
Art & Collectibles
Presale listings are already flipping

Music & Movies
Plus special goodies on opening weekend
A custom Lego Jango Fett figure sold in limited numbers last week
Just 200 of the “Simple Man” minifigs were available for US customers
Resellers have flipped the $50 custom for $200
Star Wars collectors had the opportunity to purchase a very limited number of Jango Fett minifgures earlier this month. The catch (sort of) was that these were not official, but a high quality fanmade collaboration between Melnik Customs and GCC. After an extensive hype campaign on social media, the “Simple Man” minifigurine went live on March 15. They sold out fast, and it was just a matter of time until they reappeared on eBay for up to four times what they originally sold for.
Here’s an obvious fact: there’s a lot of Star Wars merch out there. A lot. Over the franchise’s forty-something year history, Lucas and his army of suits have cut all sorts of brand deals.
One of their most lucrative has been Lego Star Wars. As of this publication, BrickLink lists 974 different Lego Star Wars sets and 1,466 different minifigures, averaging out to around 36 new sets per year since Lego first obtained the license in 1998.
And that’s still not enough for fans. Alongside the official productions, there’s a thriving Lego Star Wars cottage industry. Fanmade Lego minifigures are usually produced by hobbyists, but there are a few individuals that have turned their passion into a legitimate business.
Enter Melnik. Mainly operating through Instagram, Melnik is a respected designer of custom minifigs. He edits established Lego designs with additional details, especially for complex models like Stormtroopers or Jedi robes.
Earlier this month, Melnik partnered with Grandpa Clone Customs (GCC) for the “Simple Man” minifigure depicting Episode II badass Jango Fett. With a keen attention to detail from the ground up, these are the most desirable Jango Fett minifigures out there.
Melnik first revealed his Simple Man figure in January, and it had an extensive production process. The minifigure required multiple custom parts and even custom packaging. It wasn’t until March 15 that the Simple Man minifig was finally made available for sale for $48.
Just 200 of these figures were available in the US. After months of waiting, Lego Star Wars fans wasted no time, and all of the available stock sold out fast.
Considering these are edited versions of an existing figure that Melnik sold for a profit, does that make him a reseller? And all the people flipping them re-resellers? Who knows, but we can say that there are a lot of eBay listings for these minifigs.
Right now, Melnik Simple Man Jango Fett minifigs are (re)reselling for around $200, just about four times what they originally (re)retailed for.
How’s that for profit? Because of limited they were customers could only buy one Simple Man minifig, but that still represents a total profit of up to $150. We’ll take that any day of the week.
This is not the first time we’ve covered a custom Lego minifig reselling for a profit. You might already be familiar with the Canvas Don, whose hip-hop inspired minifigs have flipped for up to $100 over what they originally sold for.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s don’t write off bootleggers (and we use that term with love.) Just because a product isn’t official doesn’t mean it can’t be well-made, desirable, or profitable.
And if profit is your goal, you’re in the right place. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on everything worth reselling. It’s a big world out there with all kinds of stuff to flip, but you have to stay informed to stay ahead.
Art & Collectibles
Presale listings are already flipping
Music & Movies
Plus special goodies on opening weekend