Legos have been a popular toy since their debut, gaining international popularity in the second half of the 1900s.
Like many toys that have been popular for so long: a large number of people have found ways to build an income out of these plastic bricks.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to figure out where to sell legos.
If you’re learning how to sell legos and want to make sure you get a foot in the market: these are the top things to keep in mind.
Is there a market for used Legos?
There is a market for used Legos! Whether you’re trying to sell kits or large collections of specific bricks, you can find a buyer.
You can follow these tips on how to sell at flea markets or how to earn money at yard sales to expand your customer base.
Unfortunately, kits are expensive to start buying unless you luck out and can find a lot of great ones for cheap, so many consider starting by selling single bricks.
Most sellers are divided on whether this is a worthy option when selling or if it’s a waste that will leave you spending far more time than you need to for far too little money.
These are the top things to consider.
Trend on the Rise
Legos have been gaining value rapidly in recent years, and many are worried about a market crash soon. Second-hand Legos can be incredibly valuable: if you have the right kits or bricks, you can still sell Legos and make a huge profit.
Although you can still sell individual bricks if you want to, it generally isn’t the most worthwhile investment of time or money. The average lego brick only costs around ten cents.
For a bigger payout, check out some of this stuff to resell online.
Although there are some that people will more excitedly pay more for, like the pink frog legos: they’re still only worth around twenty-five cents. Not enough to make it big off of.
If you intend to sell single Lego bricks, you’ll need to create a minimum brick number for every order you’ll accept.
What Lego sets increase in value?
Although you may assume the most popular characters will be the most expensive sets: it’s vital to remember scarcity and demand are at the heart of why any collectible is worth money.
These are the main reasons why reselling Supreme brand clothing and other collectible items are so valuable.
Sets will always be more valuable if they’re part of a limited run or they’re more than thirty years old.
Most Valuable Lego Sets
- Piper Airplane (2012) – Sitting just at the cusp of $4,000, this 2012 edition of Piper Airplane was exclusive to the Lego Inside tour.
- TMNT Antonio’s Pizza-Rama (2012) – This $4,200 slice of pizza was a Comic-Con exclusive in 2012 and continues to grow in popularity and rarity!
- Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon – The second-largest Lego set, you can score a cool $4,500 if you can get your hands on this lego set that’s made of over 5,000 pieces.
- Clumsy Hans (2015) – Worth over $7,000, this Lego set was only given to 80 lego ambassadors. This item is guaranteed to continue to grow in value.
Besides the Millennium Falcon, each of these is from a limited run that didn’t allow for massive purchasing and collecting.
What made the Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon set so valuable was the steep upfront cost when it was first sold stopped so many people from buying it, especially since the Lego market wasn’t as active then as it is now.
There are tons of collectible and rare sets, so if you run across anything you don’t recognize, don’t be shy: look it up.
You’ll be surprised how many sets of unknown or unpopular characters are worth major money now.
Tactic for Success
To play the market successfully, it’s important to remember that scarcity and age affect the value the most. Try to go for more unique lego kits, not just kits of popular characters.
Best Online Places to Sell Legos
Selling Legos online is the top way to do it, with most sellers having an online presence with no in-person sales.
There are tons of popular online marketplaces, but these are the most visited and best for making sales.
eBay is timeless, but unfortunately, it’s also well-known as a place that makes Lego sellers race to the bottom.
Competitive sellers underprice their bricks: which means you might see your kits drop in value quickly.
Etsy’s been in hot water recently for the fees it charges shops on its platform, but this is one of the best places to find a massive audience looking for a vintage or unknown Lego sets.
This should be a go-to for all shops.
Brick Link is an awesome site that’s completely geared towards the buying and selling of Legos.
This website helps you walk through a sale or purchase, connects you with customers, and helps set up shipping labels. Although it charges fees, they aren’t too much to deal with.
Trend on the Rise
Since 2020 the collectibles markets have been booming back to life. Now’s the best time to keep an eye out for cheap and uncommon Lego kits and buy them quickly to be able to turn around and make a profit.
Best Places to Sell Legos In Person
If you’re selling Legos in person, there are a few options available. These include selling completed builds at comic and card shops, especially if they are fandom content.
You can also sell at flea markets, on Craigslist and meet in person, and on Facebook Marketplace and meet in person.
Research every kit thoroughly before you sell it to make sure you’re getting every cent possible for it.
People scour these locations for cheap sets they can flip and sell, and although this is a great way for them to make some money: it can hurt you if you’re trying to do the same thing and don’t realize what you’re in possession of.
Tactic for Success
When selling in person, don’t go to a pawn shop or consignment store unless you simply need to sell quickly. These stores will underpay you as much as possible, and you’ll lose any chance of a profit.
Other Ways to Make Money From Legos
There are more ways to make money from Legos than just selling popular kits!
If you spend a couple of minutes scrolling through Etsy, Amazon, or eBay under the ‘Lego’ search – you’ll quickly realize some people have found ways to build businesses around these bricks without going the obvious route.
These are some of the most popular options out there.
Creative Ways to Make Money From Legos
- Create Original Builds – Invent unique designs, and sell the pattern and instructions, or sell full kits, including legos! Include fan-made phrasing since a poor wording choice could leave you open to a lawsuit.
- Pre-Build and Ship – Some people want the awesome kits but don’t want to spend the hours it can take to build them. Build and ship lego kits to make some extra money.
- Sell Lego Jewelry and Accessories – Legos are a part of 1900s nostalgia, so many artists have been incorporating them into everything from jewelry to DND dice! This is a fun way to use creativity.
- Work With Lego Directly – Lego hires people to create lego kits! If you’re skilled enough and can show original designs, consider applying to work directly with them!
Legos call out to creative people, so it’s no surprise that so many fans of them are able to do fantastic businesses around them.
If you think of creative ways to sell and repurpose Legos for money, it’s important that you’re careful about how you word things in your listings.
Avoid naming Lego by name, don’t claim you’re in any way affiliated with them; make it clear that what you’re selling is fan content.
Lego can have your listings taken down or could even sue if they decide your listing competes with their business or aims to mislead their customers.
Is it worth buying Legos to sell them?
If you don’t currently own any kits, or you want to do this as a long-term source of income, it’s important to consider a few things.
How much are you paying for the legos? Are these in just a large lot, or is it an established kit that comes with instructions and other items?
When buying Legos with the main goal being to sell them, it’s vital that you remember the rule that’s true for any business.
You have to invest as little as possible in order to get as large of a profit as possible.
Some kits that can be bought now will be worth thousands down the road: which means another part of this is the waiting game.
The perfect mix of luck and patience can combine into you making a real income off of Legos, but it’s nothing you should quit your job over unless you’ve established a sustainable income first.
Wrapping Up
Although it’s not always profitable to sell single bricks: the right seller can make a lot of money by selling the kits they have!
Legos continue to grow in value and popularity and are a worthy investment.
Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.
