Overland Park man’s massive Lego collection must go

An Overland Park man may have one of the largest Lego collections in the country, but now he wants to get rid of it. Here’s why.

[@PolyRocketMatt]

When you are a true Lego fan, look at this collection, and see all of these vintage sets, you secretly know 70K is a bargain...

[@darkscorpion6534]

Dude just his star wars is easily worth 30 or more.

[@darkscorpion6534]

@Nitin the Kiddo true!

[@darkscorpion6534]

@Nitin the Kiddo Thats the way!

[@drewlovelyhell4892]

Yeah, those UCS sets alone are probably $25K.

[@thebrickaniac]

He could honestly get 150k, if not more

[@SiliconSicilian]

I appreciate that the reporters in this story were not condescending as we usually see in similar stories.

[@morrowmorrow4811]

Agreed. Really happy to see that. LEGO is far from just a kids toy. It can be enjoyed (and is enjoyed) by all ages.

[@paxhumana2015]

@@morrowmorrow4811 , et al, maybe the reporters also played with LEGO as children, as well as have children that also like LEGO, and/or maybe even have LEGO building as hobbies themselves now?

[@justingates4985]

It's kind of absurd that anyone would be so judgemental about what people choose to be into...so the guy buys LEGOs...and most of the people who will judge him for it, are the type who will drink or gamble away their paychecks and have jack shit to show for it...at least this dude has LEGOs he can resell later when he's done with them.

[@bennyboiart7781]

@@morrowmorrow4811 well, not *all* ages... 👀

[@owyemen9367]

@@bennyboiart7781 when you turn 100 you cant play its 7-99

[@batja2719]

It must hurt him very deeply to get rid of his collection.

[@cantthinkofnameyeah7249]

This is my plan do everything I want and then get rid of it. Keeping material items all collected up in a basement your whole life just doesn't extract alot of value

[@lemarz8006]

@@cantthinkofnameyeah7249 exactly what i want to do as well he enjoyed his collection while he had it, time to move on to new things

[@patrickcarpenter6258]

Probably not.

[@readysetsleep]

He bought his childhood dreams and got enough out of it. Now he is using it to pay for a retirement dream house, and enjoy the outdoors .

[@omeone4503]

I would never forgive myself if I had to get rid of my collection

[@jfortier23]

Bless his heart. Did anyone else notice he kinda teared up talking about selling his LEGO collection to help pay for their retirement home?

[@Monacomaverick]

Sounds like he is escaping the bullshit of the US through ex-patriation. I wish him the best.

[@baldasurf]

@@Monacomaverick You are mostly correct. Thank you for your well wishes. We are making our big move this October.

[@baldasurf]

It was hard to let go of, but it was time. The upkeep on the collection (constant dusting and cleaning) was taking the fun out of the hobby for me and I was running out of space again. Plus the opportunity to retire early to my home in Ecuador came up.

[@jfortier23]

@graf balda were you able to sell the entire collection?

[@baldasurf]

@@jfortier23 Yes I was. Last spring it sold for close to my asking price.

[@Mick_Au]

I think when he sells everything and moves after a while regret will set in and he will be lost without his collection.

[@Luka1180]

Truly.

[@Jon_Doe]

He recently sold it , n killed himself 2 days after

[@fardinsajid5105]

Jon Doe wait really? Or is this a joke. I might be missing the joke here

[@AtAchilles]

Jon Doe I need confirmation that’s a bold claim

[@baldasurf]

@@fardinsajid5105 It's a joke and one in very poor taste. I assure you this did not happen as I am the one featured in the video.

[@fleppie75]

So his last days, sitting there looking at the sunset from his new house.....with tears in his eyes and only seeing a lego sun going down into a blue bricked sea....

[@baldasurf]

No tears what so ever, but I will be watching the sunset from my home there. No regrets at all about selling the collection.

[@andysmith1996]

@@baldasurf Did you manage to sell it? And, if so, for a price you were happy with? And did you keep your original bus and castle system?

[@baldasurf]

@@andysmith1996 I did sell it last spring. I got close to my asking price. I kept the bus and 2 other sets but not the castle.

[@andysmith1996]

@@baldasurf Congratulations and best wishes for the future. I envy you your early retirement, though I have to say I worry about how sea-level rises may affect your house, being so close to the sea.

[@baldasurf]

@@andysmith1996 Thank you for your best wishes. I just turned 50 last month and this is all really exciting for us. We are making our big move this October. Sea level rise is definitely a concern, but more concerning are the possibility of earthquakes and tsunamis as Ecaudor's coast is on the ring of fire. Take care.

[@Zachbryan4life_]

I think 70,000 is a decent price but I would sell it for way more.

[@omnitheus5442]

He is rally reasonable. Those castle sets are worth big dollars now. Best unboxed condition I've seen! I bet there was a bidding war in the end...

[@Luka1180]

It's 100% worth more technically.

[@misusaki8980]

If I had the money I would pay 250k

[@baldasurf]

@@omnitheus5442 There was a little negotiation on my asking price, but no bidding war.

[@morrowmorrow4811]

@@baldasurf Wow! Just watched this video and was checking out the comments. So cool to see you answered one just recently. Much respect to the collection and work it took to build that up Graf, I hope you and your wife enjoy Ecuador or wherever life is taking you.

[@stephenpatterson2860]

Get you a soulmate who supports your hobbies like this man's wonderful wife, wow.

[@baldasurf]

I am very lucky to have such a wonderful wife who supports my hobbies. We are always on the same page when it comes to things like this including our move to Ecuador.

[@benvoliothefirst]

@@baldasurf I hope you get more than you're asking, and best of luck in Ecuador!

[@baldasurf]

@@benvoliothefirst Thank you. I sold it last spring for close to my asking price to a local collector. We make our big move this October. Pandemic delayed things a bit.

[@flapflapflapflap]

HAH! Like that'll happen!

[@baldasurf]

@@benvoliothefirst Thank you. I sold it for a little less that what I was asking.

[@brandonlau183]

You could probably get 150k for that collection if you listed everything and did it well.

[@blakesejarma]

Except the people with that amount of cash don’t buy things like this. So no you can’t get 150k for it. 3k sets take a year or more to sell.

[@evagineer9165]

@@blakesejarma True tbh 70k was a great bargain

[@mh1066]

Can you give tips on that, or links to tips that really work? Asking for a friend (for real).

[@studebricker2845]

Exactly. He didn't plan very well. Acts like he needed the money then rushes and loses thousands.

[@OatmealDonk]

"most spouses wouldn't be supportive of a collection this large". Then they're bad spouses. Find someone else.

[@Tim.Hammer]

Boom, and there you have it. Marry someone who supports your hobbies and passions, or it will be a long road. I'm fortunate enough to have a wife who trusts my judgment with my hobbies - rightly so, since I'm extremely frugal.

[@jangounchained5279]

Bruhhhh even 100k is a bargain change for this treasure !!!! 😱

[@reillykoyl6046]

I would at least keep the castle set, it seems that has particular sentimental value to it and it could be an homage to his work in the new house.

[@baldasurf]

The castle set was a favorite and probably one of my favorite themes as well. However, in the end I chose to keep 3 sets that were the actual ones from my childhood and the castle one was not one of those unfortunately.

[@will4282]

Glad you kept some, man! Loved seeing this collection and tour

[@imbatman9845]

do you want LEGOs or live near corse, rough and irritating sand, that gets everywhere

[@yungreezy.]

When I dump my Legos out there’s lots of dust on the floor that’s the sand I guess

[@legoloser8688]

*Lego. It’s not Legos’, that’s like saying foods’. You wouldn’t say that’s a lot of foods, you would say that’s a lot of food, and the same with Lego!

[@honesteagle98]

What do you think Bruce Wayne?

[@emanuelrivera8048]

Some people like the beach life, plus he’s getting a bargain there, Ecuador’s uses the dollar so they are good!

[@legoloser8688]

@@UltraMagaFan But Lego is a brand so you wouldn’t say ‘Legos’

[@electrozapo4004]

He should keep the first set he ever had as a memory to the collection I could never sell my first set

[@baldasurf]

I did keep it along with 2 others. My very first set was the London bus as seen in the video.

[@yourfriendlyneighborhoodpi6655]

The fact he has to get rid of them made every true Lego fan sad

[@jazer75]

As an AFOL myself, I can only imagine the pain he feels at letting all this go

[@bradyg5547]

if i had that much lego and my gf didnt like it, id be selling her before my lego

[@undead.rising]

This should be the top comment! I completely agree!

[@friends4956]

Did you not watch the video? His gf didn’t mind it but he wanted to sell it all for a nice home

[@baldasurf]

@@friends4956 Exactly. My wife was completely on board with my hobby for all those years and completely on board with selling it.

[@charlesesseltine7054]

My wife adopted my LEGO hobby. If I were to honestly suggest selling ours, she'd offer to sell me first.

[@smallbluemachine]

How much for? Have you had her appraised?

[@leviathan19]

My heart broke a little, what an amazing collection... I always wanted the monorail as a kid and some of the sets I saw

[@franzyland]

I still have that motorcycle shop set from my childhood. I'll be 50 this year. It's my favorite.

[@TrueLegoXman]

The news whenever they see a Lego collection: "this is the largest Leto collection ever"

[@baldasurf]

I don't believe it was ever stated that mine was the largest collection ever. Far from it I'm sure. I had been told by many other enthusiasts that this was one of the larger collections in the US.

[@johncox9868]

My collection is bigger. Meh!

[@Techmonies92]

2:24 you can see and hear the sadness he feels behind his voice

[@cjp1599]

I got the yellow castle in 80 when it came out in the United States... the yellow castle is always said to have released in the 70's but as a youth collector I spent two years collecting all the space sets, until castle was releases. Then I quit space and started to collect all the castle sets.

[@kempstonj]

I got it too, in the early 80s, in Europe. I remember the hinged walls.

[@MichaelMakesMistakes]

I recognize a lot of those from my childhood! Great story!

[@baldasurf]

Thank you.

[@DrMcBrick]

This is a great collection. As a Lego Collector myself, I enjoyed watching this video. He’s definitely got some things I’ve been looking for! Great segment!

[@jasonkowaski5411]

My friend recently got me a lego star wars boba fett helmet for my birthday and little did I know he would single handedly start a chain reaction between all 4(including me) friends making me buy several star wars lego sets and even the lego architecture sets my other friend went into the lego Idea/space sets as for the other he went into the Technic sets and the one that started it all went into the Marvel sets no matter how old you are you just cant go wrong with legos their a fun and neat project to work on and were all in our 20s I cant imagine how it mustve felt for this guy starting as a kid mustve been an awesome childhood I hope he gets what he wants for them he deserves every penny's worth for each lego he has

[@Mike-pj1kv]

How can he just Le'go of his Lego?

[@lachlanomalley3035]

Mike this is great 😂😂🤣🤣

[@ColoradoCactus]

Too soon

[@Cruxial_]

Dad jokes 101

[@eustacebagge6852]

Clever

[@baldasurf]

That's a good one!

[@mattskustomkreations]

I managed to keep all my original childhood LEGO from the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. Now with a young son, I’ve combined his LEGO with mine for the videos I feature. It’s fun to use ooooold parts in new builds!

[@LemonTweast]

I love the 1980's and 1990's LegoLand and Lego System sets.

[@mikeross5836]

Love seeing your collection kept saying to myself i have that one and that one ooh that one looks so cool. It’s amazing what they can do with LEGO now!

[@TheChoppip]

70k seems like a steal-

[@emanuelrivera8048]

We all know this is being let go for a bargain, but he’s smart, his asking price is what humbles us all!

[@baldasurf]

I wanted the sale to be a 'win, win'. The buyer got a heck of a deal and I made a healthy profit off of my investment.

[@masterprocrastinator8521]

You can really hear this man's passion/love of his collection in his voice

[@Radzior]

Lego sets are holding value pretty nicely over time and makes it very good investment opportunity for the future.

[@baldasurf]

LEGO have been one of the best investments I've ever made.

[@Christopher-rw2bp]

I'd gladly take that collection and cherish it, and make sure it'd be maintained if he ever wanted to visit it again

[@MoneyMarcMes]

He's just like me!!!! I'm a mechanic myself and have a massive Lego collection especially Lego technic.

[@baldasurf]

Glad I'm not the only mechanic/LEGO enthusiast out there!

[@ShadowFrosty101]

U know you found ur soulmate when she likes LEGO as well 😳

[@brix_max]

I know what some of these sets are worth and my mouth just stood open the whole time!

[@martinsuper4545]

The problem is he is collecting so many themes. He needs to sell the Star Wars as one lot, the castle as another, and the city as a third lot.

[@midnight4456]

I am just a kid but I been building since 7 and I would love to have a collection of my own when I grow up

[@baldasurf]

Keep building and working hard and you will someday.

[@XaeeD]

Dibs on those pirate ships on the top shelf!

[@survivaloftheidiots6239]

Awesome video

[@BobotPlayzBobotRebel]

If I had that collection selling em all would be the last thing I do. Hot damn I wished I had a collection like that. Since I was a kid I loved Lego and I still do to this day.

[@erinplocinski7590]

I could only dream of a LEGO city and all these sets and stuff to have.

[@MythicBricks]

I’ll take it 😂👌

[@brickblastproductions6498]

Yep my saleucami moc will finally be complete! I’m subscribed to your channel great stuff! 👍

[@PremiereEntertainment]

I would love to have the collection if i could ever afford it :(

[@BrickTsar]

Everybody thinks they can make money selling LEGO then they don’t want to do the work. Nobody is going to pay full market value. That’s not how it works. If he wants too dollar he will have to do what he doesn’t want to do - sell individually.

[@alexnunes]

I agree, selling these would be a full time job.

[@baldasurf]

I actually sold the entire collection to one person shortly after this aired. I got very close to my asking price. I figured it didn't hurt to try and sell the collection as a whole. And it worked and I made a lot of money.

[@Hunter-ox6kh]

@@baldasurf Congratulations on doing so! I’m sure you must have been very happy having all that lego throughout your life. But like all things there comes a time to part ways so just remember how great it was to say you created this collection. You should keep one of your favorites as a way to remind yourself 🙂

[@baldasurf]

@@Hunter-ox6kh I actually kept 6 of my original sets from my childhood.

[@undead.rising]

Wow... BrickTsar and Alex Nunes on the same comment thread - now this is something!

[@williamsmith4414]

I'd like 2 try & build something like this, even more urbanized, but smaller scale

[@dr.g2]

omg 🥺 this collection runs deep man

[@buildup3592]

Bloody beautiful

[@baldasurf]

Thank you.

[@csharp57]

Lego can be very expensive and addictive. Keep them dust free can be a nightmare. I've promised myself I wouldn't create a "city". I'm limiting myself to a few themes. I want to enjoy each lego set and not collect simply to collect. I've walked away from many things in my life. Lego wouldn't be too difficult

[@PirateCat822]

I made an outpost,and put it on top of a wardrobe it's getting dust

[@Emu-]

You kinda make it sound like adopting a puppy, or your first time driving.

[@baldasurf]

Keeping them clean was becoming a nightmare. I would do one shelf each week and then move onto another one the next week and so on. It was never-ending and taking the fun out of the hobby for me. The money I got for the collection made it pretty easy to part with.

[@csharp57]

@@baldasurf Did you sell all?

[@baldasurf]

@@csharp57 Yes. A local individual bought the entire collection last spring for close to my asking price.

[@matthewhahn1132]

I love your collection

[@baldasurf]

Thank you!

[@JulioPlayzHdez]

Mrbeast should buy it for 300k

[@Dark-uj2jq]

This was a pretty nice story. Thanks news.

[@jasonwalding9402]

Bigger story here is that their retirement funds are not enough to live here and the only choices are to move to equador so they can survive into the senior years.

[@twist58]

I own most of those modular buildings he has (Pet Shop, Brick Bank, Assembly Square, Palace Cinema). Never opened any of them and just kept for display only.

[@blakesejarma]

Sorry to hear that.

[@AlbertoDsign]

So you just kept for display... the boxes unopened? You know the sets themselves have more display value, plus provide more fun than some cardboard, right? I mean, if it's just the boxes you want, I'd gladly accept their contents...

[@twist58]

@@AlbertoDsign I always believed there’s a collector’s value if you keep unopened sets and intend to sell them somewhere down the line.

[@ppekaaa]

i couldn’t do that ever if u told me you’d give me 10000000 bucks i couldn’t do that

[@-CornOnTheCob-]

ugchunk yes me too!

[@b34513]

I’ll do it and buy everything back plus more...

[@cynthistar124]

@@b34513 you're smart. But how u gonna buy it back they will probably ask higher price? Lol

[@Jasonic_Youtube]

@@cynthistar124 you're not smart, he will buy again from different sellers but the afol will lose his rare lego sets/pieces.

[@mosthatedjasonnnn]

i know some people will look at this like wtf is he doing but there is no limit on fun. i really appreciate his and support his hobby. btw love the star wars!🔥

[@bellerophonchallen8861]

wish I'd kept the boxes all those years ago! I've still got the instructions and pieces for a Lego bungalow with an 'automatic' garage door and a metal car stamped 'Lego' from about 1968, but no box, and loads of trucks and buses with the steering column through the cab. Plus this castle and an early train set....But no boxes.

[@cube4547]

How can someone throw the nice cardboard box away lol I've always kept the boxes (mostly for things like LEGOs or video games) with the instruction booklets, etc. It just doesn't feel right to me that the toy is without it's cardboard box... Most of the time the boxes just have a normal design but other times (and usually with older models) it just looks pretty cool in a shelf, it's memories in a box, a piece of the past.

[@bellerophonchallen8861]

@@cube4547 I kept the instructions but the boxes were surplus, My mother wouldn't have the house cluttered up with empty boxes and I was a kid and they were just toys, albeit my favourite. I still have a Matchbox Motorway road set with the cars in their boxes from the early seventies so I guess that will have to fund my retirement. I always wanted to be a Lego builder but in 1971 Billund in Denmark was the only Legoland and the only place to work for Lego, shame but I did end up in construction as a job, plastering, then brick laying and now hard landscaping, and Lego fed my need for uniformity and perfection that keeps business rolling in now.

[@TeaMollie11]

Wow, a cool story on the news. I like this.

[@Dave-jj3fk]

Wow just wow this honestly astonishes me and I feel for him now knowing he wanted this so badly and now it has to go becuz life takes over

[@thecomicdrill]

I’d love to see an update to this story.

[@flabuloza]

I hope one person buys everything and don't separate the collection

[@baldasurf]

Indeed one person bought the entire collection from me.

[@Robocline]

I can see the pain in him when he's thinking of giving it all up. I bet he's gotten some solid offers but he's hesitating at pulling the trigger.

[@baldasurf]

I sold the collection for close to my asking price. It was hard to part with, but the money was nice too.

[@Robocline]

@@baldasurf I bet it was. I hope you're enjoying your new hose and life.

[@baldasurf]

@@Robocline Thank you. We are moving to our home there this October. Pandemic delayed things a little bit.

[@somechannelguy]

This....is.....the most beautiful thing ever....

[@rob.scalioni]

Oh man That’s my son in 40+ years! Although I wouldn’t mind having that collection myself 😂

[@andrewt.5567]

Everyone says this, then their kid get made fun of in school once for it and quits.

[@justinsane3909]

At least he won't have to dust off that collection anymore. Do you know how difficult that must've been? So many nooks and crannies with lego, lol.

[@Thehiddenmoran]

I always wanted to make a town out of all my lego on a table but I don't have enough space in my room.

[@jvry8c]

lol I want the pacman pinball machine! :P

[@BurntTM]

That's insane.. I am astonished..

[@Rula2020]

even if you got money, you would need whole another house to keep all this lego on display. huge coolection

[@its_santiagos1980]

Honestly if I had to do that when I get old I'd keep a few of my first ever sets I've gotten

[@baldasurf]

Kept 3 of my original sets from my childhood.

[@levihiggins1372]

“Most wouldn’t be supportive of this hobby” yea, you’re right, how childish of me....imma go drink my self into dementia like the other “respectable adults” do for fun

[@mrjonishow]

Now that's wife material.

[@baldasurf]

She's the best!

[@Crimsomreaf5555]

Honestly I would buy some regular grey bricks for super cheap, or tank treads, basically anything military for cheap.

[@Luxius1509]

70k is a huge steal, many many sets there I can see the value up to hundreds of dollars

[@UltraMagaFan]

Honestly someone should turn their old house into a Lego museum. If i had enough money i defiantly would.

[@pamlynch8642]

Oh my...my son would love this....and he wants to turn the basement into a room similar to Graf

[@jopaco85]

I'm so jealous 🤤 The world needs more AFOLs.

[@lancefisher8358]

I hope they do a follow up on this

[@harryl6175]

The pacman pinball machine in the back 🤤

[@TheOneWhoisSilly123]

Great reporting

[@Austen54]

He should keep afew vintage sets as display for his new home. Like the castle or double decker

[@potawatadingdong]

I have a decent collection I'm also wanting to sell soon. Most of it Star Wars but also some 9v train and track as well. I'm anxious about how much it'll go for but I need the money.

[@deliriouschip0871]

he should keep a few of them like the London bus for memories

[@ethant2582]

do not make this man give up his legos. How heartless do you have to be to do that to a person

[@turtl_to_a_T]

@The Mandalorian he probably has slow internet like me lmao

[@legoloser8688]

*Lego. Saying ‘Legos’ is like saying ‘foods’. You wouldn’t say that’s a lot of foods!

[@evagineer9165]

@@legoloser8688 Are you a Grammar Nazi against the Grammar Jews I as a Grammar Allied troop now shall kill this Grammar Nazi

[@legofanzach]

I hope he doesn't feel bad without his collection, or he could keep some sets :)

[@baldasurf]

I sold the collection shortly after this aired and zero regrets. I did keep 6 sets from my childhood.

[@legofanzach]

@@baldasurf ok

[@CalvinWongHKG]

that's cool, i would like to visit his home if there is a ticket to go :D

[@baldasurf]

When I had the collection, I would have families and enthusiasts come over almost weekly to look at it. Was always fun to see their reaction to it.

[@MrPolleyr]

I can relate, fully.

[@Jordotron]

How can we buy one of these?

[@Tmanpuncher27]

Dead ass my dad had the lego castle no wonder we have so many yellow 2x1 and knights

[@Hutchdh]

It should sell for more than that. Also, I would find a way to bring at least some rare sets like yellow castle and motorcycle shop with me if I were him

[@jacobluna305]

This is the real-life equivalent of the dad from The Lego Movie!

[@baldasurf]

That's a good one. My kids would say the same thing.

[@daysofcarnivore]

Just imagine an earthquake

[@user-qt5xh9mt7x]

It's Lego. It would be amazing fun to build it back again

[@legofanzach]

Woah I would take that offer in a heartbeat if I had $70,000+

[@TealKuruma]

Some of these sets worth millions

[@pikachuprime9308]

I salute this man

[@reaganriffle4307]

What an awesome guy

[@IncognitoCatz]

I used to think I was in a small category of people being an AFOL until I went to a Lego Convention in Chicago.

[@Ibrahim-vx5kq]

The percentage of adults who are afols is very low but when they are all in one convention, there's loads of afols Same for any hobbies really You won't know a lot of people who like shooting clay pigeons, but if you go to one of the shooting ranges, it would look like there's loads of people into that hobby

[@curtisnewton895]

his wife is so cool, lucky bastard

[@baldasurf]

Thank you. She is the best!

[@andrewcoe3343]

I love the Duplo background in the News studio. I mean TECHNICALLY, it's lego, but c'mon...

[@baldasurf]

Agreed. I would have chosen a different background but I did not have any say so.