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photo courtesy of http://lego.wikia.com

As I have stated before, I am a huge minifigure collector.  But my first love was comic books when i was a kid back in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  So back in 2011 when when I heard about Lego getting possibly marvel and DC superhero figures, I was floored.  I thought Mega Bloks had at least the Marvel line tied up.  But then these two press release articles were released at almost the same time.

DC

http://minifigpriceguide.com/wordpress/warner-bros-consumer-products-awards-the-lego-group-license-to-create-lego-dc-universe-super-heroes/

Marvel

http://minifigpriceguide.com/wordpress/marvel-entertainment-and-the-lego-group-announce-strategic-relationship-in-construction-toy-category/

And just like that, they dropped a bomb on everyone.  I had not even heard rumors of all of this.  What did this mean to me personally?  It meant that I was going to have to stop collecting only Star Wars figures and look into the Super Hero figures also.

They then went on to announce that they will kick this all off with a few exclusives at the 2011 SDCC Comic-con.  I thought that is the end of my wallet.

http://minifigpriceguide.com/wordpress/wb-builds-on-lego-partnership-2011/  3000 batman and Green Lantern figures to be given away.

I will remind you, that my primary goal at the time was still collecting star wars figures and that these were a distraction from my main obsession.  So in February of 2012 when I was watching eBay and all of the sites for the exclusive star wars figure to be released that year as part of the 2012 Toy Fair, I was thrown off when I found out that it is was really a set of Super Heroes figures and not star wars figures.

“Iron Man and Bucky Barnes Captain America”

See here for current prices for these figures.

http://www.minifigpriceguide.com/detailPages/SUPERHEROES_sh028.html

and

http://www.minifigpriceguide.com/detailPages/SUPERHEROES_sh027.html

Here is the article on FBTB that originally informed me of this.  http://www.fbtb.net/2012/02/12/lego-toy-fair-exclusives-2012/

I immediately started watching ebay for every variation of these figures so I could catch them as soon as people started posting them.  Well me and every other Lego obsessed collector.

“Toy Fair 2012”

“ToyFair 2012”

“Toy Fair Lego”, You get the idea.

Finally, I found a few later that evening on 2/12/212 and they were priced at the ridiculous amount of $400 and I thought, those will never sell.  But sure enough, a few minutes later they were gone. 🙁  I continued to watch for more and finally an ebay member named Druid was selling one with the bag for $225 buy it now and free shipping.

“Toy Fair 2012 Lego Exclsuive Avengers 2 pack”

Note the misspelling.   I think that this is the only reason that I picked this up at such a good price.  BAMM!  I bought it and waited for it to arrive.

In hindsight, this was when people started paying silly money for lego figures.  Before this time, you could still get a Cloud City Boba Fett for $80 – $100 and Watto fir about $45.  After this, who knows.

These Iron Man and Captain America figures came with the two figures and a bag.  Some people were also including the lanyard as well which indicated which of the 125 figures that you received.  I did not get the lanyard with my set, but at $225, I was OK with that.  I did receive the bag, but I quickly listed the bag on eBay and sold it for $125 alone so my final price for the figures was only $100.  Not too bad I thought.

I sold the bag for two reasons.  I had not way to display it and it looked terrible.  It was dented from the figures and it was silly to keep it when people were willing to pay so much for it.  I am not sure if the was the right decision, but I am planning to keep these figures, so it will never affect me.  🙂

The Lego group produced 200 of these figures.  I have not been able to get a solid number, but I have met people that worked for Lego and stated that another 75 of these were produced and given away internally.  These did not come with a bag or the Lanyard, but they  are the same figures.

These two figures were modeled after the comic book characters instead of the movie characters as you can see in the images.  The other main differences with the figures as as follows.

Here is a side by side of the front of these figures next to the standard one that was released in the sets.

• The shied that Bucky is holding is a much smaller and flatter circle than the one that was finally releases.  It is also made with much duller colors.
• The iron man figure comes with a printed face instead of the helmet that was released later.  This is a more classic minifigure style.
• The printing on each figure is obviously also different.
• The faces on both figures are much more serious looking.
• The Captain America is the Bucky Barnes version instead of the Steven Rogers version as was released in the sets.

Here is a side by side of the back of these figures next to the standard one that was released in the sets.

 

Here are two 360 degree videos of these figures.

Here is a picture of the bag and the figures and the lanyard.

Here is the back of the lanyard.

 

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Coming in on the list of top 100 figures at #2 with an estimated value of $10,000 to $15,000is the Solid Gold C-3PO

I have never been able to find any of these for sale, but I did find this very nice replica on eBay here.  I am thinking about pulling the trigger since I will never get a real one and the price is pretty reasonable.  It looks like he has sold 19 of these and the feedback is still 100% positive.

Way back in 2007, the Lego put out an announcement for a contest on the back of the March April 2007 Lego Magazine.  Nothing special was announced other than this and I remember seeing this and thinking that this is the end of my Lego star wars minifigure collection as they were about to release a minifigure that I could not have.

I had been carefully collecting every star wars figure and I am a bit of a completest.  It has always been all or nothing for me.   Before you ask, no, I do not have one and I had to get over this in order to continue my collection.  Lego Super Heroes helped me with that!

On the back cover of this issue, was the following advertisement.   “These are the droids you are looking for.  GRAND PRIZE FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN WIN ONE OF FIVE SOLID GOLD C-3PO MINIFIGURES Details in the next issue of LEGO Magazine!”

Back Cover

 

Front Cover

I carefully cut this picture out and saved it with my bills thinking maybe I will get lucky or someone will sell it on eBay for a reasonable price.

A few months later, the next issue came.  The September to  October 2007 Issue.  I tore through this issue to see how I could win this.  Do I need to build a great creation?  Do I need to buy the most Lego?  Do I need to make a Lego film?

Front Cover

On page 19 of the magazine, they had the following advertisement.  In the advertisement is a small blurb containing the following text.

“Can you spot the golden C_3PO in the scene?  When you have found him, turn to page 24 to find out how you can win a solid gold droid of your own.”

I thought, I can find this!  Maybe the first person to find it and send in a note wins!.  Heck, I thought I am competing against ten year old kids.  How hard can this be?

Well I tried and tried, and I cannot find the gold figure in this picture.  I even looked again today.  Those must be some pretty smart ten year old kids I thought.  If any of you know where it is?  Let me know.

I still cannot find it.  I posted 4 more up close pictures to see if that helps anyone.

 

After my failure, I turned to page 24 of the magazine to find this ad.

LAST CHANCE TO STRIKE GOLD!

“This is it – your last chance to enter to win one of five 14-KARAT GOLD C-3PO minifigures in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Star Wars?  For a chance to win, send a postcard with your name, age, address and daytime phone number to: Golden C-3PO Contest P.O. Box 1179 EnField, CT 06083.  All entries must be received by November 1st 2007!  5 winners will be randomly chosen from all of the entries received.  Winners will be notified in December 2007!  Dood Luck, and may the Force be with you!

WAIT…. I thought.  Last Chance?  Where was my first chance?  Then I looked at the date on the Magazine.  Did I miss one?  I went back and looked through my magazines and I did not have a May June 2007 issue and Nothing in the July August 2007 issue that I could find.

Quick Update.  I am going to order a May June issue off of Bricklink and see if I can find it.  8 years later, but Why not just for curiosity?

Here are the images that I was missing

May June 2007 Lego Club Magazine

May June 2007 Lego Club Magazine

 

 

and finally the July August issue had a very small reminder.

Someone just pointed me to this image on Brickshelf.  Is this the one I am missing?  I am not sure what this is from.

http://www.classic-castle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9913

hmm.  This looks like the same pic here taken from 2007 toy fair.

http://www.fineclonier.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=49

and here

Here is the motherload of images from the 2007 toy fair from Jedi Temple Archives.  See the first one below.

http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/swexperience/toyfair2007/lego/

So, I quickly filled out a card and mailed it in.  Then, I filled out a few more for my wife and kids.  Then I thought about that movie from the 80’s called Real Genius where Lazlo pulls up in an RV with all the stuff he won from the Frito Lay contest by using a computer to create millions of entries.  Hey, I write computer software…

http://www.fast-rewind.com/trivia_rgenius.htm

Then I say back and waited for my Gold C-3PO to arrive.  🙂  It never did.  But then, I thought I will watch eBay and

NOTHING!

Finally, in January February 2008 issue, Lego let us know who won.  These 5 people were announced on Page 19.   I was surprised that they posted the names.  What was Lego thinking.  People will hunt them down.

I thought, maybe I could contact them and see if they want to sell?  I also thought me and 5000 other people.  But laziness prevailed and I never did.

“STAR WARS GOLDEN C-3PO CONTEST WINNERS! ANDREW HOFFMANN CHRISTOPHER GIANCOLA ELIZABETH JACOME JASON MASEY CHRIS MELCHIN”

And that was it.  The hunt was over.  I did eventually find an article on Eurobricks with a picture from one of the winners.  See this article for details.

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=57185&st=25

I sure would like one of these to go with my other 600+ star wars figures.

Here is an update on the one owner that surfaced on EuroBricks.

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=57185&st=100

August 2014

“Over the last couple years I have had several folks seriously inquiring about purchasing this piece. At this time my son has still not sold it. He has entertained a couple of legit offers but in the end he can’t get himself to sell it. He starts college this fall and thanks to his hard work in high school and great test scores he is not in immediate need of cash. As I have stated before I will post if and when he sells this thing to keep everyone updated. On the flip side should anyone catch a sale of any of the other 4 I would appreciate a heads up to educate us on where the market is on them. Thanks and good luck.”

Jim H must be Andrew’s dad I am guessing.  He has stated that he knows the head comes off and he thinks that the arms and the hands move.

Here is another article over at Brickset.  I am not sure how I missed this one when I was poking around.

http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/799/solid-14k-gold-c3po/p2

Finally, I have heard rumor that Lego produced two more of these for Executives at Lego.  But that is just a rumor!

Here is the list of the Top 100

http://www.minifigpriceguide.com/Top100LegoMinifigures.html

and the Detail page for C-3PO

http://www.minifigpriceguide.com/detailPages/STARWARS_sw158g.html