Buying second-hand LEGO is for many people the way to get sets that have already retired, or to buy active sets without paying full RRP. I do it myself. But it has rules. Ignore them and you pay too much or receive an incomplete set.
This article explains my checklist: what I check, which platforms I use for which purpose, and the mistakes I regularly see others make.
My practical decision rule
Start small enough that you will keep using the system. With LEGO, a method only works if you still use it after three months: sorting, alerts, second-hand checks or saving Insider points. Choose the approach that makes your routine easier, not the one that looks most complete on paper.
| If you have little time | If you want control |
|---|---|
| Choose one fixed place or one fixed alert per set | Track price, stock and condition separately |
| Accept that 80% good is good enough | Decide in advance when you buy or skip |
Which platform for which purpose?
Marktplaats
Marktplaats has the largest volume in the Netherlands. Advantage: you find almost everything, from 1990s Duplo to recent UCS sets. Disadvantage: virtually no quality control. Counterfeits, incomplete sets offered as complete, and sellers without LEGO knowledge all occur.
Use Marktplaats for: active sets with visible photos of box and contents, local pickup where you can inspect the set, and bulk purchases where you count pieces yourself.
Avoid on Marktplaats: expensive retired sets from sellers without reviews, sets offered without photos of instructions, and listings significantly below Bricklink price without explanation.
Bricklink
Bricklink is a specialist marketplace for LEGO, with dealers who have a reputation system and set pages with complete inventory lists and price history. Prices are higher than Marktplaats, but reliability is greater.
Use Bricklink for: specific retired sets, loose parts for MOC projects, rare minifigs, and sets where completeness is essential. Bricklink’s Price Guide is also the best reference for fair market value.
Catawiki
Controlled auctions with payment protection via the platform. Suitable for premium rare sets: early Modular Buildings like 10182 Cafe Corner or the original 10179 UCS Millennium Falcon from 2007. Less volume than Marktplaats or Bricklink, but higher transaction certainty.
Vintekoop
A Dutch Marktplaats variant with slightly better categorisation. Smaller supply than Marktplaats, but the average quality of listings is somewhat higher.
My control checklist
For every second-hand purchase I ask for:
- Photos of all instruction booklets: including the pages. Even light water marks or torn corners lower value.
- Photos of all minifigs loose: check for discolouration of hands, legs, heads. White parts yellow in sunlight.
- Photo of the sticker sheet: applied or not? Unapplied stickers are worth more. Wrong sticker placement can’t be undone.
- Box condition: for sealed sets this is decisive. One crease in the box already costs 15-20 percent value.
- Bricklink inventory check: ask the seller to do this, or do it yourself once you have the set. Bricklink has a complete inventory for every set number.
- Seller history: on Bricklink: at least 10 positive reviews. On Marktplaats: at least a few transactions; watch for negative comments about description versus reality.
Price table
| Condition | Percentage of Bricklink value |
|---|---|
| Sealed, perfect box | 90-100% of ‘New’ |
| Sealed, light box damage | 70-85% of ‘New’ |
| Built complete, all instructions | 60-75% of ‘Used’ |
| Built, stickers partially applied | 50-65% of ‘Used’ |
| Incomplete (1-5% pieces missing) | 30-50% of ‘Used’ |
| Incomplete (more than 5% missing) | 10-25% of ‘Used’ |
For retired sets above original RRP: always use the current Bricklink average as reference, not the original RRP. A 10182 Cafe Corner had an RRP of 149.99 euro in 2007, but now averages between 500 and 1,500 euros depending on condition.
Premium segment: UCS Star Wars and early Modulars
This is a separate market. Prices are high, sellers know what they have, and mistakes are expensive. Price ranges 2026:
- 10182 Cafe Corner: 500-1,500 euros (condition determines everything)
- 10221 Super Star Destroyer: 800-1,500 euros
- 10179 UCS Millennium Falcon (original version, 2007): 4,000-8,000 euros
For this segment: only buy via Catawiki or Bricklink dealers with more than 50 positive reviews. Marktplaats is too risky for this price range.
Loose bricks for MOC builders
Bricklink is unbeatable here. Available per part, with colour and condition specification, typically for 0.01-0.20 euros per brick plus shipping. For large MOC projects: make a BrickLink Wanted List, give the system your list and it automatically finds the cheapest combination of shops.
The mistakes I see most often
“Complete set” that isn’t. A set belonging to two children who mixed bricks is “complete” for the seller if the original boxes are there. Always ask for the Bricklink inventory check.
Recognising counterfeits but buying anyway. A bargain at 30 euros for a set normally costing 150 euros is rarely a bargain. Bootleg bricks are fragile, colours don’t match, and they combine poorly with real LEGO.
Not thinking about shipping box condition for large sets. The original box of a 75192 Falcon has real value. If it gets crushed during shipping, you lose 20-30 percent of the second-hand value. Always ask for double packaging and confirm the seller understands what that means.
If you’re selling
Maximise your price with four steps: photograph against a neutral background with all components visible, run a Bricklink inventory check as proof of completeness, clean bricks with lukewarm water and dry them fully before photographing, and price realistically at 70-85 percent of Bricklink market value. That sells fastest.
Keep boxes. A set with original box sells for 20-40 percent more than the same set without.
Sets where condition matters
Collectible sets where box condition, completeness and price level need separate checks.
Best for each buyer type
Use these sets to decide when sealed retail beats second-hand risk, and when used listings deserve a closer look.
Lamborghini Sián FKP 37
Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 is the sealed-versus-used test: missing parts, box damage and seller proof matter as much as price.
Disney Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters' Cottage
Disney Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters' Cottage is only a second-hand gift if the seller can prove completeness and the box still looks presentable.
The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter
The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter makes condition visible: dust, stickers and sun fade can erase the savings on display sets.
Hogwarts Castle: East Wing
Put Hogwarts Castle: East Wing on alert before buying used; a new-set price drop can remove the second-hand advantage overnight.
Four steps for a safe second-hand purchase
The inspection sequence I use myself: from choosing a platform to closing the deal or walking away.
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Choose platform
Marktplaats, Bricklink or Catawiki?
Active sets with photos: Marktplaats. Retired sets and loose parts: Bricklink. Premium UCS segment above 500 euros: only Catawiki or Bricklink dealers with 50+ reviews.
-
Check the price
Compare against Bricklink Used average
A 'good deal' on Marktplaats is only good if it sits below the Bricklink Used average for that set number, not the original RRP.
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Run the checklist
Ask for photos, ask for inventory check
Instructions, minifigs loose, sticker status and Bricklink inventory check: all four present? Then I buy; if one is missing, I negotiate or walk away.
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Red flags
No reviews, no instructions, price far below market
I always skip when a seller has no transaction history and the price is more than 30 percent below Bricklink market value without explanation: that is almost never a bargain.