Is LEGO a Good Investment? A Collector’s Take (Built, Boxed & Everything In Between)

This is a question that comes up all the time, usually from two very different types of people.

As an adult LEGO builder myself, I hear it more and more.

One group is genuinely curious. They love LEGO, remember it from childhood, and are now coming back to it as adults. They’re wondering if buying a bigger set today might hold its value later.

The other group is looking at LEGO purely as an asset class, spreadsheets open, resale charts loaded, hoping to beat the stock market with plastic bricks.

Both are asking the same question.

But they’re really asking it for very different reasons.

I sit somewhere in the middle.

I collect LEGO because I enjoy it, but I’m also realistic enough to know what I’ve spent, what I’ve missed, and what some of these sets go for once they disappear from shelves. So is LEGO actually a good investment?

The answer depends on what you mean by investment.

LEGO bricks and a minifigure beside stacked coins illustrating the idea of LEGO as an investment

The Financial Argument for Investing in LEGO (On Paper)

There’s no denying that certain LEGO sets have performed extremely well on the secondary market, especially large, licensed sets and high-end collector releases.

Think flagship Star Wars sets, large display models, or iconic UCS releases tied to major films or anniversaries. Once these retire, prices often climb sharply, sometimes doubling or tripling over a few years, if the set remains unopened and complete.

But here’s the part that often gets left out.

LEGO knows this.

LEGO knows collectors exist. LEGO knows which sets perform well aftermarket. And LEGO also knows that the moment they re-release, remake, or “reimagine” a popular set, the market reacts instantly. Values wobble, confidence dips, and suddenly that “sure thing” doesn’t feel quite so sure.

I’ve touched on this mindset in other LEGO posts, especially when talking about sets I’ve missed out on and how differently those decisions look with hindsight, something I’ve touched upon in my Is the Death Star Worth the Money post.

The Reality Most LEGO Investors Ignore

Forecasting is the killer.

Collectors love to say they’d absolutely buy a certain set if LEGO brought it back. Right up until LEGO actually does. Then suddenly it’s “not quite the same,” or “I already have the older version,” or “I’ll wait for a sale.”

That uncertainty is exactly why LEGO doesn’t keep older sets in production indefinitely. Predicting demand years down the line is far harder than it looks, even for a company of that size.

From an investment point of view, that unpredictability cuts both ways. Yes, you might pick the right set at the right time. Or you might end up sitting on something that never really takes off, especially once storage, condition, and resale fees are factored in.

Built Sets vs Boxed Sets

This is where my own approach becomes very clear.

A sealed box might be worth more to a future buyer, but it’s worth nothing to me sitting untouched on a shelf. Once you open a set and build it, any notion of “pure investment” is gone, but something else replaces it.

Ownership.

A built set still has value. Sometimes surprisingly so. Complete, well-kept sets with boxes and instructions often sell for far more than people expect, especially for large UCS models. They won’t hit sealed-box prices, but they’re not worthless either.

And more importantly, they’ve already paid you back in enjoyment.

The Value You Can’t Put a Price On

This is the part that rarely shows up in investment discussions.

Building a large LEGO set as an adult hits differently. It’s slower, more deliberate, and far more meditative than most people expect. There’s problem-solving, patience, frustration, and that quiet satisfaction when a complex section finally clicks into place.

For me, sets like the LEGO Star Wars UCS Venator aren’t just objects, they’re experiences. They take time, space, and commitment. They’re not impulse buys, and they don’t reward rushing.

I also go into this in more detail in LEGO Star Wars UCS Sets: The Ones I Own, The Ones I Want, and Why They Matter.

Those experiences have value, even if the resale price never skyrockets.

Why I’ve Never Bought Two of the Same Set

I’ve often thought about buying two sets at a time, building one and keeping the other aside to sell a few years later once it’s retired. On paper, that sounds like a sensible strategy.

In reality, it’s never happened for two reasons.

First, I’ve rarely had the spare cash to justify buying two major sets at the same time.

Second, and more honestly, the LEGO builder in me would never leave that second box sealed for long. Eventually, curiosity would win and I’d build it purely for the fun of it.

And I think that says a lot. For me at least, the enjoyment of the build has always outweighed the idea of treating LEGO purely as an investment.

If You’re Buying LEGO As an Investment, Mind the Basics

If you do decide to buy LEGO with resale in mind, there are a few practical realities to think about.

Space matters. Sets need to be stored somewhere dry, clean, and at normal household temperature. Cold sheds, damp attics, and garages are a fast way to end up with musty boxes and warped cardboard.

Condition matters too. Don’t stack heavy items on top of boxes or wedge them into tight corners where the edges can dent or crease. Even small marks can knock the appeal off a “mint” set.

Some serious resellers go as far as using large protective bags to keep boxes as close to factory-fresh as possible. You don’t have to go that far, but at the very least, don’t just throw a set in a corner and forget about it. Storage is part of the decision.

So… Is LEGO a Good Investment?

If you’re buying purely to flip later, there are easier, less stressful ways to invest money.

If you’re buying because you love LEGO, enjoy the build, appreciate the design, and also like the idea that it might hold or increase its value over time, then yes, LEGO can be a very good investment.

Just not in the way most people expect.

The safest mindset is simple:

Buy sets you actually want to own
Accept that LEGO may re-release or remake favourites
Treat any future value as a bonus, not the goal

And remember, part of what drives future value is availability. Once a set retires, it’s gone and that’s no accident. I wrote more about that here: Why Doesn’t LEGO Keep Older Sets in Production? A Collector’s Take.

A Better Way to Look at It

If you’re on the fence, my advice is this.

Pick one set. Not five. Not a “portfolio.” Just one set that genuinely excites you.

Now here’s the important part: treat it as both a build and a case study.

Build it. Live with it. Watch what happens to its availability. Pay attention to retirement rumours. Notice how the secondary market reacts when stock dries up.

You’ll learn more from owning one well-chosen set than from reading ten “top 10 investment” lists.

If it sparks that childhood creativity again, slows you down, and gives you something tangible to enjoy, then it has already delivered a return — just not a purely financial one.

And if, down the line, it appreciates in value?

That’s when LEGO becomes what I think it really is: a hybrid investment. One that pays emotional dividends first, and financial ones second.

Anything extra beyond that is just icing on the cake.

Thanks for reading,
David

Where to Buy UCS Sets & More

For anyone looking to pick up LEGO UCS Star Wars sets, it’s worth keeping an eye on both Amazon Ireland and Amazon UK, prices and availability can shift quietly between the two.

Affiliate links above – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.

About the Author

I’m David Condon, a small business owner and blog writer based in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Running my own woodcraft business means I’ve seen first-hand how much confusion there can be around shipping times, delivery dates, and what “business days” actually mean. That’s why I wrote this post — to share a bit of what I’ve learned and hopefully save you some frustration.

Every so often I step outside the workshop to write about wider business topics like this one. If you’d like to know more, you can follow the link in the Note from the Author section below or visit my About Me page to learn more.

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