Subject:
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Australian LEGO find
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sat, 28 Aug 1999 18:56:38 GMT
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Viewed:
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434 times
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I don't know how this compares to most FOTW's that you folks get in the
U.S., but in my experience this is light-years ahead of any find that I've
ever seen in the wasteland that is Australian Lego.
I was on my way to buy some second-hand Lego when along the way I stopped
off at a toy store I hadn't been to before, on a whim (about the fortieth
toy store I'd visited this year, I've visited over a third of them in the
state now), expecting to see the usual '98-'99 spread of Instectoid,
Adventurers, SW, etc. What I found was a Lego time capsule dating back to at
least '95.
Now that may not seem very old to the US AFOL, but I'd NEVER seen a toy
store with stock this old, barring the odd damaged set here and there[1].
I'd say at least half the sets there dated back to '95 or before, so many
that I have trouble remembering. For me, it was classic Dark Age material...
there were Town sets like 6561 Hot Rods and 6484 F1 Hauler which I didn't
buy, but I did weaken enough to buy the 5541 Blue Fury, an Islanders set
(Pirates were completely Dark Age for me), and a 6939 Saucer Centurion,
which for me was the crowning find, I couldn't believe my eyes seeing a
Spyrius set on a toy store shelf in Australia in 1999!
The Spyrius set was particularly satisfying as it was the main Space set in
my Dark Age which I regretted not getting. That, and the Blacktron
Message-Intercept Base. Which, funnily enough, I happened to encounter later
that day....
My previous experience with buying used Lego was dismal. A bunch of dirty
pieces with virtually no minifigs offered by a fight-fisted mongrel who was
all too aware of my hunger for ABS :( This afternoon's used Lego was
completely different. The guy selling it really should have kept it, as he
had three/four-year old children who would use that Lego in later years.
Nonetheless, he was adamant that it be sold, so I offered him a reasonable
sum. I didn't realise what a bargain it would be for me until I got home and
started sifting through it.
This collection had literally dozens of minifigs. It covered so many of my
Dark Age holes. Previously I had NO forestmen, pirates or Futuron sets, now
I had nearly a dozen minifigs from each theme! Nearly all of the Classic
spacemen had insignia in mint condition. No sooner did I marvel at how many
Blacktron 1 minifigs I had uncovered, when I would fish yet another one out
of the box. It was glorious. There was a Message Intercept Base, a 4030
Cargo Carrier (it's HUGE!!!), jet planes, palm trees, crater plates, and all
sorts of other precious things I thought I might never have.
So that's my Dark Age holes basically filled. Except pirate ships. They
don't exist in any store in Australia. Not anywhere. People don't seem to
sell used ones here either, I guess they're just too cool. Hopefully I will
be receiving one in the near future. Then I can stop buying Lego. Except for
the 8448. Oh, and maybe the Rock Raiders minifig pack (for completeness).
And any future SW sets, I guess. And maybe..... :)
Thanks for letting me ramble on.
Paul
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shuttle/5168/
[1] Except there was one time that I managed to score two 8865 Test Cars.
I'm still trying to figure out how my, er, "predecessors" missed these. Not
to mention the kids!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Australian LEGO find
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| Congrats on the find ! As a fairly recent reawakened, reilluminated , or however they describe it, AFOL , I still appreciate the emotions of discovery during digging thru an unknown box. I lucked into a collection of older mini figs when a young (...) (25 years ago, 29-Aug-99, to lugnet.general)
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