superbrickGet the app ↗First, decide which question you’re answering
| Question | Use |
|---|---|
| What did these sets cost when released? | Original retail prices (MSRP). |
| What have I spent? | Your recorded purchase totals, separated by currency. |
| What might the collection sell for? | Relevant market estimates or comparable recorded sales, adjusted for the actual contents and condition. |
An illustrative calculation
Imagine two complete used copies of a set with a reference estimate of $80 each, plus one sealed set with a $120 reference estimate. The simple estimate is (2 × $80) + $120 = $280. These are invented teaching numbers, not quotes for any real set.
If another owned set has no price coverage, it is unpriced—not worth zero. Report the $280 as the subtotal for the priced items, with that additional set still to assess. Selling fees, shipping and any discount for selling everything as one lot can change the amount you receive.
Match the condition and contents
- Compare a sealed copy with sealed references, and a used copy with appropriate used references.
- Check whether a used set includes its figures, accessories, instructions and box.
- Treat an incomplete model separately from a complete-set estimate.
- Do not add the same minifigure’s value once inside a complete set and again as an extra loose figure.
Read history without mixing measures
A history of estimates is not a list of completed sales. A recorded sale is an observation, but its condition and contents may differ from yours. A single unusually high sale is a weak basis for a whole collection estimate.
When comparing numbers, keep the condition, currency, source and date together. A reference recorded months ago is not automatically today’s selling price.
Use Superbrick to keep the inventory and context together
In You → Insights, explore the available collection totals. The app distinguishes MSRP, market estimates and recorded purchase totals, and indicates partial set-price coverage. Purchase currencies remain separate; do not add unlike currencies without choosing an exchange rate and date.
Price insights and purchase tracking require Pro. Use the available new/used estimates and history as context, then assess the condition and completeness of your actual copy. No app total guarantees what a buyer will pay.
Value loose figures without counting them twice
Make a separate list of figures that are genuinely additional to your complete sets. If you remove a figure from a set to sell it separately, do not keep using an unchanged complete-set estimate and add the removed figure on top.
A missing figure can also make the reference for a complete used set unsuitable. Keep a note of the actual contents when comparing sale references.
Questions collectors ask
Can I value a collection without the original boxes?
You can identify and inventory it, but use references that match what is present. A complete set with a box is not automatically comparable to a loose or incomplete copy.
What should I do when an item has no price?
Leave it unpriced and report a subtotal for the items with coverage. Do not silently count missing data as zero.
Should I add all the individual minifigure prices to my set values?
Only for genuinely additional loose figures. A complete-set reference may already include its minifigures.