normal for sets to explode in value during the first few months after they are retired, and even after a couple of months of no growth this particular one is heading up once again.
      This is a neat set that has already produced some pretty great percentage results for those that were wise enough to pick several while they were still available, but what about those of us who missed on this set, could it still have some more room to grow and make some decent profits?. Let's talk about that next.
      The set itself is really not that interesting as it is basically just a LEGO built tree with some accessories, so that is certainly not going to be too appealing in the secondary market. The real stars here are the 4 minifigs that even if common (except Narcissa) are popular enough to carry this set into the $35 to $40 range in the medium to long term. What I find particularly interesting about this little set that I believe a lot of people will find appealing is that it gives the buyer access to some of the popular minifigs (Hagrid and Voldemort) that are only included in sets that at this point are much more expensive than this one. Someone with limited funds not willing to purchase figs individually will find this a nice alternative.
      To conclude, I would definitely recommend investors to buy this set, but only if they are willing and able to buy several copies and wait a at least a year before getting rid of them. These small sets are only worth it to me if you are able to move a relatively large volume, as actual dollar profits tend to be quite small. If you already own the set, I would recommend holding onto it AT LEAST until this Holiday season, but a more desirable scenario would actually be selling them by the end of 2014 when most of the quick sellers have exited the market.
      Recommendation: Hold/Buy
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      Even if you are not a big Star Wars Lego fan, you know the planet series as they are EVERYWHERE in stores. These are cool, cheap little sets that cost 9.99 that include a minifigure, about 60-100 pieces to make a Star Wars ship, and a hollow planet that has attachments to either sit or hang from the ceiling. As mentioned before, these are everywhere and many have made it pretty far into clearance cycles; I have seen several sets of these that were 50% off.
      What will these do in the after market though? Are they worth picking up, especially at such very low prices?
      Well there are a couple of issues before we really get into this. I decided to make a pros and cons list (if you read my blog you know this is how I do everything). So here we go:
      Pros
      Cheap sets with a good number of pieces and minifigures along with a planet that is exclusive; no other sets really have things like this. Very collectable since there are 4 series now that all share the same attributes. If you get a few of them, you will want them all (I have all the released ones, and 2 of several). Can be found on clearance fairly easily. Have had very short runs in stores although still widely available on line. If retired soon their limited time in stores could be a plus. Very popular among children and collectors. Small so very easy to store. Cons
      Because of the planet, these are hard to ship in something small enough so you are paying a decent amount for shipping. Have been very widely sold and bought meaning there will be more around and less people that don't have any. Not a whole lot of exclusive pieces and minis. Besides the planet, nothing special. Battlepacks offer more minifigures usually which gives people more playability and a little more value for normally the same price. So as you can see from my list above, I am a little hesitant about these selling well int he aftermarket. The cons above definitely outweigh the pros a bit in my opinion. And with the popularity of some other sets and themes and the questions these cons raise, it seems there are some better investments out there.
      However, there are some things I think could be an x-factor to make a few of these sleeper sets. First off, they are not going to be targeted by investors except for those who buy them at clearance prices. Second, SW battlepacks have done pretty well with most of them coming close to doubling in value (There are several other articles that have touched on this so I will spare you more of the same). Also, if you check out a few of these sets I am about to discuss, you will see they have relatively held their values on Ebay meaning chances are they aren't going down now that they are gone. Plus, new ones seem to keep coming out keeping popularity around and driving the old ones off shelves.
      This combined with a few positives from above like the limited runs and the clearance prices make me feel a few of these are worth taking a look at. So here are my picks for the planet series. Note: I still would only recommend bulk buying these for under 7-8 dollars each. This way you can cover yourself if I turn out to be wrong. Make your own decisions, this is just what I am looking at and banking on.
      Lego 9676 Tie Interceptor and Death Star

      My Analysis: I think this is just an awesome little set for 9.99 and it includes a Death Star. You absolutely cannot beat that for a small set. The minifigure is the same one that appears in many of the tie sets, so it is nothing amazing. However, I think that the ship looks really great and does the Tie Interceptor pretty good justice for that few pieces.
      The two things that really make me like this set for an investment is the Death Star and the tie interceptor itself. The Death Star is great in this set because there are only two other sets with a Death Star, and they are both UCS and cost hundreds of dollars. So for the smaller collector, this is a set worth buying just to get the Death Star.
      The Tie Interceptor itself helps as well. It is a very popular ship as a sleeker version of the Tie Fighter itself. Looking back at the Tie Interceptor's past, 6306, 6965 (Polybag), and 7181 (UCS) all have over 10% CAGR. That's nothing amazing, but substantial growth for sets that all have been around for 7-8 years. The length of time since the last Tie Interceptor helps as well.
      Currently this set is already over 12% CAGR sitting around $11 on Ebay. I would definitely jump on these if I found a bunch for <$7.
      9679 AT-ST and Endor

      My Analysis: Everyone loves the AT-ST. This set is really cool because it is always fun to have a smaller model of a very complex and detailed vehicle. Everyone loves the BrickMaster AT-AT for the same reason. Endor is pretty popular as well, but is not exclusive as it will be in one of the series 4 sets as a planet as well.
      There is another plus to this set in that the AT-ST pilot redesign is exclusive to this set. That is going to always add a plus to the set as long as they don't use this in any future sets (which I would doubt as we have a lot of other AT-ST sets).
      Another upside is that, at least in my area, these weren't near as available as most of the other planet sets. I think this is because this one was very sought after by children and therefor was always sold out. I know I had to scrounge through tons of targets and Walmarts just to find one.
      We do have two pretty direct comparisons to this set in the 20054 polybag AT-ST and the 4486 AT-ST& snowspeeder that both included a smaller version of the AT-ST. 30054 is a cool little set, but not as well built as the planet one (I find mine falls apart if touched). It has still had a 27.34% CAGR. 4486 has been around for 10 years and still has a 15.83% CAGR which is really great for a set that old.
      Using all this data, I think this set should be grabbed around $6-7. Put it in a box somewhere and forget about it for a few years and you will pocket 10 bucks per set someday. Not bad for something you can store so easily. Its sitting at 4% CAGR right now without being officially retired so chances are at a discounted price, you wont lose money.
      75008 Tie Bomber and Asteroid Field

      My Analysis: This set is one of my favorites, mostly because I love the Tie Bomber ship itself and didn't have one until this one came out. I immediately went out to buy one when it hit the shelves. The asteroid field is nothing that great at all, but it does fit well for those that have seen the movie and those that have played the old Tie Fighter and X-Wing games as well as the Nintendo 64 games.
      One plus here I see is this one has been very hard to find and the Planet 3 series has somewhat been overshadowed because of the lack of interest in the other two ships in the series. Along with this, the anticipation of the Planet series 4 sets is high as they blow the others out of the water in terms of being iconic parts of the movie. This means this one could really be a big sleeper.
      The ship itself is really great for 50 pieces and is very detailed. It's a solid ship and is very popular. This one is going to benefit from the fact that there has only been one other Tie Bomber in the Star Wars Lego series – 4479. 4479 was made 10 years ago and still has a 12.28% CAGR and is sitting at over 3 times retail value. Because there are no other tie bombers, and no others that a lot of people will ever see on shelves, I think this one will become very sought after, especially if these are shown again in the new movies. (I am discounting the one that you could build from pieces of the 4 small sets in the mid 2000s, just because it is harder to count that with it being a sort of exclusive).
      I think if you can get these for $8, I would buy a ton of them. I think in 2-3 years these could be at around $25. This would be worth it, especially if you have space problems as these will fit pretty much anywhere.
      Final Analysis: I don't want to put a thought out there that these sets are going to be amazing and going to break records because I don't think that. I don't think you should actively seek these out as an investment either. However, I think there are three ways to get these that really make sense:
      Pick them up on clearance: I think we have already gone through this a little, but if you see a bunch of these on clearance anywhere for the prices I have indicated, I would definitely jump. They are definitely worth the very small risk at that price. Best Offer – I have touched on this in several other articles, but there are definitely some listings out there of 20 of these sets where you may be able to put in offers to get them down to a pretty good price for an investment. Online BOGO and other sale types: Whenever people look online for sales, they always look at the big and popular sets, not at the smaller ones. Sometimes you can really miss a great deal. For instance, if you get $20 off a hundred dollars, then you can get some of the sets above for just $8 a piece. What do you all think? Do you see any winners in these or the other Planet Series sets?
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
       
    • MartinP
      People have been facinated by the ocean numerous times over the centuries. There have been different books written about it. My personal favorite book about the ocean is Atlantis. The book talks about people who are trying to find the lost city. In 2010, the Lego Company released the Atlantis theme. The theme is based on minifigures trying to find the lost city of Atlantis.
      The theme has had twenty-three sets released into the market and there was a Lego movie aired on Cartoon Network using the Atlantis sets. The theme only lasted for two years. It began it 2010 and ended in 2011. At the most, the sets are about two to three years old, which is not a lot for investments. Each of the twenty-three sets will be explained and analyzed for their investment potential. Here are the sets:
      7976 Ocean Speeder
      Description: (All Descriptions are from Lego.com)
      Dive deeper in the Ocean Speeder to seize the treasure!
      Fearless Lance Spears is diving for the treasures of Atlantis on his Ocean Speeder as a dangerous sea snake spots him! Can he escape the slippery serpent and reach the treasure?
      Includes Lance Spears minifigure with diving gear Grab with the Ocean Speeders arms, move it’s propellers and shoot with the harpoon! Ocean Speeder measures 3” (7cm) wide Features sea snake, treasure and rare gold elements Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 54 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $4.99 USD Year released: 2011 Current value: $5.95 USD Current CAGR: 9.20% Analysis: The Ocean Speeder has a good CAGR after two years. Over the two years, the set has increased in value by ninty-six cents ($0.96 USD) from the retail price. Some of you may think that this is not a lot, but for a small set like this, it is a lot percentage wise, but with money, it is not a significant increase. To make a decent profit on this set, a person must have many of these sets to sell.
      7977 Seabed Strider
      Description:
      Defeat the evil Hammerhead Guardian to claim the treasure!
      Walking through the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis on his powerful Seabed Strider, valiant diver Axel Storm discovers the precious golden shield. He transforms his craft into a sleek submarine to return the treasure to the surface, but can he first defeat the trident-carrying Hammerhead Guardian?
      Includes 2 minifigures: Hammerhead Guardian and diver with swim fins, scuba helmet and tank 2 in 1 build: Seabed Strider transforms into sleek submarine! Sieze the treasure with the Seabed Strider’s grabbers! Features sea snake, harpoon, trident, treasure and rare gold elements Spin the turbines! Grab treasure with Seabed Strider claws! Seabed Strider measures 3” (7cm) tall Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 105 Number of minifigures: 2 Retail price: $9.99 USD Year released: 2011 Current value: $10.14 USD Current CAGR: 0.75% Analysis: The Seabed Strider does not have a good CAGR after two years. The CAGR is less than 1%. Over two years the set has gained fifteen cents ($0.15 USD) in value. That is not much for percentage and money. This is not the best investment if you want to make some big money fast. It is a slow growing set.
      7978 Angler Attack
      Descripition:
      Outsmart the Angler Fish and evil guardian to reach the treasure!
      Expert diver Dr. Fisher catches sight of an ancient helmet lying among the ruins of LEGO® Atlantis. Just then, the evil Barracuda and giant Angler Fish, with it’s razor-sharp teeth, swim out from the murky depths. Can Dr. Fisher outsmart the deadly creatures to claim the golden helmet and take a photo of the rare fish?
      Includes 2 minifigures: diver with camera and Barracuda guardian with trident Minifigure accessories include diver’s helmet, tank and swim fins Deep Sea Jet features harpoon, grabbing claws Angler Fish measures 7” (17cm) wide, 5” (12cm) long Angler Fish features moving fins and tail! Includes treasure chest with jewels, golden helmet and special gold elements Snap the jaws of the Angler Fish! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 200 Number of minifigures: 2 Retail price: $19.99 USD Year released: 2011 Current value: $27.18 USD Current CAGR: 16.61% Analysis: The Angler Attack set has a great CAGR for two years. Over that period of time, the set has gained $7.19 USD in value. That is a decent percentage from the retail price. This set is a great investment. To make a lot of money off this set, a person would have to have a lot of these sets.
      7984 Deep Sea Raider
      Description:
      Drill a path to the riches!
      Recruited to dig and drill through the dangerous ruins, excavation expert Dr. Brains from the LEGO® Power Miners is trying to get to the treasure! Open the back compartment and release the mini sub for tight squeezes! Can he outwit the angry hammerhead guardian to retrieve the treasure and legendary body armor? Set includes 2 minifigures and mini sub.
      Includes 2 minifigures: diver and hammerhead guardian Deep Sea Raider features opening cockpit, grabber and functioning drill Open the back compartment to reveal the mini sub! Features flexible falling pillar, lobster, treasure chest with jewels and body armor Deep Sea Raider measures 6” wide (15cm) and 8” long (20cm) Mini sub measures over 2” wide (5cm) and 2” long (5cm) Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 265 Number of minifigures: 2 Retail price: $29.99 USD Year released: 2011 Current value: $25.53 USD Current CAGR: -7.73% Analysis: The Deep Sea Raider has a bad CAGR after two years. Over that period of time, the set has lost $4.46 USD in value. This set is not a set to be used for investing. The set may have been good for investing if, the set was purchased on a really good sale. Even if that happened, the set may still have not been profitable.
      7985 City of Atlantis
      Description:
      Free the golden king in the City of Atlantis!
      At long last, the lost City of Atlantis has been discovered! Help Captain Ace Speedman and Professor Sam Rhodes release the golden king from the temple ruins! Avoid the booby traps and falling pillar as you battle the guardians. Whatever you do, stay out of the dungeon and away from the claws of the giant crab. Set includes 6 minifigures and Deep Sea Sub with flick missiles.
      Includes 6 minifigures: giant crab, lobster guardian, barracuda guardian, golden king and 2 divers Features Deep Sea Sub with flick missiles and claws Swing the axe and drop the pillars! Unlock the golden king with the treasure key lock function! City of Atlantis measures 9” (22cm) wide, 9 (22cm) tall and 12” (30cm) long Deep Sea Sub measures 5” (12cm) wide, and 5” (12cm) long Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 686 Number of minifiugres: 5 Retail price: $69.99 USD Year released: 2011 Current value: $74.40 USD Current CAGR: 3.10% Analysis: The City of Atlantis is one of the larger sets in the Atlantis theme. There is a good amount of minifigures in the set. The CAGR for this set is decent. Over the two years, I expected the set to have a bigger value and CAGR. The set has only gained $4.41 USD in value over two years. The set is profitable, but for large profits off this set, there must be a large amount of sets sold.
      20013 Neptune Microsub
      Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 63 Number of minifigures: 0 Retail price: N/A Year released: 2010 Current value: $7.32 USD Current CAGR: N/A Analysis: The 20013 Neptune Microsub is one of the four Atlantis mini sets. The set comes in a polybag. The set has a great value for a mini set. This set would be a great investment if it is at the right price.
      30040 Octopus
      Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 42 Number of minifigures: 0 Retail pirce: N/A Year released: 2010 Current value: $5.93 USD Current CAGR: N/A Analysis: The 30040 Octopus is one of the four Atlantis mini sets. The set comes in a poly bag. The set has a good value for a mini set. The set is a good investment if it is at the right price.
      30041 Piranha
      Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 49 Number of minifigures: 0 Retail pirce: N/A Year released: 2010 Current value: $9.49 USD Current CAGR: N/A Analysis: The 30041Pirahna is one of the four Atlantis mini sets. The set has a great value for being a mini set. The set comes in a polybag. The set is a great investment if it is at the right price.
      30042 Mini Sub
      Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 42 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: N/A Year released: 2010 Current value: $3.06 USD Current CAGR: N/A Analysis: The 30042 Mini Sub is one of four mini sets from the Atlantis theme. The set is the only mini set to have a minifigure. The set comes in a polybag. The set is a decent investment if it is at the right price.
      8056 Monster Crab Clash
      Description:
      Beware the monster crab’s claws!
      On a dangerous deep-sea mission to recover the orange Atlantis treasure key from the murky depths of the ocean, the heroic diver comes face-to-face with the treasure’s mighty guardian: a giant crab with powerful crushing claws!
      Set includes 1 heroic diver minifigure! Collectable orange Atlantis treasure key included; collect them all! Features monster crab with snapping claws and moveable legs! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 68 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $6.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $9.88 USD Current CAGR: 12.23% Analysis: The 8056 Monster Crab Clash has a great CAGR after three years. The set has increased in value by $2.89 USD over the past three years. The set is a great investment. The set is profitable, but for big profits, a lot of sets must be sold.
      8057 Wreck Raider
      Description:
      Capture the blue treasure key from the Shark Warrior!
      While exploring the ocean aboard his high-speed scooter sub, the deep-sea diver has found one of the treasure keys leading to the sunken city of Atlantis! But will the Wreck Raider’s twin turbines and flick-launching harpoons be enough to defeat the trident-wielding Shark Warrior and capture the blue key? Includes Shark Warrior with trident and deep-sea diver minifigures.
      Set includes Shark Warrior minifigure and diver minifigure. Collectable blue Atlantis treasure key included! Measures over 3" (8cm) long! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 64 Number of minifigures: 2 Retail price: $9.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $9.50 USD Current CAGR: -1.66% Analysis: The 8057 Wreck Raider has a bad CAGR. It is negative. The set has dropped in value by forty-four cents ($0.44 USD) over three years. That is not a lot, but it still contributes to the negative CAGR. The set is not the best investment from all the Atlantis sets.
      8058 Guardian of the Deep
      Description:
      This treasure guardian packs a bite!
      In his search for the red Atlantis treasure key, the deep-sea diver has encountered one of the deadliest guardian creatures of all: an enormous black shark covered in Atlantean markings! Will the diver’s harpoon and swimming skills be enough to escape the shark’s snapping jaws and thrashing tail with the precious key, and its clue to the lost city’s location?
      The heroic diver minifigure has an awesome harpoon! Red Atlantis treasure key included; collect them all! Fearsome shark guardian has biting jaws, moving tail and poseable head! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 144 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $14.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $21.06 USD Current CAGR: 12.00% Analysis: The 8058 Guardian of the Deep set has a great CAGR. The set has increased $6.07 USD over the past three years. That is a good investment. For big profits, there would have to be many sets sold.
      8059 Seabed Scavenger
      Description:
      Explore the sea floor, but watch out for danger!
      Leaving no coral-covered rock unturned, the 3-wheeled Seabed Scavenger rolls along the ocean floor in search of clues to the location of Atlantis. Suddenly, a glint of light – it’s the fabled green treasure key, guarded by a fierce Manta Warrior! Even with the deep-sea vehicle’s grab claw, spinning saw and flick-firing torpedoes, this is going to be one tough battle! Includes Manta Warrior with trident and deep-sea diver minifigures.
      Includes Manta Warrior minifigure and 1 diver minifigure. Two flick firing torpedos! Spinning saw weapon and grab claw!! Collectable green treasure key! Collect each one! Measures 10" (25cm) long! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 119 Number of minifigures: 2 Retail price: $14.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $14.60 USD Current CAGR: -0.87% Analysis: The 8059 Seabed Scavenger has a bad CAGR. Although the set has a bad CAGR, the set has only lost thirty-nine cents ($0.39 USD) over three years. That is very little for three years. The set is a decent investment if the set was purchased on a sale, but not at retail.
      8060 Typhoon Turbo Sub
      Description:
      The Typhoon Turbo Sub dives into action!
      Deep at the bottom of the ocean, the yellow Atlantis Treasure Key is guarded by a ferocious Shark Warrior. Send the Typhoon Turbo Sub into battle – when the fight gets tough, its powerful high-speed turbine engines flip around to reveal a key-grabbing claw and hidden torpedo launcher! It’s time to discover the lost secrets of Atlantis!
      Set includes 2 minifigures: 1 heroic diver and 1 Shark Warrior! Yellow Atlantis treasure key included; collect them all! Flip over the rotating sub propellers! Sub is armed with torpedo shooter and flick fire missiles! Claw grabs and holds the treasure key! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 197 Number of minifigures: 2 Retail price: $24.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $15.47 USD Current CAGR: -14.77% Analysis: The 8060 Typhoon Turbo Sub has a really bad value and CAGR after three years. The set has decreased in value by $9.52 USD. For investing, that is a lot of money lost for a single set. This set is not the best investment set from the Atlantis theme.
      8061 Gateway of the Squid
      Description:
      Unlock the Gateway of the Squid…if you dare!
      The Deep Salvage Crew divers have found their first big clue to the location of Atlantis: an ancient underwater temple with gates that automatically open at the turn of a treasure key! Inside are traps, treasures and mighty guardians, including an octopus prison cage, a fearsome Squid Warrior, and a monstrous giant squid with flailing tentacles and massive snapping jaws. Can the divers reach the golden treasure chest at the heart of the temple, or will they be captured for daring to trespass in this deep-sea domain? Includes Squid Warrior with trident and 2 deep-sea diver minifigures.
      Includes Squid Warrior minifigure and 2 diver minifigures! Collectable blue treasure key included; collect them all! Trap door opens to capture the divers! Open the temple gates with blue treasure key! Measures 15" (38cm) long! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 354 Number of minifigures: 3 Retail price: $39.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $20.49 USD Current CAGR: -19.98% Analysis: The 8061 Gateway of the Squid is one of the worst investing sets from the Atlantis theme. The set has lost $19.50 USD in value. That is about half the retail price. With this, the CAGR for the set is -19.98%, which is not good for investing. The set might be profitable if it was purchased at a heavy discount like 60% off or higher.
      8072 Sea Jet
      Description:
      Hunt for undersea treasure!
      Search out Atlantis treasure keys, guardian sea creatures and sunken treasure with the sleek and speedy Sea Jet! Includes deep-sea diver minifigure.
      Includes Sea Jet and deep-sea diver minifigure! Jet features control flaps for quick evasive tactics! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 23 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $3.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $4.71 USD Current CAGR: 5.69% Analysis: The 8072 Sea Jet is a great investment. The set has a good CAGR. The set has gained seventy-two cents ($0.72 USD) in value over the past three years. Some might think that it is not a lot money wise, but it is a lot percentage wise. The set has almost gained 25% over its retail price.
      8073 Manta Warrior
      Description:
      Beware this undersea warrior of Atlantis!
      Treasure-seekers beware – lurking behind this seaweed-covered rock is a fearsome Manta Warrior, prepared to battle anyone who dares to search for the long-lost sunken city of Atlantis! Includes Manta Warrior with trident.
      Set includes Manta Warrior minifigure and seaweed-covered rock! Manta Warrior is armed with a fierce trident! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 13 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $3.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $4.71 USD Current CAGR: 5.69% Analysis: The 8073 Manta Warrior is a great mini set investment. The set has a CAGR of 5.69%. That is a good CAGR. The set has increased in value by seventy-two cents ($0.72 USD). That is almost 25% of its retail price. It is a good set to invest in.
      8075 Neptune Carrier
      Description:
      Search for Atlantis aboard the ultimate battle submarine!
      The Deep Salvage Crew divers have discovered the green Atlantis treasure key, but when the fierce Manta Warrior and its trained battle stingray attack, will they be able to keep it in their search for the sunken city? Launch your defense with the armored Neptune Carrier submarine, with quad flick-launching torpedoes, a scout mini-sub and a quick-deploying seabed rover to even the odds on the ocean floor! Includes Manta Warrior with trident and 3 deep-sea diver minifigures.
      Set includes Carrier sub, scout mini-sub and seabed rover! Includes Manta warrior minifigure plus 3 diver minifigures! Collectable green Atlantis treasure key included! Collect them all! Fire the four flick-launching torpedoes! Mini sub scouts the ocean floor! Roving vehicle scours the seabed! Measures 12" (30cm) long! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 476 Number of minifigures: 4 Retail price: $59.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $42.17 USD Current CAGR: -11.09% Analysis: The 8075 Neptune Carrier is a bad investment. The set has a CAGR of -11.09%. That is not good. The set has lost $17.82 USD in value over the past three years. That is almost 33% of its value lost. From an investment standpoint that is one of the worst investments from the Atlantis theme.
      8076 Deep Sea Striker
      Description:
      Divers beware of the scorpion’s stinging tail!
      On a mission to recover a precious green Atlantis treasure key, The Deep Sea Salvage Crew diver rides the speedy Sea Scooter along the bottom of the ocean! When he encounters the key’s powerful scorpion guardian, can he avoid the scorpion’s vicious tail, snapping claws and biting jaws and recover the key?
      Includes 1 diver minifigure with sea scooter Features collectable green Atlantis treasure key Sea scooter equipped with dual harpoons and treasure key grab claw Guardian scorpion measures over 9” (23cm) long Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 260 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $19.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $14.61 USD Current CAGR: -9.92% Analysis: The 8076 Deep Sea Striker is not one of the best investment choices from the Atlantis theme. The set has a value of $14.61. That means the set has decreased by $5.38 USD in value. This means the set has a CAGR of -9.92%. This is one of the worst investments from the Atlantis theme.
      8077 Atlantis Exploration HQ
      Description:
      Launch the search for Atlantis from the diver’s headquarters!
      From the safety of the exploration HQ, the divers launch missions in search of Atlantis and search for the yellow Atlantis treasure key. Transform the base into the mobile command sub to take on the Manta Warrior!
      Includes 3 minifigures: 2 divers and 1 Manta Warrior Transforms into command submarine with flick-firing torpedos, map room, laboratory and repair bay Includes collectable yellow Atlantis treasure key Measures 13” (34cm) wide , over 6” (15cm) tall Statistcis:
      Number of pieces: 473 Number of minifigures: 3 Retail price: $49.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $40.47 USD Current CAGR: -6.80% Analysis: The 8077 Atlantis Exploration HQ is a bad investment. The set has a current value of $40.47 USD. That means that the set has lost $9.52 USD. This means the CAGR for the set is -6.8%. That is a bad CAGR. The set is a bad investment from the Atlantis theme, but there are other sets that are worse.
      8078 Portal of Atlantis
      Description:
      The portal to the lost city of Atlantis has been discovered!
      Getting through it will be the diver’s greatest challenge yet! The divers must get past hidden traps, shark guardian statues that come alive, Squid and Shark Warriors, and the Portal Emperor before unlocking the portal with the five Atlantis treasure keys.
      Includes 7 minifigures: 3 divers, 1 Portal Emperor, 1 Squid Warrior, 1 Shark Warrior, 1 skeleton Features all 5 Atlantis treasure keys -- green, blue, yellow, red and orange Divers must beware of the hidden traps! Turn a treasure key into the keystone to open the portal to Atlantis! Shark castle measures 18" (46cm) wide and over 12” (32cm) tall Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 1,007 Number of minifigures: 7 Retail price $99.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $65.61 USD Current CAGR: -13.10% Analysis: The 8078 Portal of Atlantis is a great set to have but it is a horrible investment. The set has a current value of $65.61 USD. This means the set has lost $34.38 USD in value over three years. This means the set has a CAGR of -13.10%. Even if the set was on sale, it would not be a good investment. There would have to be a good sale for this set to be profitable and even then there would not be much profit.
      8079 Shadow Snapper
      Description:
      Keep an eye on the shadows when this Atlantis guardian is around!
      Covered in armored spikes and bristling with razor-sharp claws and teeth, the ferocious, amphibious Shadow Snapper is a deep-sea diver’s worst nightmare! A super-fast combat sub with dual flick-launching torpedoes is the Deep Salvage Crew diver’s only chance to get past this lurking leviathan and retrieve the yellow Atlantis treasure key…but will even this high-speed sub be quick enough for him to escape with the prize? Includes deep-sea diver minifigure.
      Includes Shadow Snapper, combat sub and diver minifigure! Yellow Atlantis treasure key included! Collect them all! Fire the sub's dual flick-launching torpedoes! Super-fast sub's propeller really spins! Snapper measures 8" (20cm) long! Sub measures 5" (12cm) long! Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 246 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $29.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $23.70 USD Current CAGR: -7.55% Analysis: The 8079 Shadow Snapper is another Atlantis set that has a negative CAGR. Although it is not as bad as some of the other sets, it is still bad for investing. The set has lost $6.29 USD in value over three years, making the CAGR -7.55%. The set would have been profitable if the set was on sale, but the profit from the set would be very low.
      8080 Undersea Explorer
      Description:
      Battle the guardian serpent with the transforming undersea explorer!
      Searching the darkest depths of the ocean floor for the red Atlantis treasure key, the undersea explorer engages the huge guardian sea serpent! While in rover configuration, the undersea explorer doesn't stand a chance...but transforming into a giant robot, with torpedo launcher and grappling arm, the undersea explorer is more than ready to defend itself! Includes 1 heroic diver minifigure Features red Atlantis treasure key Undersea explorer transforms from seabed rover into robot equipped with torpedo launcher and grapple arm Sea serpent measures 13" (33cm) long Explorer measures over 5" (14cm) long in rover configuration, over 7" (19cm) tall in robot configuration Statistics:
      Number of pieces: 364 Number of minifigures: 1 Retail price: $39.99 USD Year released: 2010 Current value: $33.27 USD Current CAGR: -5.95% Analysis: The 8080 Undersea Explorer is yet another set that has a negative CAGR. Although the set has lost $6.72 USD in value, it is still an unworthy investment. The set would only be profitable if the set was on sale.
      There are many investment winners and losers from the Atlantis theme. While most sets have lost value over time, some sets have gained value. Those sets are the investment winners. Althougth some of the sets did not grow much, I still consider them a good investment. Other sets grew a lot, some of which having high CAGR. If you are investing in the Atlantis theme, pick your sets wisely and they will become deep sea treasure. If not, they will become a sinking investment.
      Thanks for reading!
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      So after doing the first article about my thoughts on a new theme from TLG, I was really excited to try another one. I really like models and things of that nature and I would love for TLG to get into more themes that I am really interested in (right now the only two themes that really fully appeal to me are LOTR and Star Wars). So, I decided to use my own idea for this next one instead of one mentioned by another member, although I was assume many others have probably thought of this. This is: Theme Parks!
      I grew up loving the game Roller Coaster Tycoon. It was so fun to be able to put together giant roller coasters and see if the game's customers liked them (most of the time mine were way too big). This is a big plus for the series because this game proved that pretty much everyone wanted to be a roller coaster or theme park designer (This game was one of the most popular games of the late 90s and early 2000s). On top of that, everyone loves to go to the theme parks, even if you like roller coasters or not. TLG also already has a precedent for sets like this in 10196 The Grand Carousel which, if you haven't noticed, is worth 5 times retail 4 years later and is sitting at an insane 49.6% CAGR (In Fact, that is better than any UCS Star Wars set) and the 4957 ferris wheel which has a respectable 21.46% CAGR.
      So we have established this line would be really popular, but what sets would it have? Well, I will use the new Lego Delorian to take you into the future to see:
      Bumper Cars

      When I think of theme parks, I always think of the biggest rides and in doing this article, I was having trouble coming up with smaller sets to fill out the line (One of the reasons I am not TLG). This would be a very popular set because this is one of the most popular rides among kids.
      I see this like a Ninjago Spinners set. The set would have a small area for the bumper cars and then two cars with a minifigure each. These would have small motors in them, as well as random driving mechanisms making them bump into each other. Maybe they could even have it so there was a timer and you had to wind them up and then let them go. They would bump each other until one stopped and that made the other the winner!
      This set might not be the investors dream, but would be really popular among children if they had it at a $30 price point or so. Who knows, some of the spinners sets have done really well, and the Chime Speedorz may follow that. This could be a big time winner if it were made.
      Minifigures:
      Boy bumper car driver Girl bumper car driver Scrambler

      I am including this set because it was one of my favorite rides growing up and would work really well as a small playset. If you aren't familiar with this ride, the middle of it spins, while the separate sections of people spin as well. This is not fast, mind you, but in a way that the spinning compliments each other. You feel you are thrown outward, pulled inward, and then thrown outward again. It's very fun, as long as you don't sit on the outside with someone 100 lbs heavier than you on the inside.
      The set would include the machine itself as well as the fence around it with the line area for potential riders to stand. It would include 6 minifigures, two per section of the ride (3 scramblers). There would also be a minifigure theme park ride operator as well.
      The ride itself could be turned on or manually turned itself so that it would work just as the original ride.
      Minifigures:
      6 customer minifigures of varying gender, age. 1 theme park operator Ship Swing

      This is another smaller scale set and a ride that is a staple of every amusement park I think I ever gone to. There are tons of different variations of this ride including everything from Aladdin to Space Ships. My favorite though are the old looking boats and pirate ships.
      One, we know ships have done really well as Legos looking at the Pirates of the Carribean theme and the Pirates theme. This one could be a smaller version made in that image with a motor on the suspension system to make it swing when you turn on the ride itself. Minifigures:
      Theme Park ride operator 4 customer minifigures of varying gender, age. Drop Tower

      I assume you are familiar with one of these: at a lot of parks they have been called the “Big shot” or “Drop Zone”, or “Free Fall”. If you got o a lot of theme parks and like thrill rides, you know this is one of the most popular rides. Honestly most of the time I try to avoid it until very late when I am at a theme park because the line is so long. Being a big time favorite among theme park visitors, of course it would make a great Lego set.
      In my eyes, it would include the base of the ride with a theme park worker minifigure and his lever that controls the ride. I would make it so that he could actually switch the lever to make it move.
      The ride itself would include a fairly tall tower – I am thinking about two feet tall – with 4 seats on it for the Minifigure customers. This would include moving harnesses that would come down over the minifigures' shoulders when pressed down to keep them in. When the lever is thrown, the ride itself would climb up the tower to the top. Once it got to the top, it would quickly, but safely, drop to the bottom for play-ability sake. This set would be awesome for any kid to play with and look really good for anyone trying to display theme park sets together.
      Minifigures:
      1 theme park operator 4 customer minifigures of varying gender, age. Scenic Train Ride

      To me, this is always the ride in the theme parks I don't really care that much about because it's boring to me to just ride around and see stuff. Evidently, the thought of some kind of physical harm becoming me is more what I look for in a ride.
      However, to normal people, these are widely popular. A lot of kids love train rides and they are very tame rides for parents. Plus, there is no age limit, so everyone rides them! And, I feel like Lego has done trains before and it has worked out fairly well... hmmm.
      I am thinking that this set could be a train with two cars. I prefer old-timey steam engines as I think they look really cool. This would also have a system for real smoke to come out of the steam engine and it would have a little horn that could be pulled. It would also be motorized so it go around the Lego track.
      The Lego track would be very large so that you could put other rides inside of it for those of us who would collect the whole theme. Also, the train set would come with a few varying exhibits maybe a small zoo area or maybe some smaller versions of theme park rides they don't do a full Lego set of.
      Minifigures:
      Train Conductor Train guide – with a microphone to sit at the front of the trian. 6 customer minifigures of varying gender, age. Minifigure animals for the zoo area. Chair Lift

      Another staple for every amusement park out there is the chair lift. This set, while not necessarily being a big time thrill ride, would be one that would appeal to many people just like the Grand Carousel did. First off, it would include a large beautiful mountain side for the lift to bring people up to.
      It would include the lift itself as well that would, of course, be motorized so that you could lift minifigures from the bottom of the mountain all the way to the top.
      On the top of the of the mountain, there would be a few small modular shops for the minifigures to go into. We all know that we love getting to the top of a mountain after a long lift ride and seeing a bunch of candy shops and souvenir shops to go to. This one would include an ice cream shop, a candy shop, and a souvenir shop. These would all be small but still in the modular theme like the larger sets that are very popular. It should appeal to people who aren't really into theme park rides themselves.
      Minifigures:
      Theme Park ride operator 6 customer minifigures of varying gender, age. Candy shop cashier. Ice Cream shop cashier Souvenir shop cashier. Yes this would be a very big set, but can you really sit here and say you don't think it would be a good investment?
      Roller Coaster

      You knew this was coming. Now, Lego would not be the first. Kinects has had some roller coasters int heir line for quite a while and they have been fairly popular. However, Kinects is not half the company Lego is.
      Lego would absolutely make the best model roller coaster ever seen. It could have a loop or two as well as several hills and a barrel roll. Of course. it would also have a chain lift so that it could lift the cars up to the top of the first hill and then of course it would be designed so that the Lego coaster cars would carry their momentum through the whole set.
      It would also come with a photo booth at the end of the last big hill that would light up when it sensed the car under it so that it seemed like the minifigures pictures were being taken.
      The loading section would be raised from the ground with an exit and entrance path that included ramps down to the ground. Best case scenario, the coaster would be built on a Lego ground that included Trees and Shrubs to really fill out the landscape and make it look like an actual Theme Park roller coaster.
      Minifigures:
      2 theme park ride operators. 8 customer minifigures of varying gender, age. So what makes the theme viable? Well, besides the fact that theme parks are really popular and what we had discussed before with the Lego ferris wheel and grand carousel, these sets have to be done with great detail. They need to capture every feeling of the theme park experience. This could be one of those themes as well that just keeps on going and going as there are 1000s of rides that could be don. Kids and collectors could keep making their theme park bigger and bigger.
      The one downside is that there aren't a lot of different minifigures, with a lot of them being customers. So Lego would need to do like the minifigure series and make each customer different in each set. They could also do some special poly-bags that included street performers or other types of theme park workers like maintenance workers. Either way, in my book, this theme would be a total homerun!
      What types of theme park sets would you like to see? Do you agree that this would be a popular theme?
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
       
    • DoNotInsertIntoMouth
      A while back I posted a thread in the forums asking what everyone would like to see next as a theme from Lego (The thread is here: http://www.brickpicker.com/forum/index.php/topic/4105-whats-the-next-theme-you-would-like-to-see/page-4?hl=next%20theme ). One of our the BP members, El Guapo posted an awesome idea here in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. I want to make sure before I do this article everyone understands that he came up with the idea and it was a great one (Hey, maybe if Lego does it, they will give him a commission). He came up with a few good set ideas, but I had some other good ones dealing with this theme possibility as this movie is one of my favorites of all time. I asked him if he minded me expanding on his idea and he was on board - make sure everyone visits his profile and 1-up's him for this great idea. I wanted to start out with this one in a series of blogs I will do showing new theme possibilities and what I would do with them. This will be something fun to break up the monotony of “buy this set, sell this set”, etc.
      First off, if you have seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you know that this movie is has tons of iconic scenes. So I had to choose a few that would really stand out to people that had seen the movie, but offered play-ability to those who haven't.
      She Turned Me Into a Newt!

      This would be the iconic scene when all of the townsmen bring a young woman that they dressed up as a witch to Sir Bedevere so that he can decide whether she needs to be burned or not. This would include the following minfigures:
      Sir Bedever: His faceplate will just not quite stay up. 5 Townspeople including the characters shown in the scene who yell things like “churches” and “Very small rocks”. The Witch: She would be an exclusive minifigure and would have a wart on her face, a carrot on her nose and a witch hat. This set would also come with the platform area for Bedevere and the Witch to stand on with the townspeople below. Along with this, there would be an old time weighing scale with a duck that happens to weigh just as much as the witch minfigure.
      It's Just a Flesh Wound: The Black Night Bust

      Lego hasn't done an insane amount of these busts, but the ones they have done have been really great. I am mostly referring to the Star Wars sets of Yoda and Darth Maul. The Black Night is an iconic character in the movie though he was only in the movie for about 10 minutes and managed to lose about 20 pints of blood. He is a perfect character to do a bust of, becuase his limbless torso is a very memorable part of the movie.
      Now, Lego is a toy company so we would have to make this bust less violent than the actual movie (although even that was pretty fake). Leave out the blood and gore from the arms and legs, I think this would look absolutely awesome. I know I would pay big money for a bust of the Black Night's torso. This would definitely be a display only set so I think a UCS placard like int eh SW theme could really be nice next to this.
      The Trojan...Rabbit?

      This would be a smaller set, bigger than SW battle packs, but not much over $20. It would be a minifigure-centric set. This would include all of the main characters as well as the Wooden and somewhat flimsy Rabbit that was somehow constructed in the forest with no tools at all while semi-French people watched on.
      Minifigures included:
      King Arthur Sir Bedevere the Wise Sir Lancelot the Brave Sir Robin the Not-Wuite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot Sir Galahad the Pure This would be a big time set for playability and to easily collect all the core minifigures. The Rabbit would have wheels so that it could roll and the characters would fit inside, though they forget to do that. This would fit right along with the castle sets coming up.
      Camelot! It's Only a Model

      This would be a very special set and out of Lego's normal set type. First off, you would have the Legos to build the front of Camelot's Castle, but that's it. It would literally be only a model. With this set you would get the following minfigures:
      Dennis: The minstrel that carries King Arthur's Coconuts. Of course he would have coconuts in his hands as well as the back pack. The prisoner: He would hand from the Camelot wall. Along with this set you would also get a roundtable. The best part of the set – built in batteries and music. Once turned on, the model would play “Knight's of the Round Table”.
      This would be a huge set for playability with the song playing and the prisoner, and would also be an awesome set for display-ability. “It's Only a Model” is one of my favorite quotable lines in the movie so I would love to have a set I could randomly point at and say “Camelot! (It's only a model)”.
      The Bridge of Death

      This could really be an awesome large scale set and, if done right, could really attract anyone who loves natural architecture whether they like the movie or not. It would include the bridge as well as both of the rock mountains around it supporting it. I am thinking somewhere near 1000 pieces. This would also include the walkway down the sides of the mountain to the bridge as well.
      The minifigures would be the best part of this set, coming with:
      King Arthur Sir Lancelot the Brave Sir Robin the Not-Wuite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot Sir Galahad the Pure The Old Man: The bridge keeper I would also suggest that Lego build in a catapult type system so that when the characters answered the old man incorrectly, they could be easily tossed into the river. If done correctly, this could be a major seller in the line.
      Also, though I don't know how possible this is, I would love if this set had a small little system in the river area under the bridge that would shoot up smoke. I am not a science major (more into electronics), but I think it would be awesome if you could make this smoke while playing with it to add to the creepiness.
      Look at the bones!

      El Guapo mentioned this one in his post in the original thread and, while I was trying to avoid overlap, I have way too many ideas for this set. First off, it would include a giant cave and rocky area in front of the cave that would include tons of minifigure bones lying around to display the carnage that this vicious rabbit has been a part of.
      Another section would be a rock line on the opposite side for all of the minifigures to hide from the rabbit. The set would include the following minifigures:
      The soldiers: This would be several matching soldiers that will fall victim to the cute, but vicious Rabbit and his nasty, sharp, pointy teeth. They would have heads that could quickly pop off – maybe some kind of system on the minifigure that popped them off very easily (If Lego will allow that). Brother Maynard: He would have a robe on, a giant book from which he could read from and also have a large box which included the Holy Hand Grenade. Tim the Enchanter: This would be Tim with his very vibrant outfit. Rabbit : This would be a cute little minifigure bunny, but would come with a second rabbit head that would include those nasty, sharp, pointy teeth we have been talking about. I think this set would have the most play-ability out of all of them. I am 26 and I would totally have no shame in playing with this set. This could be a special exclusive to Lego.com and it would be an investor's dream with the several exclusive minifigures and the rabbit itself.
      The knights who say...Icky-Icky-Ptang-Zoop-Boing (ni)

      This is one of my all time favorite comedy movie scenes. The first time I watched this movie, I was rolling during this scene. They don't make comedy like this anymore. This set would be a forest scene with a floor for all the minifigures to sit on. It would come with the following minifigures:
      The Three Knights King Arthur Sir Bedevere Roger the Shrubber Old Crone: This is the lady they say “Ni” to Yes I know, a lot of minifigures. But that's not all! This set would also have a tree in the set dubbed “The tallest tree in the forest”. It would also come with a Lego herring and two shrubberies that were at different heights to create a two-level effect with a little path running down the middle.
      Play-ability - off the charts! Who wont have hours of fun imitating the voices of the nights and making the minifigures say the word "it" to defeat the nights. You wouldn't have to say "Ni!" to anyone to get them to buy this set.
      Ni!
      Castle Aaarggh

      This is the biggest set in the bunch and a “Hard to Find”. It would include a giant castle as well as a large moat around it. This would also include a large boat for the minifigures to cross the treacherous moat. The minfigures included:
      Three of the FrenchMen King Arthur Sir Bedevere 10 soldiers to represent Arthur's army This set would also include several traps on the top of the castle, including a catapult for the animals to be thrown at the oncoming soldiers as well as different items that can be dropped down from the top of the castle over top the castle doors.
       I think these are really fun to do and I encourage everyone who regularly write blogs to come up with a theme and do some possible sets. I really enjoyed writing this article. Anything I missed here?
      Note: All of the information here are my own opinions and are pulled from my experiences. You may or may not have success with these methods.
       
    • comicblast
      There are somethings that you just can't get enough of, but at the same time, you have to know when to stop. When I first started LEGO investing, I had a problem with this. I had almost never seen LEGO's on clearance at Target or Walmart or the LEGO store, and rarely set "foot" in Amazon. Once my eyes were opened to the sheer number of discounts and deals, I simply couldn't get enough!! Eventually, I figure out that I was obviously buying more than was within reason and had to return some things, and make some very difficult decisions.
      Today, after being an investor for about 6 months, I've grown to know my local population of 2.5 million people, and what clearance percentages will last, and which ones won't; what prices locals pass, and what they grab.
      I'm more than sure that for everyone, these numbers are different, but this is what I have come to realize at my local Targets.
      1. Percentage - One of the fastest things that I discovered was that clearances 15% off aren't all that great, and to be honest, for a lot of sets, 30% doesn't cut it. We have a halting 9.25% sales tax, so for something to be worth it and a no brainer, most locals just skip the 30%, and wait for 60%, or even 70%!
      2. Knowing Your Local Population - You know the saying "Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer"? Well that is pure wisdom right here. When buying LEGO, your neighbors and former preschool teacher are your top competition. You can get to know your local population by being at your local LEGO retail stores pretty often, and go to fairly busy locations. Though people often stay less in an aisle if you are there, especially kids, there's still plenty of time to observe in an uncreepy, subtle way. Just pretend that you are engrossed in reading the package description of your can of baked beans, and you'll be fine! What I found was that parents that walk to the toy section of Target literally just walk by. They may walk up to a particular product and even say out loud "Ooh, little Timmy's been wanting this.", and promptly put it back on the shelf. Poor little Timmy. It takes some killer clearance to make these stubborn parents want to grab something from a store, usually upwards of 50%.
      3. Dollar Value - Sure, an item can be 50% off, but if it costs $75 at half price, most parents skip over. I've grown to love parents because of this reason. More often than not, they skip to those tiny $9 Creator sets, rather than going to a larger set like Mines of Moria or Goblin King Battle. So, what one of the strategies that I have adapted is waiting longer for large sets to go on steeper clearance. Though I have found clearance Battle Packs and $15-$30 sets scarce, there is almost always an abundance of sets upwards of $45, which is why I can wait for certain deals, no matter how desperate I might be.
      Now in general terms, 50% off is a "go get'em" situation, but how about 30%? 15%?
      5% - Patience, young Padawan. Unless this set rarely is discounted, like a modular, even 5% isn't that great.
      10% - Decent, but not great. Assuming that you aren't charged tax for this, 10% is better for a less discounted set.
      15% - This is typically a sign of a large clearance event, in my experiences. 15% could be better, and I would play the wait game with it.
      25% - Now we're getting serious! This is probably a pretty good deal, and at this point, you are seeing more definite signs of something bigger. If it's the last on the shelves, I would pounce, but if there are more than 3, then I would wait.
      30% - Typically, this is the starting point of Target mark downs, which typically happen on Thursdays. 30% is nearly an auto buy, unless you have a large set that has an MSRP of $70+, and there are more than 3 copies on the shelves.
      50% - Though it might seem like a jump from 30-50, there is rarely anything in between. 50% is just about as good as you should hope for on small sets, as they will get scooped up really fast. I'd also pounce on large sets at this point, and as many as possible, in general, if you have the capital to do so.
      70%-99% - GO! This is as good as you will get...ever. I've never heard of a store giving out free LEGO on a regular set, nor someone paying you to take them off their hands. MegaBloks or Kre-O, I understand. Not LEGO.
      Though extremely painful, the wait game might end up being your best investment friend. Learn who will pounce and when they do so. This helps to maximize your discount, but still get the set in the end.
       
    • Grolim
      Arbitrage is a term used to describe the practice of using price variances between different markets in order to make a profit. This may mean different geographic markets such as countries, regions, states, or even cities and towns. The term can also cover selling in different time periods if you are buying in today’s market and holding to sell in a future market.
      In the modern financial world using arbitrage is a common tool and it is what helps keep most international markets and prices stable. Currency exchanges and commodity prices all incorporate people using arbitrage methods to stabilise and set final prices. Even a small difference in prices or interest rates (interest rates are a form of price – the price of money) between two markets will be exploited by traders. As the commodity, stock, or currency is bought in the cheaper market and sold in the higher priced market, the cheaper market price begins to rise on that demand and the selling markets price falls to compensate for the extra supply, bringing prices into equilibrium. With something like currency this is almost instant, with computerised algorithms and automated buying and selling process taking advantage of miniscule differences and evening them out in microseconds, but it still makes profits.
      With Lego many different markets exist and are ripe for arbitrage opportunities. A simple example that many of us investors do already without even referring to it as arbitrage is buying a set in a department store at a great discount and selling it straight away for a profit on Ebay or another selling market – arbitrage in action.
      Now that Brickpicker has opened up the data that is collected for each lego set to include international Ebay sites in the UK, Germany, and Australia in addition to the original US information, we now have the ability to possibly identify arbitrage opportunities between these different markets. That is something I’d like to examine in this blog article. Can we analyse some of those differences and find opportunities to buy in one market and sell immediately in another? I think we can.
      Opportunities exist between all 4 of the markets we have data available, but I’m going to focus on providing examples from just two – The US to UK pairing. Data has only been available for the non US sales for two months and it can be a little patchy for some sets so looking at Aus data is a little less reliable whereas the Euro (german) data has decent sales volume it would seem but we don’t have as many Brickpicker members from Germany. The UK seems to have the best possibility for discussion. I’m also only going to provide a few examples of arbitraging opportunities, I’m not going to list a whole swag of them or research them in depth for you. If you want to act on this information then I’d encourage you to do your own research first and to seek out other opportunities.
      US to UK – Top 5 Price Variances

      The table above shows the top 5 sets I could find in terms of percentage difference between the US buying price and the selling price in the UK once you convert the pound to the US$ at the current exchange rate.
      I think you’ll be impressed and a little surprised by the potential profit margins those percentage differences represent! Now the obvious caution here is that some of the sets have low volumes in one or both markets, making their current market prices a little less reliable. That is why you must do your own homework when looking at these potential opportunities. But what it does show is that there are some possibilities that warrant a serious investigation.
      A UK based seller can use these opportunities to import buy from US Ebay and sell locally on UK Ebay. There is also the opportunity for US based sellers to potentially sell on UK Ebay for better returns (I think this is possible to set up, but not 100% sure on the workings of Ebay account rules etc).
      UK to US (the other way) – Top 5 Price Variances
      How about looking at arbitrage in the other direction? High US prices and low UK ones? A US based seller can use these opportunities to import buy from UK Ebay and sell locally on US Ebay. There is also the opportunity for UK based sellers to potentially sell on US Ebay for better returns than on their local market. Lets look at the top 5 sets:

      Now that’s some even more impressive possible gross profit percentages! Again the caveat is low volumes on most of those sets playing with the volatile market prices. But is that the case for all of them? How about every other set?
      Well what I can also share with you is that on the US to UK price variance (the first table) I found at least 60 sets that had a percentage variance of 50% or higher. Sixty! Now within that there is sure to be opportunities. Hint: 8099, 10231, 4183, just a few to whet your appetite. Going back the other way I found 60 sets with over a 100% price variation! Plus another 100 that were between 50% and 100%. There is sure to be some gems amongst them. Hint: 8190, 7997, 10178.
      Shipping and Fees
      The straight price differences you see between sets and the ones I’ve presented here represent the gross profit potentially available. What they don’t account for is something I’m sure many of you will have been thinking about in your head since reading the opening title of this blog. Selling fees and more importantly shipping costs!
      Firstly, selling fees are generally 10-12% of the sale price on Ebay from the Ebay fees and Paypal transaction fees. These fees need to be considered if you are buying in one market and intending to sell in another. However they don’t need to be a factor in the decision to sell in a different market if you already own the set. If you already own it and intend on selling it in your local Ebay marketplace then you will already be factoring in the fees to your pricing and decision to sell. Deciding to sell in the US or UK incurs no additional fee (that I can see – but I’m not an expert on Ebay fee structures).
      There may also be some small currency conversion fees charged by your bank or financial institution. I get charged 1.25% by my bank. You can account for that by adding it in to the currency conversion calculator rather than taking the exact listed rate. Shipping costs. Now this is the major hurdle to overcome. It is where your own research must come to the fore in determining a worthwhile inter-country arbitrage opportunity.
      Shipping costs will be the killer of many good looking deals. Finding the cheapest (whilst still reliable) method of shipping is a must. Polybags and smaller sets will obviously be the best potential sets here as the shipping costs should be minimised.
      Conclusions
      Arbitrage opportunities exist right now. They just need to be ferreted out and seized upon. I’m sure there are many traders doing this right now and perhaps even some of you Brickpicker members. The excellent new data we have available on this website has made finding opportunities easier and I‘d encourage those of you with the time available to hunt down the profitable trading ones after accounting for fees and shipping. Over time the data will get more reliable and I’ll be interested to see if some of the margins between markets begin to narrow as people look to shift sets from cheap regions to expensive ones.
       
    • Scissorino
      In my last post I briefly mentioned that buying Lego for someone else could be quite a good ‘investment’ as they may possibly reciprocate. Here’s unorthodox Lego ‘investment’ tip no. 2: complain to Lego.
      When my local Lego store opened (I say store, I mean shop, because I’m British) I went along pretty sharpish. I was desperate to bulk out my budding Lego collection and headed straight for the Pick A Brick wall. I was informed by a very friendly member of staff that they’d run out of large PAB cups and that instead they’d let me fill the one cup they had left and then put it in a carrier bag to take home and that they’d give me a pound of for the inconvenience. When I paid I asked them if I could have the usual money off sticker and they were delighted to oblige, sticking it on the bag and assuring me it would get me the money off a cup on my next visit.
      Months later and my brother (16) and sister (26) were headed for the city. I gave them the bag and asked them to fill a PAB cup on my behalf (after giving them many tips on how to get the most for the money). The story from now on becomes second-hand:
      They filled the cup, took it to the counter and presented the voucher. The shop assistant would not allow it. The duty manager told them they wouldn’t accept it. My sister was told they’d never run out of large PAB cups and that they’d never have given the sticker out. The Lego store staff talked and laughed behind the backs of my family. The positive Lego brand ethos was shattered as it was insinuated that my brother and sister were liars.
      Eventually, my sister summoned up all her anger (bearing in mind that she had just been through the toughest time in her life – see also the last post) and delivered a blistering repost (no further details) to which the Lego store staff conceded and gave them the money off.
      My other sister (who was also there) later emailed Lego from the website detailing the incident. Lego responded in less than 24 hours and offered her the choice of 200 VIP points (£10) or ‘some bricks’. In consultation with me she went for the VIP points which were credited to my account.
      I now have ten pounds worth of free money solely for the purposes of ‘investing’ in Lego. Cashback.
      Disclaimer: I am in no way advocating fraudulent complaints to the Lego group. Do not go out of your way to engineer a situation about which you could complain. Do not deliberately break your Lego so you can write a narky email. Do not write narky emails – write polite and eloquent ones. Do not screw our beloved Lego group over, even if one or two of their employees sometimes can be a bit daft. If you are a Lego employee, remember ‘the customer is always right’ and that Lego means ‘play well’. If you are a Lego customer who receives great service, don’t hesitate to feed this back to TLG either.
       


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