LEGO sets generally hold and build value better than Funko Pops for long term investment, especially for retired sets and rare minifigures, while Funko Pops depreciate quickly outside of a small number of exclusive releases. That's not a knock on Funko as a hobby, it's just a different market with different dynamics. I've bought and sold both, and the difference in how each category behaves once it leaves the shelf is pretty stark.
In my experience, LEGO benefits from scarcity that's actually enforced (sets get discontinued and never restocked), a mature secondary market with real pricing data, and collector demand tied to recognizable franchises. Funko Pops are produced in such high volume, with constant variant releases, that most individual figures never become scarce enough to climb in price. There are exceptions on both sides, and I'll get into those below.
Key takeaways:
- Retired LEGO sets, especially LEGO Icons and modular buildings, tend to hold or increase in value years after release.
- Most mass produced Funko Pops lose value once off the shelf, though a small percentage of rare, chase, or convention exclusive figures spike in price.
- LEGO has a more established pricing infrastructure through BrickLink and BrickEconomy, which makes it easier to track real appreciation.
- Liquidity, meaning how fast you can actually sell something for a fair price, matters as much as theoretical value for both categories.
- Neither should be treated as a guaranteed investment. Both are collectibles first.
Is LEGO a Better Investment Than Funko Pop?
For most buyers, yes. LEGO sets, especially retired ones, tend to hold value more consistently than Funko Pops because production actually stops and demand keeps building from adult fans and parents chasing nostalgia. Funko produces such enormous quantities of each figure that only a small slice, rare chases, errors, or convention exclusives, ever becomes genuinely scarce.
I've been selling LEGO since before brick'em existed, mostly minifigures and parted out sets, and I've sold more than $100,000 worth of LEGO on eBay alone. What I noticed over that time is that LEGO's value story isn't hype, it's structural. The LEGO Group has been making sets since 1932, and when a set gets discontinued, it's actually gone. Funko, by contrast, keeps licenses active and reprints popular characters in new outfits or colorways constantly, which keeps supply loose.
That doesn't mean every LEGO set appreciates. Plenty of sets stay flat or lose value, especially larger, less popular ones. But the pattern across LEGO Icons, retired Star Wars sets, and rare minifigures is a lot more consistent than anything I've seen in the Funko world.
Heads up: This is not financial or legal advice. We're sharing what we've learned from the LEGO reselling community.
How Do LEGO Sets Appreciate in Value Over Time?
LEGO sets typically appreciate through retirement driven scarcity. Once a set is pulled from shelves, remaining sealed inventory becomes the only supply left, and collector demand slowly pushes prices up over months or years. Sets tied to major franchises, built in modular or Icons lines, or released in limited runs tend to see the steepest climbs.
Modular buildings are a good example. They're a small, expensive line, a single set can run several hundred dollars at retail, which keeps a lot of casual buyers out. In my view, that's exactly why they hold value so well. The buyer pool is smaller but more committed, and sealed modulars from years ago now trade well above their original sticker price on the secondary market. I'd call modulars one of the most underrated categories in the whole hobby.
Sites like BrickEconomy track this kind of appreciation data across thousands of sets, and it's worth checking before assuming a set will climb. Not everything does, and some retired sets just sit at retail price or below for years.
Why Are Funko Pop Values Declining?
Funko Pop values have declined for most common figures because the company produces far more units than the collector market can absorb, which keeps secondary prices near or below retail for the vast majority of releases. Funko went public in 2017, and since then the broader market has repeatedly shown that scale and collectibility pull against each other.
The Pop line launched in 2010 and grew fast because the format is cheap, recognizable, and easy to display. That same formula is the problem for resale value. When a company can print another run of your "exclusive" figure the moment demand picks up, scarcity never really sets in. I've watched secondhand Funko prices on marketplaces drift down for figures that looked hot a year or two after release, while a genuinely limited convention exclusive or vaulted retired figure can still do well.
If you're set on Funko as a collectible, I'd treat it the way a seller I know treats sealed video game collectibles: buy what you love, and treat any appreciation as a bonus, not the plan.
LEGO Minifigures vs Funko Pops: Which Collectible Figure Wins?
LEGO minifigures generally win on investment potential because they carry both character value and build value, they're tiny and cheap to store in volume, and genuinely rare figures can sell for thousands of dollars. Funko Pops are easier to display as a finished product, but far more of them are mass produced, which caps most figures' long term upside.
From what I've seen, a rare minifigure, something about two thirds the size of an index finger, can be worth $2,000 to $3,000 if it's tied to the right character and condition. That's wild for an object that small, and it's part of why I think minifigures are the single best entry point into LEGO reselling. You can hold a meaningful, diversified collection in a shoebox.
Funko Pops don't really have an equivalent at that scale for common releases. There are expensive grails in the Funko world, but the vast majority of Funko's catalog sells for close to retail or less. If you're trying to compare apples to apples, check current sold listings on BrickLink for minifigures and completed listings for Funko before assuming either side's numbers.
Our LEGO minifigure database is a good place to start if you want to see what specific figures have actually sold for recently, rather than guessing.
Where Can You Actually Sell LEGO and Funko Pop Collectibles?
Both LEGO and Funko collectibles sell well on general marketplaces like eBay and Facebook Marketplace, but LEGO has more specialized options, like BrickLink, that cater specifically to collectors and give you better pricing data. Funko mostly relies on general marketplaces and conventions since there's no Funko specific pricing exchange with the depth of BrickLink.
Here's how the main platforms stack up, based on what I've actually used:
| Platform | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BrickLink | LEGO parts, minifigures, small lots | Best pricing data in the hobby, sometimes called the Wall Street of LEGO. Lower fees than general marketplaces. |
| eBay | Broad reach for both LEGO and Funko | Huge buyer pool, but promoted listings can push your effective take rate close to 25% of the sale. |
| Whatnot | Live selling, building a following | High upside for consistent sellers. I personally spend around $20 per show on boosted promotion early on to help growth. |
| Mercari | Casual resale, lower friction listings | Works for both categories, generally lower traffic than eBay. |
| Facebook Marketplace | Local sales, sourcing bulk lots | No selling fees, good for in-person deals, meet in safe public locations. |
In my experience, where you sell matters almost as much as what you sell. A rare minifigure can underperform on a general marketplace flooded with low ball offers, while the same figure can do well on BrickLink where buyers already know what it's worth.
What Makes a LEGO Set or Funko Pop Actually Worth More?
Scarcity, condition, and franchise strength drive value for both categories. A discontinued LEGO set in sealed, undamaged box packaging, or a Funko Pop with a genuinely limited print run, will consistently outsell a common, well worn, or still in production counterpart. Box condition alone can be the difference between a premium sale and an average one.
For LEGO specifically, I always check completeness before assuming value. An incomplete set isn't worthless, you can often track down the exact missing parts through BrickLink stores, but it does cut into what a buyer will pay. Our LEGO collection value calculator is built around exactly this kind of real pricing data, so you're not guessing at what your own shelf is worth.
For Funko, grail status usually comes down to print run size, errors, or convention exclusivity rather than age alone. A common Pop from years ago isn't automatically worth more than one from last year just because it's older.
Does Storage Space Change the Investment Math?
Yes, storage is a real cost that often gets left out of the investment conversation. LEGO minifigures are compact enough that a serious collector can hold hundreds in a drawer, while sealed sets and Funko boxes both take up meaningfully more shelf space per dollar invested.
I'll be honest, I don't love keeping original set boxes around. They look great for display and can help a used set sell for more, but they pile up fast and most resellers I know eventually run out of space for them. Funko boxes have the same problem in miniature. Mint in box condition matters for value, but a wall of boxed Pops eats real estate quickly.
If you're scaling past a hobby collection into something closer to a small business, tracking what you actually have on hand becomes the bottleneck before storage space does. That's worth thinking through with a haul calculator before you buy a bulk lot you don't have room for.
Checklist: How to Decide Between LEGO and Funko Pop as a Collectible Investment
- Do you want character value, build value, or both? LEGO minifigures offer both, Funko offers display value.
- Can you commit to tracking real sold prices instead of asking prices? Both markets have a lot of overpriced listings.
- Do you have space for sealed boxes, or do you want something compact like minifigures?
- Are you buying something you would enjoy keeping even if it never appreciates?
- Will you sell on a specialized marketplace like BrickLink, or a general one like eBay or Facebook Marketplace?
- Have you checked current sold listings, not just asking prices, in the last 30 days before buying?
If you're leaning LEGO, our LEGO investment calculator can help you model expected appreciation on specific sets before you commit real money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do LEGO sets actually increase in value?
Many retired LEGO sets do increase in value over time, especially Icons, modular buildings, and sets tied to major franchises, but not every set appreciates. Common, high production sets can stay flat or dip below retail. Checking actual sold prices on BrickLink or BrickEconomy before buying for investment purposes is worth the ten minutes it takes.
Are Funko Pops a good investment?
Most individual Funko Pops are not strong investments because production volumes are high and most figures never become scarce. A small percentage of convention exclusives, errors, or vaulted figures can appreciate meaningfully, but in my experience those are the exception, not the rule, across the broader Funko catalog.
Which is more liquid, LEGO or Funko Pop?
LEGO tends to be more liquid for collectors because of established marketplaces like BrickLink and active buyer communities on eBay and Whatnot. Funko relies more heavily on general marketplaces and conventions. Liquidity also depends heavily on the specific item, a hot franchise minifigure or exclusive Pop will always move faster than a common one.
Should beginners start with LEGO or Funko Pop collecting?
Beginners who want resale potential typically do better starting with LEGO, since minifigures are affordable, compact, and backed by real pricing data through BrickLink. Funko is a fine hobby and easy to get into, but I wouldn't recommend treating it as a beginner investment strategy the way LEGO minifigures and retired sets can function.
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