People collect LEGO for many reasons. Most people love to build the sets, others love creating MOCs. Many of us try to collect a certain theme whether it be Star Wars or Super Heroes, there’s always something out there for someone. While collecting sets, there might be some that many would consider the “Holy Grail” of LEGO sets.
So what constitutes as a “Grail?” It pretty much can be anything that one’s heart desires. It could be a set that someone has been on their radar for a long time. An obvious example that sticks out would be the UCS Millennium Falcon (10179) from 2007. However it doesn’t have to be a rare or an expensive set. It can also mean collecting every set that has been released for a certain theme. Grails doesn’t have a set definition and can change over time as it constantly evolves to our taste and personal opinions.
Identifying what a “Grail” is gets challenging when one attempts to apply a meaning to it. It could be defined by it’s rarity, for example, popular retired sets like the Cafe Corner and the Green Grocer modulars and the before-mentioned Millennium Falcon. For some, other items like Comic Con exclusives could also be considered due to their rarity. For me, my Grail was the Death Star (10188) but that was a few years ago when I got back into the hobby and have since purchased one. My Grail has now shifted to the ever-elusive UCS Millennium Falcon but it isn’t a high priority for me.
With that said, what are your guys’ Grail set and have you been able to pick it up? To take it a step further if you have acquired it, have you opened the set up and built it or is it safely stored away? Let me know in the comments below.
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My personal grails are 5770 Lighthouse Island and the whole Rock Raiders theme. I want them so much!
Lighthouse Island is pretty great! My wife and I found it in a random cheap lot off of Craigslist, and it was a lot of fun to build together.
I have 2 grails. My first was the Republic Gunship. I’ve wanted one since I was 12, so I was super happy when they rereleased a 3rd one last year (since I wasn’t collecting when the second came out)
My other would be the original Batcave or Tumbler from the 2008 Batman theme. Both are so cool and would be amazing fo acquire, but I don’t have the funds for such an undertaking at the moment
My grail is the “OLD” arkham set and the joker’s ice cream surprise. Have the money to buy both, just hesitant to spend it with so many sets being re-released
My grail is the 10129 Ultimate Collectors Series Snowspeeder. I’ve wanted it ever since I began to revisit LEGO as an adult. It’s just SO EXPENSIVE.
Mine are the Death Star, Green Grocer, and the Indiana Jones Temple Escape.
Easy – Lego 3450 – Statue of Liberty. To have that and then build a custom pedistal to go with it. That’s it – that the grail.
The first wave of Batman sets from like 2003, especially the things that haven’t gotten redone in the current line. Killer Croc, blue suited Nightwing, and Mr. Freeze and Two Face that were replicas of the Batman: The Animated Series iterations of the characters.
Nothing too crazy, but I’d love to have the full Viking series from about a decade back. Was right in the middle of my dark ages.
Agreed, Vikings was popular because it was a change from the more central European style of armor and culture. I hope that after Nexo Knights, they do something like that again. My idea is LEGO Britannia, William Wallace and the kilt wearing Celts versus King Edward “Longshanks” and the English. It gives a new Medieval look with the Celts while keeping the original style of armor with the English.
I would throw money so hard at this. Kilts and Triskele printed pieces yes please!
Not to mention faces with blue face-paint, claymores, shaggy hair, and bagpipes. In general it would look like something that could also double as roman barbarians. I also believe that one of the big sets should be a fortified Scottish town with Celtic thatch buildings and a wooden palisade wall, which is also a change from stone walls. Another idea would be a Scottish festival with caber-tossing and stuff like that.
Truly a man after my own heart. These are the sort of sets I support on Ideas, sadly to be overshadowed by licensed properties.
Ideas covers individual sets. LEGO Britannia is an entire brand.
I’d say the 60’s bat mobile, would like to see it someday and also if they had the bat copter from the old movie would be cool
My currently attainable Grail? 4479 Tie Bomber, last ship I need for my original release OT collection. Just waiting for the right price.
Maybe down the line Grail? The UCS SSD OR UCS SD.
They should rerelease such members of the TIE family. I have the TIE defender, TIE fighter, TIE X1, and the TIE X1 prototype. I could use a TIE bomber and interceptor.
It was 6891 Gamma V Laser Craft (trans-yellow antenna!). Later picked one up and bought a bunch more trans-yellow antennae off of BL.
I would love to be able to have Jokerland. My most recent grail that I got was the Mystery Mansion to complete my Scooby Doo Theme. 🙂
I saw the picture of 10179 and my heart stopped. There seems to always be rumors of it’s rerelease and I thought this was it! Yeah… that’s my Grail…
I had that momentary heart-stopping moment, too. I still kick myself for not scooping up the UCS Falcon when it was 25% off at the Lego site for half a day before selling out and being gone for good. With the re-release of the Winter Village Toy Shop (as well as the updated UCS X-Wing), I really can’t believe they won’t release another version at some point.
Even though I don’t actively collect Star Wars (I have maybe 5 sets and a handful of loose Minifigures), the UCS Falcon would be my pick out of anything that’s been released. The most recent Arkham Asylum would be a more realistic Holy Grail item to track down. I’ve been pretty good about picking up must-haves since my dark ages ended 5 years ago.
My grail is my chrome darth vader from the 2009 anniversary promotion and the Cafe Corner. The reason it is the Cafe Corner is: That set sealed the deal with my passion for Lego. The Cafe Corner got me hooked. I love all of the modulars, that is why I currently own all of them and some duplicates. If there could be a lego set that I could get my hands on it would be the Forestmen’s River Fortress 6077 from 1989. That set has always just appealed to me. I love it. Maybe down the rode I’ll piece it together.
My grail isn’t any particular set actually. Although modulars give that belief a run for its money. I love minifigures, I love collecting them. For the longest time it was a Cloud City Boba Fett and eventually a complete set of Cloud City minifigs. I finally got my hands on a mint condition boba and needed a break from it so I abandoned my search for the rest of the cloud city figs. For the longest time, my grail was a complete set of batman minifigures from the first wave in new condition. I only just achieved that recently with the exception of the two arkham guards (although many would think those aren’t really necessary).
I think mine would be the Emerald Express, or the Santa Fe trains. That, and the new Batpod. So rare…
My grail is the super star destroyer that takes up my whole dresser, and the abundant collection of most superhero minifigures. (I didn’t want any iron man 3/ man of steel sets, and I don’t have the joker steamroller and 2013 arkham asylum.
I would like all the star wars UCS sets….
Mine was 7709 Sentai Fortress from the Exo Force line. I lusted after this set through 2006 and 2007 and I finally got it in 2008 after suddenly spotting it at LEGOLAND Windsor for a reduced price. ‘Twas a good day… ’twas a very good day!
The Taj Mahal, don’t have it nor do I think I ever will
Then again….
Fly and Sail Marina – older set with many cool things going on
Lego shinkai 21100…first ever cuusoo (now” ideas”). ..brand new in box and afraid to open it…
This is my current un-obtained Grail. Oh, and the Marina Bay Sands hotel.
My grail was the UCS falcon but I ended up getting 2, one used and one not! Then it was the Wind turbine (4999) but I got one of them too. The the original Star Destroyer.
For a time I’d just save up and buy off eBay but found I’d do nothing with them, just storeage.
Now “the grail” It alternates between the VW beetle, Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower but I’ve realised that for me there’s more emotion in the desire than actually owning the elusive set.
4000001-1: Moulding Machines
mine is the helicarrier, with motors and lighting
Our grail is the 2014 AT-AT, because it is the biggest set we have and it was a gift, so there was some emotional value that somebody spent quite a bit and gave the set to us. We also have a bunch of polybags that we never opened. We just get a double of the bag and save it, but not for investment. We just save them because we want to, so that collection is also a grail to us.
I’m from Brazil and the LEGO sets are very expensive and often are not imported to here… my holy grail is the LEGO CUUSOO SHINKAI!
Right now my Grail would be the Skull’s Eye Schooner. Although there also few smaller ships I would like to add to the fleet such as the Imperial Armada Flagship and Crossbones Clipper.
The Monorail from Futuron 🙂
SImspon house and kwik-e-mart. Combines my two loves as a teenager. I just have a hard time justifying the $400 purchase
Easier to justify $400 now for both, than $1000 later on!
Previously my Grail was the Taj Mahal, but I bought a used one, and the build experience was quite underwhelming. Now its the Statue of Liberty or VW Beetle.
I managed to bid for an UNOPENED Yellow Castle set 375 from 1978 from a seller on trademe.com. I paid it off at NZ$50.00 a week costing a total of $650. It was MISB brand new and it was my holy grail as I had this set as a kid. I posted images of it on my Lego Pinterest page here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/349240146077264851/
I really loved my set and refused to open it. I was offered $1200 for it by as spanish collector who saw my images on Pinterest. Although I never would ever sell it, I still wanted to take more images of it for him. That was when I could not find my precious set. I looked everywhere tearing my flat apart looking for my set. I literally turned my place upside down searching for it. It turned out that a “friend” stole it from my place and sold it probably for a relative pittance to some unwitting collector. It has driven me close to depression having lost the set as I know I will never find another mint yellow castle 375 unopened ever again. I do not bare him any malice for taking the set and causing me such anguish. I’m sad for him that he would be driven to do this to people and cause such misery. Maybe one day karma will bring my set or another one back to me like it. A close second would be the Green Grocer and Corner Café modular sets as I do not have those. You all have a nice day collectors :
That is so sad… My brother takes all my minifigures and throws their parts all over my house. He doesn’t understand why I hate it so I can’t really get mad at him. I understand this is below what happened to you but I want to tell you that one day you’ll find it. Karma will bring it back to you or maybe even something better in your life. So sorry for you ;(
Did you ever see this “friend” again (or file a police report)?
I’m sorry for my tardy response to your question. It turned out that this perpetrator had been breaking into people’s homes when they were asleep and robbing them. A crime the police here take doubly seriously as they consider burgularising an occupied home a home invasion as well as a burgulary. This guy was the partener of my neighbour I had living next door to me. A detective called me to tell me that he was wanted by the old bill and that they needed help catching him. I reported the theft of my set to him on the phone, but I was more concerned in getting him off the street before he ruined someone else’s life than pressing a complaint on a set that he would have fenced off for a couple of hundred bucks. I knew it was long gone by the time I finally spoke with the copper. I am watching all seller sites waiting for an MISB Yellow Castle to pop up for sale. If it does I will call the old bill. I have plenty of images of my set which will prove it is mine if it does finally come up for sale. The old bill caught him in the end. He was ratted on by one of his floozies I believe and the old bill swooped in and got him off the streets. He is in gaol as we speak serving time for the crimes he has commited. I really hope he changes his ways, for his own sake and future happiness.
Unfortunately my grails include Bucky Cap and the Iron Man with the printed standard head instead of the mascot-head that comes in the set versions.
On the plus side I’ve been in the hobby so long (pre-modern minifig) that I own a lot of sets other people consider to be grails, so I’m not complaining. Much.
For me, I would definitely have to say it’s the giant Darth Maul head. That thing is so awesome, and I was like, 10 when I got it. People always comment on it whenever they see it.
My grail is 6085 Black Monarch’s Castle, but it was too expensive to me when I was young. More recently, I feel a strong desire for acquiring a 10212 UCS Imperial Shuttle or a 10231 Shuttle Expedition
Actually my grail is not a concrete set, is to own all the Lego Marvel minifigures released till the date. I´ve just started to collect them and I´m so anxious to have more and more of them xD
I suppose one of my aspirations is to get the seven founding members of the original Justice League. I just need GL and Wonder Woman. I have not done much for Marvel, I only have Captain America, Red Skull, and the Winter Soldier.
My grail for years was a 100% Star Wars collection, boxed MISB. At one point I had all but 5 (early ones and UCS Darth Maul bust). Then one day the wife asked why and I said “not sure” and then I decided to start selling most of them off to fund my large builds. I am hoping one day Lego put out a UCS ATAT.
My Holy Grail would be of course the UCS millennium falcon and the diver sets from 1997.
I have two grails. One would be the Avengers Quinjet (the first one) as it is so big and cool. The second one would be the now retired Death Star with all the minifigures inside. Fond memories of when my grandmother stopped over and gave us the LEGO catalog and told us to pick out a non-expensive gift. Me and my brother would always flip to the last page and show her this death star with the (I think) $499 gift tag. She would laugh and show us the $10 or less page of LEGO gifts…
The Death Star isn’t fully retired yet. LEGO is making more so it might show up again on Shop@Home in the near future.
Cafe Corner.
And Market Street, Green Grocer and Haunted House too!
The Black Pearl and the Hogwarts Express. Both originally 100€ – now both more more than 3 times ther original price…
I, myself, love 10226 Sopwith Camel. ‘Cause it just looks so cool
My Holy Grail Is Every LEGO Sets That I Build, Collect, & Customized From Power Miners All The Way To NinjaGo!
On the attainable side, it’s 76023 Tumbler. On the unattainable side, it has to be 10123 Cloud City. I remember seeing it on shop@home for $100 and thinking that it was too expensive. Now I see it on eBay for $1300 and up. *facepalm* How is it that LEGO has never made another CC set? Is it solely to punish me for not buying the original?
i got metal beard’s sea cow for x-mas last year, and holy cow, dunno how i couldn’t call that my holy grail. although, ewok village is certainly my new quest.
I am dying to get the Ewok Village … want it so bad but finances prevent me from making it mine at this point in time.
I wish get the Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collector Millennium Falcon 10197 set cashed a 400 dollar for this Lego Star Wars set.
The Lego Star Wars UCS Milenium Falcons set 10197 from the 2007 that 8 years oh gods set
The Lego Star Wars sets is great and I like those.
I see that the Brick Fan about the Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon set is 10197 from 2007.