Which is cheaper for buying older Minifigures in the long run? - Separate or Altogether

[TheOrcKing]

Here's a question for Minifigure collectors.

Let's say I do not have a single character from Series 1, and I would like to at least have one complete set of 16.

Which way would be cheaper and/or easier to buy earlier Series of Minifigures in the long run?

One at a time (from different sellers if need be at varying prices)

All at once (a complete lot of 16)

Buy a sealed box, sell the extras (get a complete set or two, sell what you don't want)

I hope that I am phrasing the question correctly to where it makes sense.

[TheDarkness]

Is there a box breakdown or is it random? If you are guaranteed 3 sets from it I would just buy a box (I am looking at it now actually) then sell off the extra two sets plus spares

[whiteboy02]

Ive got about 21 from different series and I'm still trying to get more!

[jepjepjepjep]

Would like to know where I can purchase a sealed box online? A lot of sellers on ebay, but I get the feeling those have been already decoded and just re-sealed?

[TheOrcKing]

Is there a box breakdown or is it random?

If you are guaranteed 3 sets from it I would just buy a box (I am looking at it now actually) then sell off the extra two sets plus spares

I have found that every box starting with Series 1 is not random; they never were. There is a general character ratio that Lego uses. Vast majority of people (like 97% if even that low) has said that their factory sealed box had the same ratio has everybody else. If there is a discrepancy, it's the fault of whoever packed it meaning they didn't do it right. It makes perfect sense on every facet of marketing to always have a specific ratio. I believe with the earlier Series that you would get three complete sets in a box of 60, whereas starting with Series 9 you just get two. (In a box of 30, just one.)

Ive got about 21 from different series and I'm still trying to get more!

There's something we both have in common, friend!

I need to complete Series 4-6, and need everyone from the prior ones.

Would like to know where I can purchase a sealed box online?

I've tried asking that before and never got an answer. Maybe if I start a thread for just that question, we both can get some closure on that.

A lot of sellers on ebay, but I get the feeling those have been already decoded and just re-sealed?

I wonder that one myself. It wouldn't be the first time someone had a box of say Series 3 listed as sealed (as in 'factory sealed'), but they already went through it and kept what they want leaving the 'less desirables'.

Well from the responses and votes, it looks like buying a box is both cheaper & easier. I kinda thought so, but wanted a second opinion.

Thank all of you for the help!

[R]

I think I would like to buy the boxes and sell off the leftover figures, but I can't for the heck of me figure out which figure is in the bags. I bought a few complete sets and the seller had noted which figure was in each bag. Even after opening them up and seeing that the figures were indeed the ones the seller had said they would be, I still couldn't figure out how the seller figured it out. I tried the bump code method. Most of the bags didn't seem to have any bump codes!! And when they did, they never matched the bump codes I found online... Didn't really have the patience to try the feel method. The two sets I looked at were 5 and 6. I fear if I were to buy whole boxes of them, that I would end up opening up way more than I need before getting a complete set. And then there's the issue of trying to sell off the leftovers. How can I sell them if I'm not sure what figures the bags contain? I know a lot of sellers open the bags up and tell people that the figures are new and that the bags were opened only to see which figure it is, but would that sell? It certainly wouldn't sell for as good a price as if they were still factory sealed... Debating, debating...

[TheOrcKing]

The 'smoosh' or feel method is the way to go when figuring out the character but, yes, it can take a while. Heck, I spent almost three hours going through boxes of Series 9 at my Five Below store to get one complete set (and some extras). Of course that was me trying to get a complete set all done in one go. If I spaced the visits out, I can spend around 15-30 minutes on a single box of 30, maybe less. It all boils down to feeling for specific parts that are unique to that particular character. It takes practice but you get used to feeling parts blind eventually.

Bump code, ugh. I tried this once....once! And I got the wrong character everytime. They had the same pattern but came up as somebody else! Besides not working consistently for me, the smoosh method is so much quicker.

I prefer sealed but some people are more comfortable with sellers that open the package to confirm the character. Can't blame them, they're paying for the character and want to make sure that it is who it is listed as. If you're not 100% sure of the character in the mystery bag, then don't feel bad if you need to open the package (if even slightly) to confirm who is in there. Someone here said they cut open the back a little, look inside, see who's there, then close it up and cover the opening with some tape. Easy peezy.

[1derman]

where do you get these boxes? I love the blind bags, I get them at the lego store. Are you guys buying them ****** bulk? where do you find these?

[@rtisan]

My personal collection of CMF is between 60 and 70 figs (including extras). Starting with Series 10, I plan to buy a few cases and sell the rest, as it is the best series to date IMO. I actually like 15/16 of the figs (not the Medusa unfortunately), and that is more then I can say for all of the previous 9. It`ll be the first one I buy at least one complete set of, and to stay on topic, the cases are by far the cheapest way to go about this. Unless you come across a massive clearance deal of course.

[TheOrcKing]

where do you get these boxes? I love the blind bags, I get them at the lego store. Are you guys buying them n bulk? where do you find these?

So far the only way I've heard and done myself to get the factory sealed boxes is to pay full price at a retailer. I don't know any other way to say it other than to just ask someone that works there like maybe customer service if they have any unopened boxes of Series such & such in the back. Unfortunately, they won't give you a discount though and you get stuck paying full retail on all the characters in the box. (So a box of 30 minifigures ends up costing $90 and the larger 60 costs $180.)

[cohens714]

I just bought the sets from people that had already gone through the trouble of finding all the minifigs and marking them. I only buy sealed sets because I feel like they are ultimately more valuable but I could end up being wrong. For me it's just not worth my time to buy boxes and deal with all that and then selling the ones I don't want. I have all sets through series 9. Now all I have to do is keep us as new sets come out.

[Alcarin]

I just bought the sets from people that had already gone through the trouble of finding all the minifigs and marking them. I only buy sealed sets because I feel like they are ultimately more valuable but I could end up being wrong. For me it's just not worth my time to buy boxes and deal with all that and then selling the ones I don't want. I have all sets through series 9. Now all I have to do is keep us as new sets come out.

exactly... youll pay an extra 10-15% per figure BUT you have no hassle, and no extra selling or extra shipping costs.