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Lego Windmill Going on eBay for a Cool US$1,700
Posted by Adam Frucci at 8:20 AM on September 12, 2008
Remember the two-foot-tall Lego Vestas Windmill? It's huge and awesome. Well, if you want one, there are currently two available on eBay. That's the good news! The bad news is that the starting bids are a bananas US$1,000 and US$1,700. For a Lego set. I know Lego sets are cool and everything, but no Lego set is that cool. Someone please explain to me why these are running at such ludicrous prices, because I don't understand. [eBay; Thanks GitEmSteveDave!]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
elfyoz
Posted September 13, 2008 2:01 AM
Ok Firstly they are not "windmills" they are called wind turbines,they are two completely different things, and instead of bagging this lego set out due to use of batteries why not do your research into wind turbines before making a comment. finally a company who is trying to make our world better by making green energy and all you do is bag out a toy. Go see one in real life, they are in australia, us, uk ..the whole world. australia is just lagging behind in tech as per usual. the purpose of making these limited sets is to recognize and appreciate the efforts that vestas staff make to the company and the environment. Why dont you try doing somthing good like that , maybe if we all did the world would be a better place. Also im looking forward to getting my vestas lego set thanks so you guys just have sour grapes because theres a product out there that you havnt got readily available in your local shop.
Rick Clark
Posted September 13, 2008 2:04 AM
It's simple. First, they're NOT running at such ludicrous prices. People don't seem to understand the difference between *asking* price, which may be unrealistically inflated, and *selling* price, which, at the time of this post, was $0.00.
Second, even if they do happen to sell at that price, would it be such a huge surprise if someone like Bill Gates was having a windmill installed, and wanted a LEGO model of one for the opening ceremony?
And maybe you haven't noticed, but collectors pay much more than that for much less than that, all the time. $10,000 is not unheard of for a comic book, or a baseball card, or a movie prop, all of which have little or no relative value (the information in books and cards can be reprinted, and props are often non-functional).
So are you suggesting that LEGO sets can't have value, or that there is something wrong with people who value them?
What do you value? Has anyone ever belittled *you* for it?
EBone
Posted 8:41 AM 12/9/08
@joshman: I was actually referring to a Vestas V92 3-megawatt wind turbine generator, which this set seems to be modeled after and which my company is currently installing 52 of in Texas :-)
EBone
ab3
Posted 8:38 AM 12/9/08
Why doesn't Lego just release the set on a larger scale? I don't get it is this a special production item or something?
ab3
Shifty203
Posted 8:32 AM 12/9/08
Simple: Limited Edition Lego.
Shifty203
joshman
Posted 8:28 AM 12/9/08
@EBone: The real thing is much less expensive than that. You can build to power your house (assuming you have enough wind) for just a few thousand.
joshman
EBone
Posted 8:25 AM 12/9/08
I want, but not that bad. But it's still cheaper than $3 million for the real thing.
EBone
TownsendKisser
Posted 8:24 AM 12/9/08
Damn.. if it actually could generate energy and pay itself off in 10 years, i'd be sorta interested... =P
TownsendKisser
scarbrtj
Posted 8:23 AM 12/9/08
$1700 for a LEGO windmill set?
One word: quixotic.
scarbrtj
MadColombian
Posted 8:22 AM 12/9/08
it USES batteries instead of CHARGING them? so lame.
MadColombian
The Real 31
Posted 8:21 AM 12/9/08
For some reason I find it very funny that it requires batteries.
The Real 31
Human Bomb Committed Solaricide
Posted 9:20 AM 12/9/08
Someone needs to make this into a real Lego power source so my Lego-lectric trains can stop relying on the diesel generator that currently powers them.
Human Bomb Committed Solaricide
DeadWriter
Posted 9:17 AM 12/9/08
Hey, I can invest in Lego carbon offsets wish will help counteract global Lego climate change.
DeadWriter
EBone
Posted 9:07 AM 12/9/08
The original was made by LEGO for a diorama that toured the US and was on display in airports. It is my understanding that LEGO made a limited number of these for the employees of Vestas - maybe a thousand sets.
EBone
someToast
Posted 9:07 AM 12/9/08
@inovak: Yeah, I though I saw one at the Mall of America Lego Store when I was last in Minneapolis.
someToast
Anrkist
Posted 9:06 AM 12/9/08
In all fairness, this will hook directly into your home so you can go "Green".
Anrkist
aeroworks
Posted 9:01 AM 12/9/08
you know how many people this would feed in a third world country? lego elitist's... ;)
aeroworks
inovak
Posted 8:59 AM 12/9/08
I saw that set at the Glendale Galleria in California for just over 100 bucks maybe two months ago.
inovak
RoboChop
Posted 8:58 AM 12/9/08
Maybe they only made two, it says Limited Edition after all.
RoboChop
RoboChop
Posted 8:57 AM 12/9/08
@scarbrtj: Perfect
RoboChop
PlayerX
Posted 9:28 AM 12/9/08
@Human Bomb Committed Solaricide: considering there's already and electric motor in the thing, it isn't inconceivable to reverse the thing and have it become a generator.
Now, figuring out how to get those little plastic lego fan blades to actually spin when blown on is something else....
PlayerX
loslosbaby
Posted 10:53 AM 12/9/08
For 2400$ you can get a really nice windmill that works...are we insane?
loslosbaby
Qu33f_Machine
Posted 10:44 AM 12/9/08
@PlayerX: However, if you were going to make a windmill to harvest energy it probably wouldn't be made out of legos. I would imagine that other materials are better suited (ie. Lighter) than legos.
Qu33f_Machine
Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer
Posted 1:00 PM 12/9/08
It's funny how out of proportion lego trees look in this picture.
Oh and they forgot the placard-waving hordes protesting against the bird killing machine.
Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer
Glare
Posted 12:49 PM 12/9/08
I don't quite understand why either. I doubt there are any bids on it though.
Maybe it's for serious Lego collectors.
Glare
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Posted 2:25 PM 12/9/08
@Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer: I support them for that fact. Cull the flock. The juicy delicious flock. Mmmmm, fried rotor kill.
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
D_Zarster
Posted 5:33 PM 12/9/08
@RoboChop: can you say 17k units?
oh and please guys.. its called lego, not legos..
D_Zarster
D_Zarster
Posted 5:29 PM 12/9/08
I will get mine from vestas in within a week.. anyone wanna buy it? PM me.. ^ ^
D_Zarster
Purple Dave
Posted 6:08 PM 12/9/08
@Shifty203:
Worse than that, it's limited availability. This isn't a set that is currently slated for public release, though the same was once true for the Maersk Sealand cargo ship (which has now seen _two_ public releases). However, one did sell on Bricklink for $600 this month, so $1700 does seem a bit extreme. And who knows, it could end up topping what I believe to be the current record holder, which was a 10k solid gold Hau Kanohi from the first wave of BIONICLE sets, which sold on eBay for $2000 flat (I actually got to have it in my possession for a week, and photographed the heck out of it).
@ab3:
Yes, it's made on behalf of the Vestas company, and supposedly only available to people within that company (I'd guess only salaried employees, and probably even only a subset of that group, but I must stress that it's pure WAG on my behalf).
@aeroworks:
None. ABS isn't very nutritious.
@Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer:
Well, the alternative end of the spectrum are these trees, which use nearly 700 foliage pieces each, require a metal support rod to keep them from tipping over, and will run you about the price of the UCS Falcon, each, to build at today's foliage prices. That's assuming you can even collect enough of those parts to build one. Our club uses significantly smaller trees, which are sized more like what you'd see used in downtown sidewalk-scaping, and we can fill a small landscape with trees for the amount of foliage pieces used in just one of those behemoths (I only saw them once in person, but the head of the tree is about the size of a volleyball).
Purple Dave
D_Zarster
Posted 6:47 PM 12/9/08
@Purple Dave:
17000 were made, one for each us (employees).
God I love working for this company! :D
D_Zarster
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Posted 9:01 PM 12/9/08
@D_Zarster: The only way they could have made your company cooler is to issue you "business cards" like Lego employees have. I want "cards" like these.
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
kanon
Posted 10:01 PM 12/9/08
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->:
Chicken wings.
@D_Zarster: Lucky!
kanon
Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer
Posted 10:52 PM 12/9/08
@Purple Dave: Now that's what I call a lego tree!!
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: If you look hard, you can just see the flock on its way to the slaughter, unknowingly winging its way over the wheat field that is now in shadow for part of the day.
It doesn't really send a great message though. One windmill this size, powers a small cafe and requires it's own service van?
Oh and if it's a windmill, how come it needs batteries? Shouldn't it just, you know, blow in the wind? Maybe it's a new range: EcoLego?
Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer
Matronix
Posted 1:04 AM 13/9/08
@someToast: Don't think I have ever seen one of those sets at Legoland in MoA...and I go by that sore a few times a week... sadly to say.
Matronix
nizz
Posted 3:25 AM 13/9/08
Now I have to outbid Jesus.
nizz
Purple Dave
Posted 3:56 AM 13/9/08
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->:
I already mentioned where you could get engraved minifigs, and Tommy recently announced that he can print whatever on white parts now, so if you'd rather have it look like an authentic minifig, you're good on that end too. Well, except for the expense, I guess. But hey, you could always try the whole dumpster-diving homeless person with cool business "cards" angle.
@Maxwells_Nylon_Hammer:
I think they're a tiny bit on the big side, especially for a row of trees next to a golf course, but it was interesting to see how he managed to pull off that design. I can't find it anymore, but he used to have instructions for how to build each of the several layers. They looked like giant green snowflakes.
Purple Dave
-Core-
Posted 6:28 AM 13/9/08
I can't explain why it's so expensive.. It's cool. But not that cool.
-Core-
Dunechaser
Posted 2:00 PM 13/9/08
I find it rather frustrating that Vestas employees are attempting to profit from the desperation of true LEGO fans. I had to lock comments on the two posts we have on our blog about this because Vestas employees were coming on and leaving comments to hawk their wares for ridiculous sums of money.
Supply and demand, I suppose, but I don't want to have anything to do with it. :-\
Dunechaser