How LEGO Started
The story of LEGO dates back to 1932 when a Danish carpenter, Ole Kirk Christiansen, started making wooden toys. This carpenter created a company specifically for these toys and named it LEGO. The name, LEGO, was coined from a Danish phrase “leg godt” which means “play well”.
After the Second World War, the company moved from making wooden toys to plastic toys. It also started creating the interlocking bricks which are used to make their toys today.
In 1960, the company expanded beyond Europe. It became a well-known and respected brand across different continents. Through the years, LEGO has become much more creative and caught the attention of many people. The quality of the company's product is why it has remained relevant in the industry today.
Quality of LEGO Products
LEGO makes its products by using the finest materials that resist wear and tear for a long time. Its products are precisely made and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they last for a long time. They are passed through extreme conditions to ensure they withstand any real-life situation.
Because of the work put into making their products, LEGO has built trust among fans. LEGO owners are able to pass down the toys they played with to their children and trust that the same quality is maintained.
Rare LEGO Sets
Despite many excellent products, LEGO has a set of products that are rarely collected. This rarity is often due to limited production and nostalgia. Once cheap, these sets now command very high prices in the market. Let's look at some of them.
2007 Millennium Falcon (10179)
This is one of the most well-created sets in LEGO's history. It's a 5,195-piece Star Wars set that has been available for just a few years. This set is valued within the range of $5,000 and $10,000 which is over ten times its initial value.
2008 Taj Mahal (10189)
The early retirement of this piece in 2010 makes it even more rare. It is a 5,922-piece architecture that is currently sold for more than $3,000. Not to mention, it is one of the largest sets LEGO has created with complex designs.
2003 Cloud City (10123)
This is a Star Wars set with mini figurines. It was created based on The Empire Strikes Back and has special characters like Lando Calrissian. Right now, the value is between $2,500 and $4,000.
Solid Gold 2×4 Bricks
This piece is only given as prizes during contests. It is made from 14-karat gold and is super expensive to acquire. One was once sold at auction for a prize of over $15,000.
LEGO Fan Culture and Community
It shouldn't surprise you that LEGO has a huge fanbase from all over the world. And it isn't just young ones. In fact, there is an Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs) community. These are big fans who pride themselves in turning nostalgia into amazing exhibitions by collecting LEGO parts.
We also have LEGO fan conventions like Brickworld and Brickfair that happen annually. In these events, LEGO fans from different parts of the world come to these conventions to:
- Create elaborate designs
- Learn new building techniques
- Connect with people from different countries.
Aside from physical meetings, there are also online LEGO communities for passionate fans. These communities are available on different social media platforms. Here, fans can share updates about different LEGO bricks as well as different ideas about building a set.
There is a LEGO Ideas website where fans can pitch their dream set. In this platform, different fans will share their ideas, which will be put to a vote. Fans with the highest votes will have their ideas turned into reality.
The Future Of LEGO
LEGO is a company that thrives on evolution. The company hopes to integrate advanced technology into their products while still maintaining their creative standards. It hopes to use Augmented Reality (AR) to improve the LEGO experience as well as AI tools to let fans create their designs.
LEGO wants to collaborate with other companies like Nintendo and Marvel. The goal is to create designs via gaming and storytelling and to reach a wider audience. Also, the LEGO Ideas platform will be used to scout for fans with the best ideas.
The company also hopes to promote education among the growing population. This is evident with exciting kits like LEGO Education; they have tools for coding and robotics to help younger fans improve their knowledge in science and technology.
So you'll agree that LEGO is working to explore a lot in the future. Their goal is to follow any recent trends fans can relate to, to promote more expression of creative ideas.
Final Words
LEGO went from being wooden toys in a carpenter's shop to being a global brand; that is the effect of limitless creativity. Now, the brand has a huge community that is committed to the products in every way. The goal of LEGO is to create endless possibilities in communities and to build meaningful connections among fans.
LEGO Fans & Supporters
