Is the LEGO Winnie the Pooh (21326) a Good Investment Set?

17th May 2022

Winnie the Pooh (21326) is another LEGO Ideas set that brings a classic children’s creation back to life. With it due to retire at the end of 2022, we take a look at it’s potential as an investment.

The set

1265 pieces make up the build, which retails for £89.99 / $99.99 / 99.99€, leading to a price per piece of 7.1p / 7.9c. This sits towards the higher end when compared to other licensed LEGO Ideas sets that have come out in the past couple of years. A significant chunk of the part list is made up of smaller bricks, as these are needed to achieve the angles and little splashes of colour that help given this set its natural look. Consequently, the set may seem quite small in its dimensions for the price.

However, the tree into which Pooh’s house is built still has some impressive height, and overall, the model is fantastic. Its packed full of excellent details and nods to the various adventures of Pooh and Co that lovers of the books and on-screen adaptations will recognise. The charm and idyllic character of Hundred Acre Wood have been very well captured in this model.

The Minifigures

The set features Pooh Bear and four of his closest friends. Seeing as we haven’t seen the Hundred Acre Wood gang before in LEGO form (although we have in Duplo form), all five minifigures are exclusive to this set. I think it’s a good chance it will stay that way, as although there are other locations in the A. A. Milne books that LEGO could recreate, such as the dwellings of many of the central characters, Pooh’s house is the most well-known and most featured location in the stories. Given the more minor status of the other settings, the likelihood of any follow-up sets seems low. The Ideas theme also often includes one-off sets, such as The Flintstones (21316), Steamboat Willie (21317), The Big Bang Theory (21302), and Doctor Who (21304) to name a few, all of which could have deserved a sequel.

The minifigures are simple in their detailing to remain accurate to their animated depiction and are charmingly recreated. The best of the bunch in our opinion is Tigger, as the headpiece looks like it’s just come off the screen, and his black stripes are particularly striking. Given the exclusivity and quality of the minifigures, they’re likely to command a healthy price once the set retires.

Looking to the future

The popularity of a theme is crucial to a set’s chances of rising in value once it leaves LEGO stores. It goes without saying that a theme is popular at the time of production, however, it’s important to look towards the medium and long term. Winnie the Pooh is well known in households across the globe, thanks to the success of A.A. Milne’s books, and the later Disney adaptations. The little bear and his woodland friends have a timeless charm that I don’t see drying up anytime soon. Winnie the Pooh is aimed towards children, which would normally be a drawback for a potential investment set, but he is also loved by adults and LEGO have given the set their sophisticated 18+ branding. Therefore, this set will appeal to current and future collectors.

Conclusion

Investment opportunity: GOOD

This is an excellent set with some very attractive minifigures that are likely to remain exclusive. We are unlikely to see another Hundred Acre Wood-themed set so this may be the only opportunity for Pooh fans to get him and his friends in LEGO form. For these reasons, this set is likely to perform well on the aftermarket. While the price tag doesn’t present the most value for money, here in the UK we have seen generous discounts on the RPP, and anything significantly less than the RPP is a steal in our opinion...

Disclaimer: This article or any others on brickranker.com should not be considered financial advice and investing in LEGO is risky.

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