Please note: all prices referred to in this article are AUSTRALIAN dollars. Shipping is not taken into account.Prices quoted were accessed on July 4-5 2020, and were only accessed from sites that could supply the full number of elements in a given colour. Individual results might vary. Now read on…
In the last few days, since the announcement of the LEGO® Art Series, one of the most common issues raised in a number of LEGO discussion groups has been the price of each mosaic.
So: a quick recap: There are 4 ‘sets’ in the series, and each set has the option to build several different images: The 31197 Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe, and 31198 The Beatles make 4 versions, while Iron Man and Sith have 3 different images, and a super image – requiring 3 of the sets to build. They are built on 16×16 ‘plates on bricks’ (a new element) – and coloured in with either 1×1 round plates or tiles. The finished mosaics an elegant frame, and comes with a QR code, to give you a ‘soundtrack to listen to while you build. These sets are aimed squarely at adults, who are probably not regular LEGO shoppers.
At $AUD200 each, the price feels higher than I want to pay. Especially if I want to complete the ‘set’ and build all four of the Warhol Marilyn’s (or the Beatles; or 6 copies to build the set of Iron Man or Sith mosaics). The truth is, if you want to channel your recreational income towards LEGO, to build your own creations with, you may not wish to divert $200-$1200 to have on the walls.
So, while I will acknowledge that the LEGO Art Mosaics are expensive, there are two questions that I still find myself asking:
- Do they offer reasonable value for money? and
- Could I get a similar same result, with less expenditure?