So I thought I would start a thread where we could share what we got in our PAB cups, similar to the one on Eurobricks. Pics would be great, but if you just want to say what you got that would be cool as well. If you are new to PAB and want to see how to maximize space, check out my blog article here: http://community.brickpicker.com/blog/4/entry-242-pick-a-brick-cups-can-you-pack-an-investing-punch/

 

I thought I would kick it off with the two large cups I bought today. There's actually a bit of a story behind this. So normally the cups are $19.99 each in Canada for a large, but when I bought mine I was looking at the bill and I felt like it wasn't enough (in addition to the cups I bought a Friends set so I could get the Ice Cream Stand - I chose that over the Mech). They had charged me for one large and one small (10.99) I went back into the store, and one of the nice employees (heck, they are all nice!), I think Sidney was his name, said no problem, it was their mistake so don't worry about it. That means I got two cups for 30.98 CDN, not bad by my standards. Without further ado, here are the (badly lit) photos:

 

I used the central tower method, filling in the outside with small pieces, mostly 1x1 blue rounds - never know when you are going to need 1800 of those!

This picture is for anyone who doesn't take the time to pack their cups. I separated the pieces and poured them into empty cups, and the pieces that I squeezed into two cups filled 3 and a half cups - I'll take those extra pieces any day. And I'm not lying when I said "squeezed", I cracked one of the cups because it was filled so tight xP

And here's the spread. I thought since this is Brickpicker I should look at what I got from an investing perspective so here's the quantity list with Bricklink values:

 

3X White Doors @ 0.36=1.08

29X 2x1 Lime Tiles @ 0.05=1.45

26X 6x16 Dark Bluish Gray Plates @ 1.09=28.34

2X 1x2 Smoky Brick @ 0.09=0.18

1X 1x1 Red Brick with Stud @ 0.16=0.16

44X Clear 1x2 Brick @ 0.09=3.96

13X Dark Bluish Gray Corner Brick @ 0.09=1.17

105X Reddish Brown 1x4 Tile @ 0.06=6.30

18X 4x4 Reddish Brown Plate @ 0.08=1.44

30X 1x1 Dark Bluish Gray 1x1 Plate with Holder @ 0.04=1.20

2X Reddish Brown 2x4 Plate @ 0.05=0.10

69X 1x4 Light Bluish Grey Brick (Castle Builder's Dream ) @ 0.12=8.28

18X 2x6 Dark Bluish Gray Brick @ 0.18=3.24

41X 2x4 Dark Bluish Gray Brick @ 0.06=2.46

 

And finally: (and yes I did actually count this)

1817X Trans-Blue 1x1 Round Plate @ 0.03=54.51

 

Total Pieces: 2218 (average 1109 per cup

Price Per Piece (assuming 30.98 is cost): 0.01396... Basically 1.39 cents per piece. Ha! And people thought 10 cents per piece was good!

Bricklink Value: $113.87 Wow! Not bad for only an hour of packing. Too bad I have no intentions of starting a Bricklink store

 

So... what did you guys buy?

Nice packing ctoddlight, it seems you got a lot in there! I see you got a hold of some of those purple tiles!

I see you got a hold of some of those purple tiles!

My son and daughter both love purple so there was no avoiding them!  I think they will be used a lot in our house, and they were certainly one of the more unusual elements on the wall.  If I had had the time I would have made another cup and they would have been featured even more.

As my Lego store seems to only have a limited selection, I usually end up in using the 1x1 round lights as my filler as they are often the only 1x1 pieces they have. I then sort them by colour and list them separately. I have always thought of these as a weak point in PAB pieces.

I was wondering, is there a magic number in the amount you get back on them. To me, smaller amounts seem to go for less per piece. For example.

 

PAB1

Red 105. Cost price

interesting observations CNH... do you have the links to the auctions? I use bricklink's price guide for piece values, as that is where most people buy specific Lego pieces.

I just list them on ebay for either

Interesting about the flowers. You could probably dump over 2000 into a cup.

The were some 1x1 Sand Green slopes. 125 went for

Went to the Woodfield mall store the other day and got 3 large cups. In them I got:

1000 2x2 smooth light gray tiles

50ish 1x2 brown log style bricks

425 red flower petal bunches

275 white flower petals

48 three leaves green

46 dark gray corners.

100 single stud smooth gray circles

Most happy with the smooth gray 2x2s

My local store had 2 x 1 gray textured bricks like in Helm's Deep.  Filled a tightly packed smaller container with that good stuff.

Masonary bricks? Nice score, I hope they become common on the walls soon, they are some of my favorite pieces. :)

Masonary bricks? Nice score, I hope they become common on the walls soon, they are some of my favorite pieces.

 

 

My local store had 2 x 1 gray textured bricks like in Helm's Deep.  Filled a tightly packed smaller container with that good stuff.

What brick is it? Is it the one that has vertical lines on one side and horizontal lines on the other? I love making cool patterns with those pieces.

Yep, the one that looks like a bunch of bricks. Cool stuff.

You've made me want to go PAB now!

So I have just started in selling individual bricks and not just sets. I dont live that close to a Lego store but when I do go what are the "no brainer" things to put in my cup. What pieces tend to get the most bang for your buck?

So I have just started in selling individual bricks and not just sets. I dont live that close to a Lego store but when I do go what are the "no brainer" things to put in my cup. What pieces tend to get the most bang for your buck?

I would generally say go smaller because you can pack way more into a cup. A small 1x1 plate is probably going to be worth a fifth or so the value of a 2x4 brick, but you can pack 24 into the same volume you can pack one 2x4. I did an article on PAB here: http://community.brickpicker.com/blog/4/entry-242-pick-a-brick-cups-can-you-pack-an-investing-punch/ and it has some theoretical investment returns on different pieces and such. Good luck!

Today I found the best assortment at the PAB ever! Green leafs, masonry bricks, palm tree leaves, olive green slopes (cheese wedges)

I filled three cups and plan on going back this weekend for more. This was the first time I found leaves or masonry bricks at the PAB.

From experience the regular leaves will sell fast, the palm leaves haven't moved at all (8 palm leaves/$3)

Yep, the one that looks like a bunch of bricks. Cool stuff.

Dang I was looking for these.

 

This week I tried my hand at my first PAB cup. I had every little time but I've been looking for the Log bricks as I want to make more custom western forts. The store I was at finally had the 1x4 bricks so I got 195 of those plus 40 light blue 1x2 bricks and 105 dark green 1x1 bricks. I didn't really have to to "pack" the cup but I did fill the bottom with 1x4 bricks vertically then I poured layers of the 3 different bricks so they would "mesh" so the smaller bricks would fill in the spaces.

I would generally say go smaller because you can pack way more into a cup. A small 1x1 plate is probably going to be worth a fifth or so the value of a 2x4 brick, but you can pack 24 into the same volume you can pack one 2x4. I did an article on PAB here: http://community.brickpicker.com/blog/4/entry-242-pick-a-brick-cups-can-you-pack-an-investing-punch/ and it has some theoretical investment returns on different pieces and such. Good luck!

 

From my (limited) experience, if you are reselling, 2x2 gray tiles go well, as do flowers and flower stalks.

The 1x1 round lights seem to be a bit hit and miss.

1x1 Olive Green slopes also did very well, but they only had them once.

 

I have just listed 7 PAB lots

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290977131708?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649#ht_843wt_1328

We'll how it goes this time

Went to the Leeds, UK store today and got this.

Took my time in packing it and am pretty pleased. I got:

296 grey masonry bricks 1 X 2

32 dark red bricks 1 X 2

32 black trans bricks 1 X 2

31 dark grey bricks 1 X 1

22 tan plates 2 X 8

23 blue 1 X 4 plates

5 palm leaves

13 white smooth plates (?) 1 X 8

2 grey trans windscreens 2 X 6

many many olive green cheese slopes

a few pink studs 1 X 1

without counting studs and cheese slopes that's 456 pieces. I paid

So, most of my pieces were small pieces that stacking doesn't give you that much extra room. Here's what did and didn't fit in the cup.

For those who, for example, wanted a load of he masonry bricks and not much else you could get way over 300, close to 400 without stacking at all. Not bad at all. Worth bearing in mind if you're in a rush.

However, I'm glad I was able to get all the cheese slopes etc too.

So, most of my pieces were small pieces that stacking doesn't give you that much extra room. Here's what did and didn't fit in the cup.

For those who, for example, wanted a load of he masonry bricks and not much else you could get way over 300, close to 400 without stacking at all. Not bad at all. Worth bearing in mind if you're in a rush.

However, I'm glad I was able to get all the cheese slopes etc too.

 

Sounds like Leeds has a greater range than Milton Keynes.

 

No fair, you got more Olive Green 1x1 slopes  . They go for lots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94721841@N04/9805404543/sizes/o/in/photostream/ - altogether what I got.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94721841@N04/9805404543/sizes/o/in/photostream/ - what didn't fit in the cup without stacking

Not sure about range, at the moment it's just a lot of standard 4x2 and 2x2 bricks and a fair selection of studs.

What sort if prices do ye olive green cheese slopes go fur?