60265 LEGO Ocean Exploration Base | Add this LEGO City set to your collection
Published: 1 year ago
Last Updated: 1 week ago
rtainly open the world of exploration and creativity. Where else could you build your own towns, construct city skylines from around the world, travel into space, create dream cars or even conduct Ninja battles all from amazing plastic bricks. From imaginary worlds to the real world, there are LEGO sets to spark all imaginations.
LEGO City deep-sea explorers enables builders to voyage into an under-water world, with no fear of getting wet or coming face to face with a deadly creature! From a Deep Sea Exploration Vessel, Submarine and Deep Sea Helicopter, to the Deep Sea Operation Base or Ocean Exploration Base there are plenty of sets to create a magical marine world.
Set details
LEGO set 60265; Ocean Exploration Base, was released in 2020 and is licensed by National Geographic. With 497 pieces, and 5 researcher Minifigures, the set is aimed at builders aged 5+.
Building the models are made simple with a clear instruction manual and also through Instructions PLUS, part of the LEGO Building Instructions app, which includes zoom and rotate viewing tools.
The set is really bright and colourful and there is plenty of scope for imaginative play. Living and research modules can be found inside the base and outside there are lots of elements including docking submarine and underwater drone, toy crane and shark and stingray figures. The submarine opens to allow 2 Minifigures inside, it also has a moving propeller and inspection arm.
This set may not have the display credentials of many other LEGO sets, but is it a good investment? Let’s take a deep dive into the statistics.
Set Details
| Model Name | Ocean Exploration Base |
| Model Number | 60265 |
| Theme | City |
| Sub Themes | Deep Sea Explorers |
| Pieces | 497 |
| Minifigures | 5, all unique to this set |
| Launch Date | 01/06/2020 |
| Availability | Retired |
| Retirement Date | 31/12/2022 |
| RRP | $80 |
Investment Potential
Due to retire in December 2022, stock of this set is very sparse with even the LEGO shop currently having sold out. Keep an eye out to see if it comes back in stock at LEGO.
as the numbers below show a strong sub theme underpinning future values.
| Launch RRP | 80 |
| 5th Year Value | $59 |
| Theme Growth | 6% |
| Sub Theme Growth | 0% |
Theme Analysis
Part of the LEGO City theme which has been going since 2005 and has 36 sub themes across a broad range with nearly 800 sets in it. The Deep Sea Explorers sub-theme was launched in 2015 and to date there have been 10 sets, all apart from this one are currently retired. The 9 retired sets have seen an average annualised growth post retirement of 14%, a very strong performance, and underpinning likely future values of this set.
| Set Number | Set Name | Retired Date | RRP | Current Value | Total Growth | Annualised Growth |
| 60092 | Deep Sea Submarine | 31/12/2016 | $40 | $66 | 65% | 7% |
| 60093 | Deep Sea Helicopter | 31/12/2016 | $50 | $82 | 64% | 7% |
| 60096 | Deep Sea Operation Base | 31/12/2016 | $100 | $142 | 42% | 5% |
Comparable Set Analysis
Within the sub theme of the already retired sets we feel that these 3 are the closest to the Ocean Exploration Base. Again, as per the sub-theme, these have shown an average annualised growth of 14% post retirement making this set very investable.
| Set Number | Set Name | Retired Date | RRP | Current Value | Total Growth | Annualised Growth |
| 60095 | Deep Sea Exploration Vessel | 31/12/2016 | $120 | $211 | 76% | 8% |
| 60264 | Ocean Exploration Submarine | 31/12/2021 | $40 | $38 | -5% | -2% |
| 60266 | Ocean Exploration Ship | 31/12/2021 | $150 | $208 | 39% | 13% |
Conclusion
A soon to retire (or potentially already retired) set, with a sub theme that has displayed annualised average growth of 14% post retirement this seems a great investment if you can find a set to purchase. With potentially conservative growth forecast of 8% going forward this set will add 50% to its value over the next 5 years. Definitely a strong investment if you are able to source a set at or very close to RRP.
