The best Ninjago sets to part out are the ones where the minifigures and exclusive pieces are worth more separately than the built set is worth whole, which in my experience usually means sets with multiple unique ninja or villain figures, printed weapons, or elements that never showed up anywhere else. Ninjago has been around since 2011, and because it is still an active theme with an ongoing show, certain waves hold demand that older, retired-only themes never get back.
I started parting out Ninjago sets the same way I approach most LEGO reselling decisions: figure out what the individual pieces are worth on BrickLink and eBay, add it up, and compare that total to what the complete set sells for. If the parts total beats the whole set by a meaningful margin after fees and time, it's usually worth breaking apart. If not, sell it whole and save yourself the sorting time.
- Minifigures almost always carry more resale value than the plastic they're made of, especially in a character-driven theme like Ninjago.
- Sets with 3 or more unique figures or a boss/villain figure tend to part out better than basic vehicle sets.
- Check current sold listings before you cut anything apart. Prices move, and I would never publish a specific dollar figure for a set without checking it fresh.
- Ninjago does well on BrickLink for parts and on Whatnot and eBay for figures, from what I've seen selling in this theme.
- Parting out only makes sense after you've priced both the whole set and the sum of its parts.
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What Does It Mean to Part Out a LEGO Ninjago Set?
Parting out a set means breaking it into its individual minifigures, printed pieces, and unique elements, then selling those pieces separately instead of selling the built set as one item. For Ninjago specifically, this usually means pulling the ninja and villain minifigures out first, since those carry most of the emotional and collector value, then evaluating whether any specific pieces (printed tiles, unique weapons, dragon or vehicle elements) are worth listing on their own.
I only part out a set after I've priced it both ways. That means checking what the complete set sells for on BrickLink or in recently sold eBay listings, then separately pricing out each minifigure and any standout pieces. If the sum of the parts clears the whole-set price by enough to justify the time, I'll break it down. If it's close, I usually sell it whole because sorting and relisting takes real time.
Why Is Ninjago a Good Theme to Part Out?
Ninjago is a strong part-out theme because it has run continuously since 2011, has an active TV show that keeps character demand alive, and produces recurring core characters (Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, Nya) across many sets, which means collectors are often hunting for specific years or variants of the same character rather than a single one-off figure.
In my experience, Ninjago sits in a similar liquidity tier to Star Wars for beginners, meaning it moves reasonably fast on the platforms most resellers already use. It's not as universally recognized as Star Wars, but the built-in fan base from the show gives it staying power that a lot of licensed themes lose once their movie or show ends.
How Do I Decide Which Ninjago Sets Are Worth Parting Out?
I look at three things before deciding to part out a Ninjago set: how many unique minifigures it includes, whether any of those figures only appeared in that one set, and whether the built model itself has collector appeal on its own. A set with four different figures and no strong display value as a build is almost always a better part-out candidate than a single-figure vehicle set that looks great built up.
Larger Ninjago sets, like temples, dragons, and multi-figure battle sets, tend to have the best part-out math because you're spreading the cost of the box across more individually sellable minifigures. Smaller polybags and single-figure sets rarely make sense to part out since there's only one figure to sell and the packaging itself sometimes holds value for collectors who want it sealed.
Are Minifigures the Real Money in a Ninjago Part-Out?
Yes, minifigures are almost always where the money is in a Ninjago part-out, since they carry the character and story value that collectors are actually chasing, not just the plastic. I've said this about minifigures across every theme I cover: something about two-thirds the size of an index finger can be worth far more than the set it came in, because buyers are paying for the character, not the ABS.
When I sort a Ninjago haul, I separate figures by character first, then by variant (different years of the same ninja often have different printing, armor, or accessories), and I check completeness carefully. A figure missing its weapon or a specific accessory piece can lose a big chunk of its value, so I always double check what accessories belong to a given minifigure before I list it as complete.
What About Exclusive Pieces and Elements?
Exclusive pieces worth watching for in Ninjago sets include printed weapons, printed dragon or armor elements, and any specialty molded pieces that were only produced for a specific wave. These tend to hold value with builders and part-out sellers because they can't be substituted with a generic piece the way a plain brick can.
From what I've seen, printed elements are the pieces most likely to get overlooked by casual sellers who only think about minifigures. I recommend going through a set piece by piece at least once before assuming the only value is in the figures, especially on larger dragon or mech-style Ninjago sets where the specialty pieces can be a meaningful part of the total.
Older vs Newer Ninjago Sets: Where's the Value?
Older, retired Ninjago sets generally hold stronger long-term value because the figures are harder to find and the supply stopped growing the day the set was discontinued, while newer sets are usually easier to source but carry lower individual figure prices since they're still widely available at retail. Neither is automatically the better part-out choice, it depends on current demand and how easy the set is to find.
I tend to prioritize older retired waves when I'm specifically hunting for part-out inventory, but I don't ignore current sets either, especially if a wave introduces a new villain or a fan-favorite character variant. Checking recently sold listings on BrickLink before buying anything to part out is the step I'd never skip, regardless of how old or new the set is.
Should I Sell Parted-Out Ninjago Pieces on BrickLink or eBay?
I sell most individual Ninjago minifigures and specialty pieces on BrickLink because it's the pricing backbone of the LEGO resale world, sometimes called the Wall Street of LEGO, and it's built specifically for piece-level and figure-level sales. eBay works better when I have a strong lot of multiple figures or a rarer piece I want in front of a much bigger buyer pool.
The tradeoff with eBay is fees. Promoted listings can push the total take rate close to 25% of the sale when you factor everything in, which is a real cost against your margin. BrickLink's selling fees are much lower, which is why I'm comfortable listing even a $3 or $4 piece there since the buyer usually covers shipping anyway. For figures I think have broad appeal, I'll also test them on Whatnot, since character-driven themes like Ninjago tend to do well in a live-selling format.
Heads up: This is not financial or legal advice. We're sharing what we've learned from the LEGO reselling community.
A Quick Checklist Before You Part Out a Ninjago Set
Before I break down any Ninjago set, I run through the same short checklist to make sure parting it out is actually the better move compared to selling it whole. Most of the Ninjago lots I part out come from bulk buys on Facebook Marketplace or mixed lots on eBay, where the seller is clearing out an old bin without sorting through it first, so the checklist matters even more since you're often pricing blind at the point of purchase.
| Step | What to Check |
|---|---|
| 1 | Price the complete built set on BrickLink and recent eBay sold listings |
| 2 | Identify every unique minifigure and note any variant differences by year |
| 3 | Check for printed or specialty pieces beyond the minifigures |
| 4 | Price each figure and standout piece individually using current sold data |
| 5 | Add up the parts total and compare it to the whole-set price |
| 6 | Factor in your time to sort, photograph, and list everything separately |
| 7 | Decide: part out only if the margin clearly beats selling the set whole |
What Tools Actually Speed Up a Ninjago Part-Out?
The tools that speed up a Ninjago part-out the most are ones that identify and price minifigures in bulk instead of making you look up each character and variant one at a time, which is exactly the bottleneck most resellers hit once they start buying larger lots. Manual identification is fine for a handful of figures, but it falls apart fast once you're sorting a full bin.
This is the exact workflow I built brick'em around. When I'm working through a Ninjago haul, I scan the minifigures in bulk, cross-reference them against our LEGO minifigure database instead of guessing from memory, and run the results through our LEGO collection value calculator to see the total worth of what I've pulled before I decide what to list where. If you're weighing whether a set is even worth buying to part out in the first place, running the numbers through our haul calculator before you commit your money is a habit I'd recommend to any reseller, beginner or not. I also like checking BrickEconomy for a longer view on how a set's value has trended since release, though I still verify current asking and sold prices separately before I buy.
What Mistakes Do Sellers Make When Parting Out Ninjago Sets?
The most common mistake I see is parting out a set based on a price someone remembers from months ago instead of checking current sold listings, which almost always overstates what the pieces are actually worth today. LEGO resale prices move, sometimes a lot, and a figure that sold for a strong price a year ago isn't guaranteed to sell for the same amount now.
The second mistake is ignoring completeness. I've seen sellers list a minifigure as complete when it's missing a small accessory, which tanks buyer trust and often ends in a return or a negative review. The third mistake is not accounting for time. Sorting, cleaning, photographing, and listing a dozen individual pieces takes real hours, and if the part-out margin doesn't cover that time, you were often better off selling the set whole in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth parting out a used Ninjago set?
It depends on the specific set. In my experience, used sets generally don't appreciate as much as sealed sets or standalone minifigures, so a used Ninjago set is only worth parting out if the minifigures inside are individually valuable enough to beat the whole-set price after you factor in your time.
Which Ninjago minifigures hold the most value?
Figures that only appeared in one specific set, or early variants of core characters like Kai, Lloyd, or Zane, tend to hold the strongest value. I always check current sold listings before assuming a figure is valuable, since demand shifts and I'd rather verify than guess.
Should beginners start with Ninjago or Star Wars for part-outs?
Both are beginner-friendly, liquid themes in my experience, with Star Wars having slightly broader name recognition. Ninjago benefits from an active show and recurring core characters, so I don't think you'd go wrong starting with either one.
Where should I sell parted-out Ninjago pieces?
I sell most individual figures and pieces on BrickLink because of its lower fees and piece-level focus, and I use eBay or Whatnot when I have a stronger lot or figure I want in front of a bigger audience. Which platform wins depends on what exactly you're selling.
How do I know if a set has already been picked over?
Check whether all the original minifigures and accessories are listed as included, and look closely at photos for missing pieces before buying. A seller I know always weighs a sealed box before buying secondhand lots, since a lighter box can be a sign pieces are missing.
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