LEGO Pirate Ship or LEGO Eldorado Fortress – which one makes the better LEGO investment?
Published: 8 months ago
Last Updated: 7 months ago
sets from two different LEGO themes currently available to see whether we think both or either is a strong LEGO Investment. So, which will it be; LEGO Pirate Ship (31109) from the LEGO Creator theme or LEGO Eldorado Fortress (10320) from the LEGO Icons theme.
Read Investabrick’s detailed analysis to see which new LEGO set to add to your portfolio!
LEGO Pirate Ship (31109)
LEGO Pirate Ships have good popularity among LEGO enthusiasts of all ages. These sets offer endless opportunities for imaginative play, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the adventurous world of swashbuckling pirates. From dodging enemy cannon fire to searching for buried treasure, LEGO Pirate Ships ignite the imagination and transport builders to a thrilling realm of high seas adventure. Personally, we believe they are fantastic for LEGO fans of any age, as who can resist the allure of pretending to be a daring pirate, navigating treacherous waters and evading the dreaded fate of walking the plank?
Set Details
The LEGO Creator 3in1 Pirate Ship (31109) offers three different options for building - a Pirate Ship, Pirates' Inn, or Skull Island, but for this we will focus on the Pirate Ship. Complete with moving sails, cannons, and a cabin with opening roof and sides, this set captures the essence of high seas adventure. With three minifigures and a scary looking skeleton, along with buildable figures such as a shark and a parrot, builders can embark on thrilling quests across the open waters. While the ship's interior space may be limited and its armament somewhat light with just two cannons, the sets over a thousand parts ensure sufficient detail and shape for an enjoyable build and impressive display. Also, without stickers and cloth sails, it'll last longer if you take good care of it, becoming a beloved part of any LEGO collection.
Investment Potential
LEGO Pirate Ship comes in a 3 in 1 set which enables 3 different build opportunities from the 1264 pieces the set comes with (10c per brick). There are also 4 minifigures included of which 3 are unique to this set; the pirate captain and 2 different pirates, albeit none of these are perceived as having much value to them.
So, is this a set to add to your LEGO investment portfolio?
Theme Analysis
The LEGO Creator theme is not one we usually look to for our LEGOs investment ideas albeit it is a very large and popular LEGO theme which has been going for 20 years. Since launching in 2004 there have been over 500 sets within the theme, which on average have delivered annualised average growth of 6% which is consistent with the 3 in 1 sub-theme which with over 200 sets again has average LEGO investment return of 6% a year.
The closest comparator we could find within the LEGO Creator 3 in 1 sub-theme was LEGO Pirate Roller Coaster (31084) which became retired LEGO in 2019 and has seen a near 50% increase in value from its $90 RRP (% annualised growth).
Some other examples from the Creator 3 in 1 sub theme included LEGO Bike Shop and Café (31026) which had seen just 28% growth since retiring in 2015 (3% annualised growth), LEGO Aviation Adventures (31011) which had seen 30% growth since retiring in 2014 (3% annualised growth) and LEGO Lighthouse Point (31051) which has seen 60% growth in value since 2017 (8% annualised growth).
As you can see there are some sets that do OK post-retirement, but the vast majority of LEGO Creator sets have annualised growth in the single digits and a large proportion of them are below 5%.
LEGO Eldorado Fortress (10320)
The LEGO Icons Eldorado Fortress revives the nostalgia of the classic LEGO Pirates era, bringing back the buccaneers and blue coats in a modular model inspired by the original 1989 set. This fortress offers exciting spaces to explore and endless possibilities for reconfiguration and play, echoing the adventurous spirit of the LEGO Pirates theme. At Investbrick, we like nothing more than reliving our youth and this set enables us to do just that!
Set Details
A loving tribute to the iconic 1980s model (6276), this LEGO Icons Eldorado Fortress (10320) set introduces new features that will delight fans of the LEGO Pirates range. You can construct the brick-built base and discover its intricate rooms, including the admiral’s office, a pirate prison, and hidden compartments, all evoking the classic charm of the original playset. With modular room sections that allow for various configurations, you can stage epic battle scenes complete with working cannons, 8 minifigures, and a sleek pirate ship featuring printed fabric sails. While the absence of the legendary Captain Red Beard is notable, the lineup of minifigures remains faithful to the original, offering a nostalgic yet refreshed experience. As fans of the original Pirates theme and Eldorado Fortress, We are thrilled to see this great set receive a modern redesign that pays homage to its beloved predecessor!
Investment Potential
LEGO Eldorado Fortress is a great looking LEGO Icons model with just over 2,500 pieces, and also 8 LEGO minifigures, all of which are unique to the set and equate to just under 25% of LEGO 10320 overall value. The 6 Imperial Soldier minifigures have the greatest value. Price per brick is reasonable at 9c. The set is currently exclusive to LEGO.com.
So, should you be looking add Eldorado Fortress to your LEGO investment collection?
Theme Analysis
The LEGO Icons theme is a popular one for us, and includes many desirable LEGO sets, both from a build perspective, but more importantly as LEGOs investments. The LEGO Icons theme is close to 100 LEGO sets having been released now and its popularity continues to grow.
The retired LEGO within the theme has seen average annualised growth of 12%, a strong foundation for future LEGO investments and a theme we think some very strong LEGO sets to invest in will continue to come from.
Some of the successful LEGO Icons sets include LEGO Ferris Wheel (10247) which is close to doubling its $200 RRP since retiring in 2018 (12% annualised growth) and LEGO Downtown Diner (10260) which has doubled its $170 RRP since retiring just over 3 years ago (24% annualised growth).
In addition to looking at the LEGO Icons theme, we thought it would be a good idea to also analyse the set which was the inspiration for this new LEGO set which was LEGO 6276, also called LEGO Eldorado Fortress.
LEGO 6276 is a vintage LEGO set and became retired LEGO nearly 35 years ago in 1990. This LEGO Pirates set had 506 pieces and came with 8 LEGO minifigures, 1 of which (Imperial Soldier – Governor with Red Feather) was unique to the set.
The set became retired LEGO with an RRP of $66, but today is valued at an amazing 25 times that much at approximately $1800! This would equate to an annualised return of 10% a year every year for the 35 years since retirement, a great LEGO investment however you look at it!
Conclusion
This is quite a clear and straightforward decision for us at Investabrick. Whilst we think both are excellent new LEGO sets that provide great build quality and play options, as well as display possibilities, there is a clear winner in terms of which we think would be a good LEGO investment.
LEGO Eldorado Fortress comes from the strong LEGO Icons theme delivering double digit LEGO investments returns, has a hugely successful Vintage LEGO set as its inspiration, has a decent price per brick and some strong LEGO minifigures included. Demand has been strong whilst supply is limited due to it being a LEGO exclusive and the set is currently being forecast to retire at the end of
this year. We are projecting future growth of 14% a year and a value in 5 years time of close to $400 (76% growth).
LEGO Pirate Ship comes from the LEGO Creator 3 in 1 theme which is far weaker from a LEGO investment perspective, and very successful investment sets are few and far between from the theme. The LEGO minifigures included carry little unique value and the set has had a long shelf life, readily available at retail sale and is unlikely to retire until the end of 2025. We are projecting future growth of 7% and a value in 5 years time of $150 (25% growth)
Investabricks recommendation is you head to LEGO to add LEGO Eldorado Fortress (10320) to your LEGO investment portfolio. Keep an eye out for the next LEGO Insiders event, likely to be a double points weekend!
