Subject:
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The most valuable LEGO part.
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Wed, 16 Oct 2013 07:53:38 GMT
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Viewed:
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20589 times
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Except for LEGO items that are made of gold or platinum, and have a high
intrinsic value, the most valuable LEGO part ever produced is likely the very
rare and highly collectible Opel Kapitän LEGO HO scale car of 1957.
This car was a prototype that was produced in 1957 (along with the HO scale 260
VW Beetle also introduced that year). The Opel Kapitän was never actually
released into circulation, and there are fewer than 10 of these known, which got
out of the company and into circulation.
Here are 7 known examples... most are either in yellow or red (3 of each), with
an orange damaged/incomplete one known in orange. Some of these appear to have
gotten some black paint touchup. Whether this happened inside TLG or not, is
not known.
2 of the red examples came without the window glass (a solid piece of plastic
underneath the outer shell). Most of these models were either lacquered or
spray painted, with a yellow and a red model getting a later paint job.
Because these were never released into circulation, these models have sold for a
great deal of money on the secondary market. One of the finest known examples
traded hands for $4000 in a private sale 3 years ago. So today these are likely
worth much more than that, depending on condition...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82930629@N08/10295058923/sizes/l/
This Opel Kapitän shows up on all the 1958-60 LEGO Basic Set box tops (700/0
thru 700/6 basic sets). Shown here is a 700/3a basic set with the (yellow with
white roof) Opel Kapitän parked in front of the twin towered hotel building...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82930629@N08/10305876055/sizes/l/
These Opel Kapitän prototypes, along with the 260 VW Beetles (put into
production in Nov. 1957), and the 258/275 VW Buses (put into production in
1954), were all 1:80 scale vehicles... just slightly larger than the 1:87 scale
Bedford Trucks and later smaller cars/buses/trucks that were all 1:87 scale.
These very rare Opel Kapitän prototypes are discussed in my LEGO DVD/download -
Chapter 17 - LEGO Prototype Sets and Parts.
Enjoy!
Gary Istok
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