LEGO CMF Series 20-24: Complete Buying Guide

The LEGO Collectible Minifigures line moves fast, and Series 20 through 24 span five straight years of new characters, new gimmicks, and a real shift in how resellers approach the blind bag format. If you are trying to decide which of these five series are worth buying, which figures tend to hold value, and how to avoid getting burned on a sealed case, here is the direct answer: buy for figures with genuine character demand rather than because a series is recent, check current sold prices before committing real money to a case or a lot, and treat distribution ratios as more important than the series number itself.

I've bought, sorted, and resold a lot of CMF figures out of these exact series, and the pattern holds up pretty consistently. Newer series get treated like they are automatically valuable just because they are recent, but liquidity depends far more on theme recognition and how tightly a figure was distributed in the case than on which series number is printed on the box.

• Series 20 through 24 released between 2020 and 2024, so always check current sold listings rather than relying on old sticker prices.
• Character-driven figures with story recognition tend to outsell generic original CMF characters.
• Sealed bags carry a premium over loose figures, but that premium narrows fast once a figure turns out to be common.
• Distribution ratios (how many of each figure per case) drive long-term value more than the series itself.
• A scanner tool can save real time sorting a mixed lot instead of feeling every bag by hand.

What Makes Series 20 Through 24 Different From Earlier CMF Series?

Series 20 through 24 lean harder into recognizable, story-driven characters and thinner, more randomized case distributions than a lot of early CMF series did. In my experience buying full cases from this stretch, LEGO has gotten better at building in one or two clear standout figures per series while keeping several genuinely common fillers, and that combination changes how you should approach buying loose versus sealed.

The blind bag format itself has not changed much since the line launched, but the community around it has. More buyers now weigh bags by hand, cross-reference community identification guides, and use scanning tools before they commit to a box. That means the "mystery" that used to protect rarer figures in a fresh case has thinned out, especially for anyone shopping in a store with other collectors nearby.

Is It Worth Buying a Sealed Case of a Recent CMF Series?

A sealed case is worth buying when you can confirm the distribution ratio ahead of time and you have a plan to sell the common fillers quickly, not just the one or two figures you actually want. From what I've seen, buyers who grab a case purely because "it's the newest series" end up sitting on filler figures for months because they never priced that risk in before buying.

Cases are typically sold in units of 60 bags, though exact counts and inner box breakdowns can shift by series and region, so confirm the specific case configuration with your supplier before you buy rather than assuming it matches an older series you remember. If you are buying to flip rather than to complete a personal set, run the numbers through a haul calculator first so you know your break-even point before the box even ships.

Series 20 (2020): What Resellers Should Know

Series 20 landed in early 2020 and is generally treated as a solid, mid-tier series rather than a standout, with a mix of original LEGO characters and a few figures that lean on broader pop culture recognition. I recommend treating most Series 20 figures as steady sellers rather than fast flips, since demand tends to be even across the set instead of concentrated in one or two chase figures.

If you are working through a bulk lot that includes Series 20 figures, it is worth running unfamiliar characters through a minifigure database before you price anything, since a figure that looks generic at a glance can still have a specific collector niche behind it.

Series 21 (2021): Why It Trips Up New Buyers

Series 21 tends to trip up newer resellers because it is smaller and more tightly themed around original LEGO-created characters than some neighboring series, which makes it easy to underprice figures that actually have a dedicated collector following. In my experience, this is one of the series where checking recent sold listings matters more than trusting your gut, because a few characters quietly command more than their "generic minifigure" look would suggest.

When I sort a mixed lot that includes Series 21 figures, I separate anything with an unusual accessory or printed detail before I price the rest, since accessories and printing variations are a common source of underpriced value in this specific series.

Series 22 (2022) and the "Feel Test": Does It Still Work?

The feel test, squeezing or weighing a sealed bag to guess the figure inside by its accessories, still works to some degree on Series 22, but it got noticeably harder as LEGO adjusted bag packing and accessory placement across this era of the line. I've seen experienced sorters get it wrong nearly as often as they get it right on a full case of this series, which is exactly why more sellers started leaning on scanning tools instead of relying purely on touch.

If you are buying loose Series 22 figures instead of sealed bags, that removes the guesswork entirely, and it is usually the safer path if you are reselling rather than collecting for the thrill of opening bags yourself.

Series 23 (2023): Sourcing Loose Lots vs Sealed Boxes

Series 23 is a good example of a series where sourcing loose lots on marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace or bulk listings can beat buying sealed, because by the time a series is a year or two old, most of the guesswork has already been done by other collectors and sorted out into individually identified figures. I personally lean toward loose lots for series that are past their first few months on shelves, since the premium for "mystery" mostly belongs to brand-new releases.

Before you buy a Series 23 lot sight unseen, ask the seller for close-up photos of any figure you cannot confidently identify, and compare it against a current reference rather than memory, since printing and accessory details are where value differences actually live.

Series 24 (2024): What's Different About the Newest Figures

Series 24 is recent enough that pricing is still settling, and I'd treat any specific dollar figure you see quoted online as a snapshot rather than a fixed number, since sold prices on a brand-new series can swing a lot in the first year. What tends to hold true early is that figures tied to strong existing fandoms move faster and more predictably than the purely original LEGO characters in the same series.

Packaging on recent CMF series, Series 24 included, has moved toward formats that make identification easier for buyers, which is part of why tools like a QR code scanner have become more useful for sorting mixed boxes quickly instead of manually cross-referencing each figure by hand.

How Can You Tell a Rare CMF Figure From a Common One?

Rarity in CMF comes down to how many copies of that exact figure were packed per case relative to the others, not how the figure looks or how much you personally like it. A figure can look plain and still be genuinely scarce, while a flashy-looking figure can be one of the most common in the whole series, so distribution data and current sold prices are the only reliable signal.

Series	Release Year	Typical Buying Approach	Reseller Note
Series 20	2020	Loose lots or verified sealed cases	Even demand across most figures, few clear chase pieces
Series 21	2021	Loose, prioritize printed detail figures	Easy to underprice, check sold listings before selling
Series 22	2022	Loose preferred over feel test	Feel test accuracy dropped compared with older series
Series 23	2023	Loose lots, photo-verify before buying	Good for sourcing once initial mystery premium fades
Series 24	2024	Watch and wait on price, buy fandom figures first	Pricing still settling, verify before quoting values

Where Should You Buy and Sell Series 20-24 Figures?

BrickLink is the strongest option for pricing accuracy and for sourcing individual figures you are missing, since it functions as something close to the Wall Street of LEGO for exact part and figure pricing. eBay reaches the widest buyer pool and is a gold mine for both sourcing and selling, but promoted listings can push your effective take rate close to 25 percent of the sale, so factor that into your listing price rather than your ask price.

Whatnot is worth testing for figures with strong visual or character appeal, especially if you can build a consistent show schedule. In my experience, spending around $20 per show on boosted promotion near the start of a stream helps more than people expect, though growth on Whatnot still takes real time and consistency before it compounds. Facebook Marketplace is underrated as a sourcing channel for bulk lots that include CMF figures mixed in with other sets, and it comes with no platform selling fee if you are the one listing.

How Should You Price and Grade These Figures Before Listing Them?

Price CMF figures by checking recent sold listings for that exact figure and condition, not active asking prices, since asking prices are frequently inflated compared with what actually clears. I use condition tiers (sealed, complete loose, loose with print wear) as my starting framework, then adjust based on how many sold comps I can actually find rather than guessing from a single outlier listing.

If you are tracking a growing pile of CMF figures across several series, it helps to see the whole picture instead of pricing figure by figure. Running your inventory through a collection value calculator gives you a running total so you know roughly what a full lot is worth before you decide whether to sell individually or move it as a bundle.

• Confirm the series and figure identity before pricing anything, using printed details and accessories, not just a general impression.
• Pull at least three recent sold comps per figure rather than pricing off one listing.
• Separate sealed, complete loose, and worn figures into different price tiers.
• Factor in platform fees before you set your listing price, not after.
• Recheck pricing every few months, since CMF values shift as new series and IP tie-ins release.

Once you have figures identified and priced, get them into a system instead of a spreadsheet that goes stale. Sellers who create a free account tend to move through a new haul faster because identification and pricing happen in one pass instead of several.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are LEGO CMF Series 20-24 figures a good investment?

Some figures hold or grow in value, especially ones tied to strong existing fandoms, but most CMF figures are not reliable investments on their own. Treat any specific figure as a small speculative piece within a broader collection rather than a guaranteed return, and always verify current sold prices before assuming a figure has appreciated.

How much do new CMF blind bags cost at retail?

Recent CMF blind bags have generally retailed somewhere in the $4.99 to $5.99 range in the United States, though exact pricing varies by series, region, and retailer. Check current LEGO.com pricing before buying new, since retail prices on this line have shifted over the past few years.

Should I buy sealed cases or loose figures from Series 20-24?

Loose figures are usually the safer choice for reselling once a series is a few months old, since sealed cases carry distribution risk that loose lots do not. Sealed cases can make sense if you can confirm the case configuration in advance and you are comfortable holding filler figures until they sell.

How do I identify a CMF figure I am not sure about?

Compare printed details, accessories, and hair or headgear pieces against a current reference rather than memory, since small printing differences often separate common and scarce versions of similar-looking figures. A scanning tool or an up-to-date minifigure database can speed this up significantly when you are working through a large mixed lot.

Which platform is best for selling CMF figures from these series?

BrickLink is generally best for accurate pricing and figure-specific sourcing, eBay offers the widest buyer reach, and Whatnot can work well for sellers building a consistent live show around character-driven figures. The right platform often depends on the specific figure and how much selling effort you want to put in.