Why is the LEGO Set 21021 Marina Bay Sands $1,000?

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By RC Staff

29 June 2023

This 600 piece LEGO set from 2013 may not strike you as anything special, but trust us, it is. Collectors were fighting over it after it released, and it has gone down in history as one of the rarest and most exclusive LEGO sets ever produced. The aftermarket for the Marina Bay Sands LEGO set reinforces this, as sealed sets can resell for more than a thousand dollars nearly ten years after release. A recent LEGO set features the Marina Sands Hotel, but this was not nearly as limited.

LEGO Set 21021 Marina Bay Sands

On the surface, the Marina Bay Sands LEGO set is pretty simple. It’s part of LEGO’s Architecture series, which features famous buildings like the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, and Statue of Liberty. The Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore is one of the most notable parts of Singapore’s skyline, and its construction was a major project for several years.

LEGO first unveiled the Marina Bay Sands set in 2013 as their next entry in the Architecture series. It included 602 pieces and an construction book that included pictures of the real Marina Bay Sands hotel, and a brief forward on the set.

While the hotel is certainly well known within Singapore, it’s not quite as notable on an international scale compared to something like the Burj Khalifa. That may be why LEGO elected to limit the set’s sale. Unlike most other LEGO sets, the Marina Bay Sands 21021 LEGO set was not available in most markets. It could only be purchased from the Marina Bay Sands hotel gift shop, or at a handful of LEGO retailers in Southeast Asia.

Additionally, production of the Marina Bay Sands set was limited to just 10,000 sets globally. You can see why these would end up being a fairly rare set. At the time of its release, the Marina Bay Sands 21021 LEGO set cost $75.

Marina Bay Sands LEGO sets go up for sale

Of course, where there’s something rare, there’s a dedicated group of people willing to pay lots of money to have it. In the case of the Marina Bay Sands set, that number is more than ten times what it retailed for.

The Marina Bay Sands 21021 LEGO set resells for around $1,000, depending on condition. Obviously, sealed and unopened sets will command the highest prices. Opened sets tend to lose a significant chunk of their value, reselling for around $250

LEGO sets are an interesting opportunity for resellers, as the market of collectors is pretty wide and they tend to be willing to spend. Considering many LEGO sets retail for upwards of $300 already, it’s not terribly surprising they’re willing to fork over cash to a reseller.

That said, it’s also tricky to find LEGO sets to resell that are produced in limited enough numbers to be profitable. LEGO doesn’t usually do exclusive sets like Marina Bay Sands, so collectors will usually have an opportunity to buy the sets they want at retail, and skip the aftermarket aspect. Of course, discontinued sets also tend to appreciate in value, but that’s only if you’re willing to park your money in something for a few years.

Want another example of a rare LEGO set that resells? Check out our article on the recent LEGO 40504 Pirate House set. Like the Marina Bay Sands set, this was also a region exclusive to Danish buyers.