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The largest LEGO sets of all time…

by Thita (admin) on September 19, 2016

(Written by BLProductions)

Over the last ten years or so, LEGO has been producing sets that contain hundreds or even thousands of pieces more – and cost a lot more – than what we can find in their normal product ranges. The company refers to these sets as LEGO Exclusives. This year LEGO released an unusually large number of LEGO Exclusive-size sets, so I thought to take some time and research the largest LEGO sets of all time, compare them, and share the results with you. 🙂

So what exactly qualifies as a LEGO Exclusive set? There are actually a number of potential factors, such as large piece-count, high price, limited production, special licensing, etc. For this article, I chose to focus on the piece-count and the price. Using the extensive database of Brickset.com, I was able to narrow down my search to sets that contain more than 3,000 pieces, or have an original retail price of $300 or more. It turns out that as of now, LEGO produced 15 sets with more than 3,000 pieces. The top ten of these are listed below:

#10189 LEGO Taj Mahal – 5,922 pieces
#10179 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon – 5,195 pieces
#75827 LEGO Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters – 4,634 pieces
#10214 LEGO Creator Tower Bridge – 4,287 pieces
#10253 LEGO Creator Big Ben – 4,163 pieces
#71040 LEGO Disney Castle – 4,080 pieces
#75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star – 4,016 pieces
#42055 LEGO Technic Bucket Wheel Excavator – 3,927 pieces
#10188 LEGO Star Wars Death Star – 3,803 pieces
#10143 LEGO Star Wars Death Star II – 3,441 pieces

While this list is very straightforward, it does not take into consideration how the sets compare in prices. Looking at the Brickset database again, we find that LEGO released twelve sets with an original retail price of $300 or more. So to get a combined list, I added the positions of each set from both lists together. To complicate things however, some of the $300+ sets did not contain more than 3,000 pieces, and some of the sets I listed above did not retail for over $300 (both of which are due to LEGO’s inconsistent pricing). This of course greatly alters the results. Taking everything into consideration I ended up with the following list of what can be called the eleven largest LEGO sets of all time. The list shows the set’s name and number, the piece count, the original retail price, and the year it was released.

#10179 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon: $500 – 5,195 pieces – 2007
#75827 LEGO Ghostbusters Firehouse HQ: $350 – 4,634 pieces – 2016
#75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star: $500 – 4,016 pieces – 2016
#10189 LEGO Taj Mahal: $300 – 5,922 pieces – 2008
#71040 LEGO Disney Castle: $350 – 4,080 pieces – 2016
#10188 LEGO Star Wars Death Star: $400 – 3,803 pieces – 2008
#10221 Star Wars Super Star Destroyer – $400 – 3,152 pieces – 2011
#10253 LEGO Creator Big Ben: $250 – 4,163 pieces – 2016
#42055 Technic Bucket Wheel Excavator: $280 – 3,927 pieces – 2016
#10214 LEGO Creator Tower Bridge: $240 – 4,287 pieces – 2010
#75059 LEGO Star Wars Sandcrawler: $300 – 3,296 pieces – 2014

As you can see, the order of the sets in the second list changed greatly from the first. This is mostly because of the extra-high prices of the licensed sets. Looking at the year of release, it is interesting to note that five out of the eleven sets are from this year! Fortunately all five are good sets, and in a wide variety of themes, so there is something for everyone. Our wallets may not be so happy however.

There is one slight issue with my final list however. There are three LEGO sets that should be on the list, but are not. These are the #200430 LEGO Serious Play Identity and Landscape Kit, the #2000431 LEGO Serious Play Connections Kit, and the LEGO Serious Play #2000409 Window Exploration Bag. These three sets retail for $790, $755, and $485 respectively, making the first two the most expensive LEGO products in history. Why are they not on the list? I chose not to include them because they are not standard retail sets. According to LEGO’s own description, they are designed to enhance business performance through building with LEGO bricks in timed workshops. That’s not quite the same as what the #10188 Death Star was designed for, but if you are interested to check them out, you can find them at the LEGO Serious Play section of the Online LEGO Shop.

While the #10179 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon continues to occupy the first place as the largest standard retail set, keep in mind that these lists can and probably will change in a few years, as LEGO releases more massive sets. You can find the current selection under the LEGO Exclusives section of the Online LEGO Shop.

So what do you think? Do you agree with my criteria for making the final list? How many of the largest LEGO sets of all time do you have? Fee free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉

And you may also like to check out the following related posts:

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LEGO Disney Castle rotating display options

by Thita (admin) on September 17, 2016

in LEGO Care & Storage

The recently released #71040 LEGO Disney Castle is big, very big. According to the official description, it is 29” (74cm) high, 17” (44cm) wide, and 12” (31cm) deep, so we are talking about a foot-and-a-half wide, and almost three feet tall display model. That’s huge! And while it is fairly easy to find some space to display a smaller set, for something this large, you do need to plan where you are going to put it. So let’s talk about this. 🙂

I don’t know if this was done by design, but the LEGO Disney Castle is 38 studs (or one foot) deep, which is the exact width of most shelving units. This definitely makes placing the castle somewhere a bit easier. And if you have an adjustable shelf system you can even accommodate the height of the castle, or just place it on top of the shelves. The width of the foundation is 60 studs from edge to edge, which is actually almost 19 inches (instead of the 17 mentioned in the official description).

The LEGO Disney Castle has a gorgeous frontal view, but the back is basically cut off, so the set will look best flat against a wall. However the back is where all the play-features and neat details are, and they would be very difficult to access if the castle is placed against the wall. So how to accommodate showcasing the front of the LEGO Disney Castle, while also having access to the back?

One solution is to use a turntable that will allow you to easily turn the castle around, even when placed against a wall. Turntables can range anywhere from a simple Lazy Susan to various swiveling TV stands, and professional turntables made for photographers. If you are handy with tools and know a bit about woodworking, you can make your own turntable, or you could just purchase a ready-made one. Below I will show you some options that you might like.

➡ LAZY SUSAN DISPLAY-STANDS FOR LEGO DISNEY CASTLE: A Lazy Susan is the simplest and most inexpensive stand that can turn. They are basically a rotating tray – usually made of wood, glass or plastic – that can be turned around manually. Smaller ones are used on tables and countertops to hold condiments and spices, and large ones are common in some restaurants to share dishes amongst people around a table. And they can also work great for displaying LEGO models. Keep in mind that for the LEGO Disney Castle you will need a sturdy Lazy Susan. It will need to be at least 19 inches wide, and should be able to support 13 pounds. Here are some examples on Amazon: LAZY SUSAN TURNTABLES ON AMAZON

➡ SWIVEL TV STANDS FOR LEGO DISNEY CASTLE: Swiveling TV stands are another great option, and they are surprisingly cheap. They are made to hold heavier weight, and their footprint is just right for the LEGO Disney Castle. Some are shaped like a half-circle (perfect for the LEGO Disney Castle in my opinion), and others are round. They are usually made of durable black plastic, so not as pretty as a Lazy Susan, but you can always put some kind of cover over it if you don’t like the black. With TV stands you don’t have to worry about the weight of the LEGO Disney Castle, but remember that you will need an at least a 19 inch by 12 inch surface. Here are some examples on Amazon: ROTATING TV STANDS ON AMAZON

➡ PHOTOGRAPHY TURNTABLES FOR LEGO DISNEY CASTE: This is the most sophisticated option for displaying the LEGO Disney Castle. Photography turntables are round, very slick looking, with a white or black finish. They are specifically meant to showcase products, so they are subdued and elegant. Many of them are electric, so they can be set to turn on their own. They can carry quite a bit of weight, but there is a wide range of products they are marketed for, so you should definitely check their capacity listed in the product description. While you can get a very nice Lazy Susan or TV stand for $20-$50, expect to pay $100 and up for larger good quality photography turntables. Here are some examples on Amazon: PHOTOGRAPHY TURNTABLES ON AMAZON

The LEGO Disney Castle is such a gorgeous set, it can definitely be the highlight of any room or even office space. And such a pretty set deserves a pretty display. The size of the castle accommodates that it can be placed on most standard size shelves, but if you would like access to the back as well, a turntable can be a great solution. I hope they examples above gave you some good ideas that you might try. And if you don’t have the LEGO Disney Castle already, you can find it at the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? Do you have the LEGO Disney Castle already? Have you built it? How are you displaying it? And how do you like the idea of using a turntable to showcase its beauty? Feel free to share your thought and own ideas in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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