10333 LEGO The Lord of the Rings Barad-dûr | Great New LEGO Sets: Unveil the LEGO Lord of the Rings Barad- dûr!|

LEGO the Lord of the Rings sets have gained great popularity among fans for their detailed recreations of iconic locations and characters from the beloved series. Sets like the LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell have captivated us all at Investabrick. Although this set in particular has a hefty price tag, its intricate designs and faithful representation of Middle-earth is something else. So, it is no wonder that we are looking forward to the new LEGO sets and the upcoming release of LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr set which promises to deliver another stunning build for enthusiasts, and a likely good investment in years to come. This new addition is highly anticipated and is expected to further elevate the appeal of LEGO Lord of the Rings sets among fans.

Built upon a volcanic mountain, Barad-dûr, also known as the Dark Tower, is a fictional fortress in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It is the primary stronghold of the Dark Lord Sauron in the land of Mordor. The tower is a central location in “The Lord of the Rings” series, serving as Sauron’s base of operations where he commands his armies and plots his domination of Middle-earth. Barad-dûr is characterized by its immense size, dark, menacing architecture, and the Eye of Sauron, which is often depicted as a fiery, all-seeing eye that observes the lands of Middle-earth from the tower’s pinnacle.

Set Details

The LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr model is an extraordinary 5,471 piece set, which stands at over 83cm high, 45 cm wide and 30 cm deep. It captures the ominous fortress with its towering structure, elevating the Eye of Sauron high above Middle-earth. It includes 10 minifigures such as Sauron, Mouth of Sauron, Gothmog, Orc, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum, adding to its collectible appeal. The ground-floor interior features Gollum’s hideout, a weapons forge, and a prison with a raisable Orc cage. Above the first-floor dining area, there’s a room with a throne that reveals a hidden map of Middle-earth. The third floor houses the Mouth of Sauron’s study, while the fourth floor contains a tower library with a rotating ladder. The set also includes an automated black gate and an illuminating Eye of Sauron. 

Investment Potential

The investment potential of LEGO 10333 is very hard to pin down currently, with the set being newly launched and expected to be on the shelves until the end of 2027 at the earliest (and potentially a year or two later). 

This stunning new LEGO Lord of the Rings set comes with nearly 5,500 pieces and an RRP of $460 / £400 (which equates to 8c/7p a piece) and 10 minifigures including Sauron, Frodo, Sam and Gollum. The set is a LEGO.com exclusive.

Theme Analysis

LEGO 10333 is part of the extremely popular LEGO Icons theme, which has a solid track record from a LEGO investment perspective. On average the LEGO Icons theme delivers average LEGO investment returns of 11% a year.

We have taken a look at some of the retired sets but in all honesty, by the time LEGO 10333 is retired there will be a whole raft more of information with there being a lot more higher value, LEGO exclusive sets in the LEGO Icons theme that will have been retired by then.

The pick of the retired LEGO Icons sets we have looked at include LEGO Corner Garage (10264) which has had nearly 50% growth since retiring at the end of 2021 (17% annualised growth), LEGO Maersk Line Triple-E (10241) which has more than doubled its $150 RRP since retiring in 2014 (8% annualised growth).

Comparable Sets

Currently there are no retired sets with which to compare LEGO Lord of the Rings Barad-dur but there is one very clear comparator in the currently available sets that we will be keeping a close eye on once it retires to give us a better guide as to LEGO 10333 post-retirement performance.

That comparator is LEGO Lord of the Rings Rivendell (10316) which was released in March 2024 and is expected to retire at the end of 2025. This has been an exceptionally popular LEGO set with very high demand since launching and is a set we at Investabrick think will be a strong investment once it retires, most likely at the end of next year.

Conclusion

For now, this is a not a set we can consider as an investment with it suggested to have at least 3 and ½ years shelf life, we much prefer to have out investments in sets close to retirement from retail sale.

That said it has definitely gone on to our watch list for future and we will definitely be keeping an eye on its fellow LEGO LOTR set, LEGO 10316 Rivendell for more clues as to its likely post-retirement performance.

Whilst it is not an investment purchase currently, we expect this to be a massively popular and in-demand set for Lord of the Rings enthusiasts and LEGO builders and would highly recommend it to those groups!

Other LEGO Lord of the Rings sets

Aside from the aforementioned Lord of the Rings Rivendell (10316), LEGO Lord of the Rings fans (including those with a smaller budget), we would strongly advise taking a look at the BrickHeadz Lord of the Rings sets including a new launch at the start of June 2024.The existing LEGO BrickHeadz are LEGO Gandalf the Grey and Balrog (40631), LEGO Brickheadz Aragorn and Arwen (40632) and LEGO BrickHeadz Frodo and Gollum (40630) all of which should be retiring at the end of this year and are likely to make excellent investments. The new launch on the 1^st of June is LEGO BrickHeadz Legolas and Gimli (40751). Keep an eye out for upcoming article on LEGO BrickHeadz Lord of the Rings.