Five facts about LEGO on the 90th anniversary of the Danish toy manufacturer
Sales data show LEGO’s popularity - Price of LEGO sets on the leading online marketplace Catawiki has risen by 25 percent in two years
Catawiki is launching a special 90th anniversary auction for LEGO collectors
Up to 20,000 euros for a LEGO brick encased in 14-carat gold - LEGO is not only worthwhile as an investment for collectors. Once founded as a manufacturer of wooden toys, LEGO has become a billion-dollar toy company. Toby Wickwire, expert for video games and toys at the leading online marketplace for special objects, Catawiki, reveals these and other facts about the cult brand on the occasion of LEGO's 90th birthday. Catawiki is celebrating the anniversary with a special auction of unique items starting today until 14 August, together with LEGO enthusiasts from all over the world.
Fact One: From wooden toys to spaceships
In 1932, LEGO was founded, initially as a manufacturer of wooden toys. Sixteen years later, production of the first LEGO sets began, made of what are now known as sticky bricks. In the meantime, expert Toby Wickwire estimates the number of LEGO sets at 16,000 - 17,000. Wickwire mentions that the company could hardly have dreamed back then that it would eventually become the toy manufacturer with the highest turnover in the world (5.9 billion euros in 2020). The manufacturer's numerous licences are partly responsible for this development. For example, fans of all ages can assemble kits from the Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and Star Wars universes. According to the expert, the Star Wars licence in particular has contributed significantly to LEGO's growth.
Fact Two: Some products are worth thousands of euros
The close connection between LEGO and Star Wars began in the late nineties when the first LEGO Star Wars sets came onto the market. This product line also hides real treasures: One of the most valuable LEGO figures is a miniature of the robot C-3PO from George Lucas' science fiction universe, which has been encased in 14-carat gold. The figure was only produced five times and was won in a competition organised by LEGO. Equally legendary among collectors is the Ultimate Collectors Edition Millennium Falcon, a model of a spaceship from the Star Wars films. According to Wickwire, packaged copies of the first edition were already being traded for 10 - 15,000 euros. On Catawiki, such an originally packaged Millennium Falcon of the first edition is being auctioned in the course of the LEGO campaign. Another remarkable item is a LEGO brick made of 14-carat gold, which was given to certain employees by the company. Several of these have already been auctioned on Catawiki.
Fact Three: Not just toys for children
Although the underlying purpose of LEGO kits is to build, collect and, most importantly, play, some kits don’t only cater to children. Wickwire tells of a LEGO model that is a replica of a chocolate drink manufacturer's factory. Such models are given out at events or competitions and are not available in the open market.
Fact Four: Don’t open the LEGO-box
LEGO sets are most valuable when collectors can call the original packaging and instructions their own. That's why collectors don't assemble their collections even once to avoid damaging the pieces. The expert reports of a collector friend who owns entire houses full of originally packaged LEGO sets.
Hendrik Bergmann of JB Spielwaren, the largest LEGO retailer in Germany, confirms the great and even increasing value of collecting: "Especially LEGO Star Wars and the minifigures of these sets have risen strongly in value in recent years. In the last 23 years, LEGO produced more than 1,200 different figures for the Star Wars universe, many of which were and are sold exclusively in just one set," Bergmann explains. He also sees great nostalgic value for adult collectors.
Fact Five: Creativity pays off
Also popular and valuable (especially among the MOC community, where MOC stands for "my own creation") are individual LEGO bricks, which are traded almost like investments. Online platforms independent of LEGO allow their users to buy and sell these bricks. Some of them fetch prices of 30 dollars and more. Wickwire talks about the MOC community that designs and builds their own LEGO ideas. If a particularly popular MOC is designed, the necessary LEGO bricks may see a large increase in value. The increase in both sentimental and monetary value can in turn turn them into objects of speculation.
A special auction to celebrate Lego’s 90th anniversary: Original packed sets on Catawiki
The online marketplace Catawiki has also proven to be a lucrative place for trading LEGO sets and bricks. Collectors can buy older LEGO sets in perfect condition here. And this demand seems to be increasing. Between 2019 and 2021, prices for LEGO objects increased by an average of 25 percent, from an average of 74 euros to 92 euros. The number of LEGO objects sold more than doubled in the same period.
On behalf of Catawiki, Hendrik Bergmann is now curating a large auction on the platform to celebrate the LEGO anniversary. Collectors and fans can bid on sets such as the Imperial Star Destroyer in the Ultimate Collectors Edition. A highlight of the auction is likely to be the previously mentioned 2007 LEGO 10179 Ultimate Collector Series Millennium Falcon First Edition in its original packaging. But other objects such as Night Lord's Castle or the Clone Turbo Tank will also make the hearts of fans and collectors beat faster.
