Jurassic WorldLEGOToy investing

Are LEGO Jurassic World sets a good investment?

April 10, 2022 11 Mins Read

The LEGO brand is one of the most recognized in history, with iconic LEGO toys like certain LEGO bricks and LEGOs sets. However, some specific LEGO sets and LEGO Minifigures are incredibly valuable.

In this article, we’ll take a look at LEGO as an investment, in particular the Jurassic World theme, aiming to answer the question of whether or not these sets are worth considering as an investment. For the benefit of this post, we’ll focus on sets that are still relatively easy to get your hands on.

This means that we’ll exclude rare, promotional sets, like the 70-piece Fallen Kingdom Exclusive T-Rex (4000031) set which is valued at over $5,000. In addition, we’ve also left out sets that are dinosaur-related, but not part of the Jurassic World line-up, such as the excellent LEGO Ideas Dinosaur Fossils (21320) set, which will no doubt increase in value.

Now, with all that out of the way, let’s get into it – read on to find out more about LEGO investing and whether or not the Jurassic World set is a good pick for those looking to invest in LEGO sets.

Is LEGO a good investment?

While LEGO might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about investing, it may surprise you to learn that it outperforms many of the other, more traditional asset classes people typically use to diversify their portfolios.

Researchers at the Higher School of Economics in Russia looked at the prices of 2,322 different Lego sets between 1987 to 2015, finding that the value of LEGO sets increased on average 11% each year – faster than bonds, gold, stamps, stocks, and wine.

While it’s true that LEGO can be a great investment, it’s always important to keep in mind that the value of these sets can fluctuate over time, so it is important to do your research before making a purchase.

Most expensive LEGO sets sold at auction

To give you some idea of just how valuable LEGO sets can become, it’s best to start by looking at some of the most expensive sets ever sold at auction.

The top five most expensive LEGO sets sold at auction to date, are:

So as you can see, these sets aren’t merely playthings – they can be big business, being incredibly valuable to the right buyer, earning many times their original retail price.

Are LEGO sets worth more unopened?

The short answer is yes. If you’re primary reason for picking up a LEGO set is investment, it’s crucial that it remains unopened and in mint condition for it to appreciate in value. This is because sets, and toys in general, will lose at least 25% of their value once they’ve been opened.

As well as keeping the set sealed, it’s also important to store it properly, in a dry, cool place, out of direct sunlight, as this can cause the packaging to fade – another factor that can significantly decrease its value overtime.

That said, and if you do open the set – be careful to keep all the packaging and pieces as intact as possible, as the better the condition and the completeness of an opened set, the more valuable it will be if and when you come to sell it. But generally, it’s best to keep them sealed and in the exact same condition you originally purchased them to maximize your profit when you sell.

What sizes of LEGO sets are best for investing?

Medium-sized LEGO sets – which are made up of 500-1000 pieces – produced the least returns, whereas big and extremely huge sets in excess of 1,000 pieces and tiny sets saw the most growth. One of the most significant reasons for this is that huge sets have the most appeal for adult builders, who are far more likely to part with large sums to pick up a must-have LEGO set than say parents would for their kids, being far more likely to go for whatever is available in retail stores at the time.

What may surprise you is that smaller LEGO sets with under 500 pieces tend to do far better than medium-sized ones. This is because they did to include exclusive minifigures, vehicles, or molded pieces that aren’t found in any of the larger kits. That said, investing in this size of set can be a lot trickier than the huge sets that appeal to adults, which are far easier to predict whether or not they’re likely to appreciate.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the Jurassic World theme, we’re not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to large sets – with the largest, T. rex Rampage (75936), being made up of just 3,120 pieces – which while pretty big, is less than half the size of 2017’s 7,541-piece Millennium Falcon (75192). Most of the sets Jurassic World sets released so far would be considered small sets, with a just a handful of exceptions.

How long does it take for LEGO sets to appreciate in value?

It takes on average 2-3 years after release for secondary market prices to start increasing, which is when a set will typically be retired. That said, there is a huge variation in the amount they might increase, raging from -50% for less popular sets, all the way up to 600% for rare, must-have items.

If we look at some of the first Jurassic World sets released back in 2015 – in particular those that have performed the best when it comes to appreciation, we can see that on average, the top four best performing sets have seen an increase of value in excess of 240% since their initial release.

We’ll get into more detail on this later in the article, when we look at whether or not Jurassic World LEGO sets are a good investment.

Does LEGO ever bring back retired set

Sometimes, but very rarely. They do however have a history of bringing out new or similar versions of retired sets. This is perhaps the single biggest risk when it comes to LEGO as an investment, especially if you’re investing in retired sets on the secondary market.

There are a couple of noteworthy instances of this happening, which have tanked the value of some sets. These include the first edition Millennium Falcon (10179) – a set that holds the record for most expensive ever sold at auction, going for $15,000 in 2014 – which now sell for anything from $2,000 to $5,000, after the 2017 release of Millennium Falcon (75192).

Another similar example of the 5,923-piece Taj Mahal (10189) set, which has an auction sale record of close to $4,000. Once a smaller Taj Mahal set was release in 2021, as part of the LEGO Architecture theme, the original now goes for as little as $650.

Are Jurassic World LEGO sets a good investment?

If we look specifically at LEGO Jurassic World sets – the go-to dinosaur LEGO sets theme, and a theme that’s only been around since the first sets came out in 2015 – some of the sets that have appreciated the most in value since their release 7 years ago include:

So sure, while Jurassic World sets haven’t necessarily increased the most in value, especially when compared to other popular themes like Star Wars, they’ve still gone up considerably. This means that as far as themes go, Jurassic World isn’t a bad choice when it comes to LEGO investing.

Which Jurassic World LEGO sets are worth investing in?

In this next section, we’ll take a closer look at some of the sets from the LEGO Jurassic World theme that are worth investing in.

We’ll look at both sets that are already retired, such as those from the 2018-19 line-up, as well as all-new sets releasing this year, coinciding with the overdue release of the Jurassic World franchises latest installment “Dominion”, which will be in theatres later this year.

Fastest appreciating Jurassic World LEGO sets

The Jurassic World sets that are growing in value the fastest are from the 2018/19 line-up. These sets are all retired, so can only be purchased on the secondary market, and have seen an average increase of value in the last 5-6 years of 72.7%, growing at 30.2% per year.

Below are the top 5 fastest appreciating LEGO Jurassic World sets:

New 2022 Jurassic World Sets worth investing in

Before we begin, we need to stress that this is merely our opinion – more of an educated guess than anything, and certainly isn’t investment advice. Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the all-new 2022 sets, and which we think are the best bet when it comes to rising in value.

If the 2018/19 line-up of Jurassic World sets has taught us anything, it’s that those with unique minifigures, vehicles, and depict memorable scenes from the Jurassic World movie franchise are going to be the ones to look for. As such, we’ve created the following round-up based on these factors, giving our thoughts on those sets that are most likely to appreciate in value over the next few years.

1. T. rex Breakout (76956) – $99.99

The largest of the new sets for 2022, with a total of 1,212 pieces – this set lets builders relive the iconic first T-Rex encounter from 1993’s original Jurassic Park movie.

It includes 2 Ford Explorers, wrapped in Jurassic Park livery, and 4 minifigures – Ian Malcolm, Alan Grant, and the kids, Lex and Tim Murphy. These minifigures are complete with rain and mud details, with these details being unique to this set. There are also a ton of easter eggs that fans of the franchise will love. This set has been designed display, being specifically aimed at collectors, and is an adult set, featuring an 18+ rating.

This set ticks several boxes when it comes to investing in LEGO – it’s a large set, at 1,212 pieces, it’s targeted at adult builders, and it depicts perhaps the most iconic scene from the Jurassic Park universe, making it a must-own kit for fans.

2. Atrociraptor Dinosaur Bike Chase (76945) – $19.99

One of the most affordable of the new 2022 line-up, the Atrociraptor Dinosaur Bike Chase (76945) set is made up of 169 pieces and features a collapsible wall, dinosaur battle pit, collapsible wall, and a posable Atrociraptor figure. It’s rated for ages 6+ years.

The set also includes two minifigures; one of Owen Grady, and the other of Rainn Delacourt – a new character in the franchise – which comes complete with a tranquilizer gun accessory.

If the marketing for Jurassic World Dominion is anything to go by, this scene is likely to be one of the most iconic from the movie – something which could impact it’s value over time.

3. Quetzalcoatlus Plane Ambush (76947) – $39.99

Quetzalcoatlus Plane Ambush (76947) is a 306-piece set that features a buildable plane, Quetzalcoatlus figure, and 3 minifigures. The set is rated for ages 7 years and up.

This set is only the second from the Jurassic World theme to include a buildable plane – the other being 2020’s Velociraptor: Biplane Rescue Mission​ (75942), although the twin prop plane in the new set is far more substantial, with more features, space for 3 mini figures, and designed to fit the motorbike from set the Atrociraptor Dinosaur Bike Chase (76945) in the back.

It also comes with 3 minifigures, which include Owen Grady, Claire Dearing and Kayla Watts – a new main character to the franchise, being introduced in Jurassic World: Dominion. And is the only set to come with a Quetzalcoatlus, which, along with it’s vehicle, help make this set fairly unique and one of the more standout sets from this year’s Jurassic World LEGO releases.

4. Blue & Beta Velociraptor Capture (76946) – $29.99

Main features of this 181-piece set are a buildable truck, a dinosaur cage, and a bicycle, as well as 2 minifigures and 2 dinosaurs. The set is rated for ages 6+ years.

This dinosaur figures included in this set are one of everyone’s favorite Velociraptor “Blue”, and the other a much smaller figure of “Beta”, a juvenile Velociraptor and the offspring of “Blue”, due to be introduced in Jurassic World Dominion.

The minifigures are Rainn Delacourt with a tranquilizer gun – the same minifigure from the Atrociraptor Dinosaur Bike Chase (76945) set – and the Maisie Lockwood.

5. Pyroraptor & Dilophosaurus Transport (76951) – $39.99

The Pyroraptor & Dilophosaurus Transport (76951) set features a buildable off-road vehicle, complete with Biosyn livery and a detachable trailer – one of the nicest looking road vehicles from the theme in our view.

The set is made up of 254-pieces and comes recommended for ages 7 years and up. This set includes 3 minifigurs – including Ian Malcom, Ellie Sattler, and a Gurad – none of which are unique.

Along with it’s minifigures, in also includes 2 dinosaurs – a Dilophosaurus, which has been seen in other sets, and a Pyroraptor, which will be the first time we’ve seen this new dinosaur in a Jurassic World set.

Final thoughts

It may surprise many to learn that, in comparison to many of the other less conventional assets classes individuals use to diversify their portfolios, LEGO outperforms them all! Research has shown that, on average, LEGO sets increase in value by around 11% each year, outperforming bonds, gold, stamps, equities, and wine.

While Jurassic World sets aren’t the most valuable LEGO sets around, especially when compared to the vastly more popular and longer running Star Wars themes, they’re certainly no slouch, with sets increasing in value many times in just a few years.

It all starts with research. The key to LEGO investing is picking up the right sets, as more in-demand sets will outperform less popular ones over time – making it important to be able to identify those that are most likely to appreciate, based on things like unique minifigures, vehicles, dinosaurs, or sets that depict iconic scenes.

Provided you can pick out the right sets, keep them sealed, store them correctly, and hold onto them for at least a few years, you too should be able to profit from Jurassic World LEGO sets as they appreciate in value. Happy investing!

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