LEGO Icons sets have become immensely popular due to their diverse range of themes, capturing the imaginations of fans across various interests. From classic cars and architectural marvels to beloved pop culture icons like Transformers, these sets provide a challenging and rewarding building experience, making them perfect for both display, play and LEGO investment. Now adding to the collection are the LEGO Transformers models, at Investabrick we were taken back to our childhoods with the LEGO Optimus Prime set. This set brilliantly encapsulates the essence of the iconic Autobot leader, offering a detailed and nostalgic building experience. The reminiscing now continues with the introduction of the LEGO Transformers Bumblebee set, which allows fans to expand their collection and relive the magic of the 1980s Transformers era. With its ability to transform from robot to vehicle mode, this LEGO Bumblebee could become a sought-after addition, solidifying the LEGO Icons Transformers series as a beloved staple for collectors and fans alike.
Set Details
The LEGO Icons Transformers set 10338 captures the essence of Bumblebee, the beloved “little brother” of the Autobots from Cybertron. The set, consisting of 950 pieces, showcases Bumblebee with articulated joints, an ion blaster, and a jetpack, standing over 25 cm tall in robot mode and measuring 8 cm in vehicle mode. A display plaque listing his power statistics adds an extra touch of authenticity, making it a captivating piece for any collection. The set’s manual includes insights from set designer Samuel Johnson which is a nice touch. While the transformation hinges create some gaps in vehicle mode, we think that Bumblebee’s robot form, especially the head, is impressively detailed and pairs beautifully with the LEGO Optimus Prime model.
| Model Name | Bumblebee |
| Model Number | 10338 |
| Theme | Icons |
| Sub Themes | Licensed |
| Pieces | 950 |
| RRP | $90 / £80 / €90 |
| Price per Piece | 10c / 8p / 10c |
| Minifigures | N/A |
| Minifigures Value | N/A |
| Launch Date | July 2024 |
| Current Status | Available |
| Retirement Date | December 2026 |
Investment Potential
Another great looking set from the LEGO Icons theme, LEGO 10338 is a Transformer model of Bumblebee, which transforms from robot to car without the need for rebuilding. Coming with nearly 1,000 pieces and an RRP of $90 / £80 we look into whether this will be one to add to your LEGO investment portfolio.
| Projected 5 Yr Value | $112 / £89 / €106 |
| % Increase ($) | 24% |
| Projected Future Annual Growth | 9% |
| Theme Growth | 13% |
| Sub-Theme Growth | N/A |
Theme Analysis
The wider LEGO Icons theme is a very strong and popular theme, delivering average annualised LEGO returns of 13% a year. To date there have been over 100 sets of which more than half are now retired.
We have taken a look at some of the retired wets below including LEGO Horizon Express (10233) which has more than doubled its $130 RRP to be valued at over $300 now (9% annualised growth), LEGO Downtown Diner (10260) which has doubled in value since retiring at the end of 2020 (22% annualised growth) and LEGO Santa’s Workshop (10245) which has more than tripled its $70 RRP since retiring in 2016 (17% annualised growth).
| Set Number | Set Name | Retired Date | RRP | Current Value | Total Growth | Annualised Growth |
| 10233 | Horizon Express | Dec-14 | $130 | $306 | 135% | 9% |
| 10268 | Vestas Wind Turbine | Dec-20 | $200 | $261 | 31% | 8% |
| 10260 | Downtown Diner | Dec-20 | $170 | $342 | 101% | 22% |
| 10245 | Santa’s Workshop | Dec-16 | $70 | $225 | 221% | 17% |
Comparable Set Analysis
For retired comparable sets we have looked at the Licensed sub-theme within the LEGO Icons theme, albeit it is currently quite a small sample size with just the 3 retired sets below, 1 which retired in 2022 and the other two which retired last December.
With such a small sample size it is important not to read too much into it, especially when the sets are so broad in terms of subject matter but what is clear is that some will do well and some less so, so it is important to be selective in which sets you choose to invest in going forward.
The standout success has been LEGO Friends Apartment (10292) which has seen a nearly 80% increase in value in the 6 months it has retired from its $180 RRP to its valuation of just over $320 today. In contrast, LEGO Queer Eye the Fab 5 Loft (10291) has lost over 30% of its RRP since retiring, no doubt driven by the lack of demand and heavy discounting before it retired.
| Set Number | Set Name | Retired Date | RRP | Current Value | Total Growth | Annualised Growth |
| 10291 | Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft | Dec-22 | $100 | $64 | -36% | -26% |
| 10292 | The Friends Apartments | Dec-23 | $180 | $322 | 79% | n/a |
| 76989 | Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck | Dec-23 | $90 | $85 | -6% | n/a |
Going forward we think LEGO Optimus Prime (10302) will be an important set to keep an eye on to give us a guide as to how this set will perform when it is retired, being the first Transformers model that was released, it comes with just over 1500 pieces and transforms between a robot and a truck. With an RRP of $180 / £160 and being a limited retail set we would be optimistic that it performs well post retirement, however, early signs are that the demand isn’t as strong as we would like and there has been some quite heavy discounting.
Conclusion
A great looking set from LEGO Icons and one we will definitely looking to get to build but as yet not one we will be considering as a LEGO investment. We will continue to keep an eye on how LEGO 10302 Optimus Prime performs when it retires and they will help to steer whether we add this to our watchlist in the future.
That said, if like some of us at Investabrick Transformers models bring back an element of your childhood, then like us you will be heading to LEGO to pick up one of these to build and display.
