With 2015 rapidly approaching, I feel that it is appropriate to discuss the best of 2014.  There are no specific parameters/categories but I am listing a few below based on my experiences and opinions and think it will be fascinating to see other members' responses or new categories. 

 

(Mods - I put this under members only but you can move it if appropriate)

 

All prices in US funds.

 

Best Retail Flip

Research Institute

 

Best Long Term Potential

Super Star Destroyer - and best short term potential!

 

Best Mostly Available Deal

Tie between the Big Zoo and Vampyre Hearse

 

Best Big Box Deal

Target BOGO on ToO

TRU.ca BOGO on Exclusives (SSD/Ewoks, etc)

Honorable mention - Target $16 Umbaran MHC -  a solid 120% QFLL return all year depending on your market.

 

Best Christmas Season Deal

Walmart's Olivia's House and Creative Tower deals - a far cry from last year's excellent free set promotions.

Santa's Workshop and Minecraft Sets if you are a QFLL, especially with stacked promos.

 

Best eBay find

Used SSD for $325 after the set retired.  Very happy to have this guy built without opening a new one.

Honorable mention to the WV Toy Shop, Post Office and Bakery for $160 shipped, complete with boxes and instructions

 

Best CL find

GE/CC/GG/MS for $900.  Sold three except for the GG as I needed that one for my collection.

 

Most Satisfying Build

8110 Unimog

 

 

That is a good place to start and I look forward to reading your best of 2014.

"Target BOGO on ToO"  Damn it....I missed that.  That is my favorite set and the one I have the most $$ in.  

Hard to argue with any of that. My best eBay finds were MISB Tower of Pisa for 9 euros and a full set of 8880 Supercar suspension links for 2 GBP

Best big box deal - $150 Tower Bridge at WM. Got ten of em 

Best big box deal - $150 Tower Bridge at WM. Got ten of em 

Damn it...that my second biggest investment...missed that one too...

2014 Best Community

Answer Brickpicker

This was they year I really got deep into Lego investments with becoming a daily Brickpicker user.

The best part of it? Deals? No

I have made some really great friends on here. That is what has been most enjoyable about it.

Thanks BP.

I'm looking to spend about $250 to $300 in VIP points in the next couple of weeks. This item(s) will likely remain in my personal collection and investment worth isn't my overriding goal. That's not to say I don't care at all about future value, it's just these sets will likely go on display. I currently have some of these already in investment brick folio.

From a pure AFOL viewpoint, what set, or combination of sets, from the following list would you pick up to total $300 to $400?

Sand crawler $300

Sea Cow $250

Ewok Village $250

Fairground Mixer $150

Slave I $200 ?

Detective Office $159

T1 Camper 120

Mini Cooper $100

Simpsons House $200

Batman Tumbler $200

I'ld go mixer and DO. assuming you have the other modulars and will want the ferris wheel. if not the sandcrawler is really nice on display

"Target BOGO on ToO"  Damn it....I missed that.  That is my favorite set and the one I have the most $$ in.  

 

 

Damn it...that my second biggest investment...missed that one too...

 

You're so funny. 

I'm looking to spend about $250 to $300 in VIP points in the next couple of weeks. This item(s) will likely remain in my personal collection and investment worth isn't my overriding goal. That's not to say I don't care at all about future value, it's just these sets will likely go on display. I currently have some of these already in investment brick folio.

From a pure AFOL viewpoint, what set, or combination of sets, from the following list would you pick up to total $300 to $400?

Sand crawler $300

Sea Cow $250

Ewok Village $250

Fairground Mixer $150

Slave I $200 ?

Detective Office $159

T1 Camper 120

Mini Cooper $100

Simpsons House $200

Batman Tumbler $200

 

Boy, tough choices there.

 

If it were me, I'd probably Sea Cow and Fairground Mixer.  Those are my two favorites on that list.

 

After that, I'd probably consider DO, T1, and Tumbler.  All 5 of those are the ones that I want to build.

The investor in me says camper and ewok as they are the two that will probably retire soonest. Plenty of time to get the rest.

 

However as these sets can be found elsewhere for less, I would go for whatever is hardest to find e.***. slave, mixer or detective agency.