5 Lego Sets Worth Way More Than You Can Imagine

If you're shopping for your kids or are a master builder, you might know just how expensive certain LEGO sets can get. However, if you're looking for sets that are no longer in production or available at toy stores, you could end up paying a lot more. That's because there's a difference between the most expensive LEGO sets — the ones currently available on retail shelves — and the sets with the most value.

Like other surprisingly valuable toys such as Hot Wheels, the most valuable LEGO sets — the ones worth a lot even if they're not explicitly on sale — can sometimes be found on a secondary market, or they might not be for sale at all. Some owners of these sets may not even be aware they have them in their possession. You could even be lucky enough to find one at a yard sale or flea market worth hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars on sale for a few bucks. Most of these sets are worth so much because of their relative rarity. Many of them were either originally limited edition kits or were never even sold in the first place but rather given out as promotional sets at internal LEGO functions or at Comic-Con (many of the top 20 most valuable LEGO sets are "Star Wars" or superhero-related).

The secondary market for LEGO is surprisingly vast and complex. The website BrickEconomy has a wealth of information on the history and estimated value of over 18,680 sets in its database. Using in-depth analytics, the website even predicts investment growth for sets based on factors like rarity and previous sales. According to BrickEconomy, these are currently the five most valuable LEGO sets worth way more than you can imagine.

While "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World" LEGO sets are pretty popular, it's a little surprising that the current fifth most valuable LEGO kit is merchandise for the latter, as opposed to bigger properties like "Star Wars" or "Harry Potter." However, a few factors make the LEGO Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom" Exclusive T-Rex set (item #4000031-1) as valuable as it is, which is currently $10,083.33.

Unlike most other "Jurassic World" models, this T-Rex wasn't sold in stores. Instead, it was given away at toy stores and other retailers in 2018 as part of a promotional tie-in to the theatrical release of "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom." Only 500 sets were made, and 100 of those were distributed exclusively in Belgium. While you wouldn't want to take it out of the box and depreciate its value, the set does look very cool when assembled. The brown and yellow T-Rex model stands atop a silver-colored pedestal, with the overall kit including 70 pieces in total. You might be tempted to showcase the toy dinosaur in all its glory, though it would cost you over 10 grand to do so.

Of the top five most valuable LEGO sets you can own today, only one was ever on sale in stores (as opposed to a promotional limited edition product): the original LEGO Castle (item #​​375-2). It first debuted in 1978, and while several LEGO Castle models have been sold since, this particular set was the first of its kind. Also known as the "Yellow Castle," the website BrickEconomy says the model is "one of the most famous and beloved sets in LEGO history."

Furthermore, it was only sold in Europe, Australia, and Canada — making it even harder to come by and, to an extent, more valuable. The Lego Castle is currently valued at $10,642.75 and is expected to be worth $14,479.68 in another five years. Used versions of the set can sell from $319 to $492, depending on the condition; because the model is over 40 years old, mint condition units are hard to find and drive the overall value of the LEGO Castle. The LEGO Castle contains 767 pieces and 14 minifigs, including various colorful knights.

A LEGO Bionicle Tahu Mask given away at a special VIP event is the third most valuable LEGO set, and has a current worth of $16,393.54. Bionicle is a popular theme of LEGO sets that launched in 2001 and depicts a fictional universe of uniquely designed biomechanical beings. Its complex multimedia storyline about various tribes and powerful creatures has been depicted in comics, video games, movies, and more. Tahu, a mighty elemental warrior, is one of the main characters of the Bionicle universe.

A LEGO Tahu mask was distributed at New York Comic-Con 2014 and can be worth over $300 today, but it's a special subset of the model that's far more valuable. Only 100 of these very limited edition masks were produced, and they were given away at an invite-only VIP event at the Flatiron District LEGO store celebrating the relaunch of Bionicle. A unique card backing came with this specific Tahu mask, which had a red strip labeled "2014 NYCC VIP LEGO BIONICLE Event" and was numbered from one to 100. If you stumble upon a Tahu mask with this label, you could potentially make a lot of money.

Considering Spider-Man's enduring popularity in pop culture, it shouldn't be surprising that Spider-Man LEGO sets can be pretty valuable. However, there's one specific set that's worth more than the others and is, in fact, the second most valuable LEGO set of any kind — a Spider-Man minifig exclusively given away at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013. Its worth is currently $16,853.65, with an average yearly gain of about 20 percent.

Only 350 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes promotional sets were given away at SDCC 2013 as part of a raffle. However, it's not just the relatively small number of units that makes this particular Spider-Man so valuable. The design of Spidey's suit is inspired by the one Andrew Garfield wore in the 2012 film, "The Amazing Spider-Man." Because LEGO did not have the rights to that franchise, no official LEGO models of this iteration of Peter Parker were ever sold, making the SDCC 2013 Spider-Man a rarity. Attendees of that year's Comic-Con could have potentially made a lot of money if they collected the right promotional swag — a Spider-Woman minifig from that same event is currently valued at $9,264.68.

You might be surprised to learn that the most valuable LEGO set by a longshot is an unassuming gray building — the LEGO Operations Mexico (LOM) 2011 Molding (item #4000002-1). It's currently valued at an astounding $39,490.90 per set, which is well over twice the worth of the second most valuable LEGO kit. The main reason a model of a relatively plain-looking gray warehouse can be worth so much is because of how rare it is. It was never sold in stores; instead, it was given as a gift to the employees of the building, which was the second LEGO molding factory ever built in Mexico. The LEGO employees received the gift set in 2011, and it was the first LEGO set of its kind to be given to factory workers, though other LEGO kits of company factories have been made since, which can go for hundreds of dollars each.

The LOM 2011 Moulding set contains 174 pieces and depicts the factory mostly with gray bricks, with its main entrance in the center. Its value has increased dramatically since its 2011 debut and is expected to be worth over $61,000 in five years — making it a great investment. However, this only applies to sets that have never been opened and are still in mint condition. The average price of a used set in good condition is merely $97, so opening the box immediately reduces its value by 99.75 percent.