Klinger Builds Legos

Sets I Regret Not Buying Before They Retired (and Why I’m Still Mad About It)

There’s a special kind of collector heartbreak when a LEGO set you loved disappears from store shelves and suddenly costs way more than its original price. Below I’ve rounded up the sets I wish I’d picked up before retirement — each entry shows the original retail price and the current market value (sourced from BrickEconomy). If you like nostalgia, architecture, pop-culture nostalgia, or simply a great display piece, these are the ones that sting the most.

1. Kwik-E-Mart — #71016

Retail: $199.99 → Current value: ~$755.

There are few places in Springfield more iconic than The Kwik-E-Mart and since its retirement it has shot up in value thanks to its exclusive minifigs and status as a perfect Simpsons collectible. If you skipped this back in the day, you’re probably seeing it listed for multiples of its original price. 

2. The Simpsons House — #71006

Retail: $199.99 → Current value: ~$630.

The full Simpsons House is one of those big licensed sets that ages like fine wine. It’s huge, detailed, and rare enough now that NISB examples command serious money. 

3. Batcave — Shadow Box #76252

Retail: $399.99 → Current value: ~ $849.

A must have for any Batman fan this set is a cinematic display piece with Tim Burton vibes — the shadow-box format and scale made it an instant collector hit. Once retired, its price spike was predictable. 

4. Thor’s Hammer — #76209

Retail: (varies by region; widely sold at $99.99-ish MSRP) → Current value: ~ $200.

I don’t know any Marvel fan who doesn’t like Mjölnir A compact, displayable Marvel piece that appealed to adult collectors. Small enough to regret not buying, big enough to leave a dent in your wallet now. 

5. Voltron — #21311 (Ideas)

Retail: $179.99 → Current value: ~ $470.

A throwback set from Lego’s fan created line Ideas is the 80’s classic cartoon Voltron. Voltron’s massive, displayable build and nostalgic fandom made this a fast favorite — and a fast riser on the secondary market after retirement. 

6. Tumbler Batmobile — #76240

Retail: $269.99 → Current value: ~ $379.

All Batman fans need a Batmobile and the Tumbler from Christopher Nolan’s legendary Dark Knight trilogy is a must have. A big, detailed display model it wasn’t the cheapest on release day and now is commonly priced above RRP on the resale market. 

7. The Big Bang Theory — #21302 (Ideas)

Retail: $59.99 → Current value: ~ $256.

A compact licensed Ideas set that captured perfectly Lenard and Sheldon’s apartment— low MSRP to start off with but it has since jumped more than 400%, the Big Bang Theory was on for 12 years and so far has spurned off 3 spin offs and has therefore become a great collectible, and that’s why prices jumped. 

8. Ghostbusters — ECTO-1 #10274

Retail: $239.99 → Current value: ~ $325.

The ECTO-1 (2020 Icons/Creator version) remains desirable among car and movie collectors; demand kept its price steady after retirement. 

9. Ghostbusters — Firehouse Headquarters #75827

Retail: $349.99 → Current value: ~ $863.

One of the heaviest hitters in this list. Huge set, huge nostalgia — and a correspondingly huge post-retirement price. 

10. Colosseum — #10276 (Icons)

Retail: $549.99 → Current value: ~ $1,300.

I’ve heard this set is extremely tedious to put together as there are so many little pieces but that once you’re finished a sense of accomplishment envelopes you. An architectural behemoth with jaw-dropping piece count — the Colosseum is an obvious display centerpiece, and collectors have driven its value into four figures. 

11. The Bad Batch — Attack Shuttle #75314

Retail: $99.99 → Current value: ~ $200.

A smaller Star Wars set that gained traction with fans of the show; it’s another example of a low RRP set that doubled after retirement. 

12. Captain Rex’s AT-TE — #75157

Retail: $119.99 → Current value: ~ $345.

I absolutely love Captain Rex, he is by far my favorite Clone and his arc in Rebels was tremendous. A mid-sized Star Wars piece notable for minifig exclusivity. Good condition NISB examples now sell at a premium. 

13. UCS Super Star Destroyer — #10221 (UCS)

Retail: $399.99 → Current value: ~ $1,418.

An early UCS showpiece that’s now a serious collector’s item. If you hesitated on this one, that hesitation probably costs more than coffee. 

14. Nintendo Entertainment System — #71374 (Super Mario)

Retail: $229.99 (typical MSRP range) → Current value: ~ $300.

A nostalgia-heavy, interactive display set that appealed to both Super Mario and retro-gaming fans — it’s still fairly obtainable but above RRP now. 

15. 1989 Batwing — #76161

Retail: $199.99 → Current value: ~ $254.

A large Batman display model (Batwing) that modestly appreciates; the 1989 movie line remains collectible. 

16. 1989 Batmobile — #76139

Retail: (varied, often $199.99–$269.99 depending on market) → Current value: ~ $545.

This is one of the pricier vehicle sets on the list — the ’89 Batmobile’s scale and nostalgia make sealed examples command high resale prices. 

Final thoughts / buyer’s regret therapy

Pattern: Licensed, displayable, or large architecturally-focused sets tend to appreciate after retirement — especially when they have strong nostalgia pull or limited production runs. Most of the sets here followed that trend. (All values above are BrickEconomy estimates or their reported market listings.)  Lego tends to have pre-retirement sales, which they are currently running so best to pick up some sets while they are 20-40% off. If you’re still hunting: compare BrickEconomy listings with PriceCharting, eBay sold listings, and BrickLink for the best sense of current market pricing and availability. I used BrickEconomy as the primary source for the values quoted above.