All LEGO Inside Tour Exclusive Sets and Minifigures and Their Rarity - Part 2

24th February 2023

This article is part 2, you can read Part 1 covering 2005 - 2014

2015

LEGO brought something completely different to the table at the 2015 Inside Tour. The H.C. Andersen's Clumsy Hans (4000020) set depicts a character from a short story by the famous Danish children's author Hans Christian Andersen. On the face of it, it has no connection to LEGO, so it was a strange subject to choose. The only reason for this decision I can think of is that 2015 was the book's 160th anniversary, but that's not the most significant milestone.

While the LIT exclusives are never ground-breaking sets, as can be expected from sets only available to select few, this one fell well short. LEGO were producing some great models in 2015, but this isn't one of them. It definitely has a vintage vibe about it and as a result it's one of the “least desirable" LIT exclusives.

Like in 2014, four tours were held in 2015 with 30 participants each. Each tour received the set in unique packaging printed with a photo of their tour group. Each of the four variants were numbered 1 to 80, giving a total production run of 320. Number 1 was reportedly reserved for LEGO's vault, numbers 2-31 went to the tour participants, and numbers 32-80 went to LEGO employees.

Clumsy Hans was also given away as an exclusive to LEGOLAND Florida Ambassador pass holders in 2015, but in different packaging.

The exclusive minifigure torso reverted back to the design used for the 2010 and 2011 Inside Tours. It is estimated that 320 copies of this part were also produced.

Attendees of the 2015 Inside Tour lucked out as, in addition to the exclusive set and minifigure, they received a bonus giveaway. This was a transparent blue Bionicle Gali Mask (biomask-1), which was limited to 200 copies and numbered. It is assumed that the 80 leftover copies were distributed amongst LEGO employees as there is no information on other giveaways involving this set.

2016

It was back to significant vehicles for LIT exclusive in 2016 with the big yellow LEGO Truck Show (4000022). The model is a replica of the LEGO trucks that would drive around Europe between 1996 and 2004 showing off LEGO's products. I expect it had a similar effect on children as the Coca Cola truck does in the Christmas commercials. I would love to see one driving down the motorway, but alas LEGO no longer uses them.

LEGO have released a few models of these trucks, but this is definitely the best. It features an expandable trailer section, true to the real-life vehicle, and had an exclusive sticker set that gave it some nice details. Steen Sig Andersen again designed the model which has 779 parts, none of which were unique.

Slightly more people attended the 2016 Inside Tour, as there were four tours of 35 people, meaning 140 copies went to the tour attendees. Again, each box had a picture of the tour group and were numbered from 1 to 80, giving a total production run of 320.

The design changed again for the minifigure torso giveaway, with the front featuring an LIT minifigure holding a 1x2 tile with the year of the tour. It is also estimated to have been limited 320 copies. From 2016 to 2018 the design of this torso remained the same, with just the date on the tile print changing.

2017

2017 was big year for LEGO, with the opening of the LEGO House. At the centre of the buildings main staircase is the colossal Tree of Creativity, made from 6,316,611 pieces. To mark the occasion, a much scaled down version was the LIT exclusive, with a piece count of 1,008. The LEGO House Tree of Creativity (4000014) contained six minifigures, three of which were unique, which included Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, his son and 4th generation company owner Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, and a LEGO House figure.

A further slimed down Tree of Creativity was also available to buy from the LEGO House and limited to 10,000 copies.

In 2017, LEGO ran five Inside Tours, which were limited to 35 people each. Each tour group received the set in a unique box with a photo of their tour group. Each of the four set variants was numbered from 1 to 80, giving a total production run of 400. 175 were distributed to tour participants and it's expected that the remaining sets were distributed amongst LEGO and its employees helping out with the event.

2017 was another year in which two exclusive sets were handed out, the other being a BrickHeadz set called Nonnie (ITBH-1). This was also numbered from 1/80 for each tour, meaning it also had a total production run of 400.

The unique minifigure torso that was given out is also estimated to have been limited to 400 copies.

2018

Now it's time for my favourite LIT exclusive, the Ferguson Tractor (4000025). This is a replica of a plastic toy (not brick built) LEGO produced in the 1950s that performed remarkably well and helped to fund their transition into plastic bricks.

The set includes 450 pieces, including two unique 1x8 printed tiles with “Ferguson" on them. Five parts were also unique from having never appeared before in grey. For the large rear tires, it's reported that LEGO had to produce some especially, because they hadn't appeared in a set since 2010 and there was no stock left.

Steen Sig Andersen did a great job as the set's designer, as it has a nice sleek look to it and great accuracy to the source material.

Just like in 2017, LEGO ran five Inside Tours in 2018, which were limited to 35 people each. Each tour group received the set in a unique box with a photo of their tour group. Each of the four set variants was numbered from 1 to 80, giving a total production run of 400. 175 were distributed to tour participants and it's expected that the remaining sets were distributed amongst LEGO and its employees helping out with the event.

The unique minifigure torso that was also given out is also estimated to have been limited to 400 copies.

2019

The LEGO System House (4000034) was the exclusive set at the 2019 Inside Tour. It commemorates the opening of the LEGO System House in 1958 that functioned as the company's headquarters. During the opening ceremony, flags of the countries where LEGO had sales contacts were placed on the roof, and next to them stood the local sales directors, as replicated on the box art. The building is still used today as part of the LEGO Idea House. [lego-inside-tour-2019-3d-printed-element] The set introduced a few unique parts, the most significant being a 3D printing drafting machine (device for producing technical drawings), which was the first 3D printed element to ever appear in a LEGO set. LEGO helpfully provided instructions for a brick built alternative for those who didn't attend the tour but wanted to build the set. The set also contains a unique windowpane piece. In total there are 997 parts and, once again, it was designed by Steen Sig Andersen.

In 2019, LEGO ran five Inside Tours in 2018, which were limited to 35 people each. Each tour group received the set in a unique box with a photo of their tour group. Each of the four set variants was numbered from 1 to 80, giving a total production run of 320. 140 were distributed to tour participants and it's expected that the remaining sets were distributed amongst LEGO and its employees.

An exclusive LIT minifigure torso was once again given out is also estimated to have also been limited to 320 copies. The design changed subtly from the previous three years, with the tile print on the torso filled with white instead of red.

2022

After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Inside Tour returned in 2022. The LEGO Factory AGV (4000037) was the exclusive set. For those not in the know, AVG stands for Automated Guided Vehicles which move around the factory floor using magnets and laser sensors, transporting boxes of LEGO parts. Each AGV moves 7.1 tonnes of LEGO a day unassisted.

The set was designed by Stuart Harris and depicts an AVG placing a lid on full boxes moving on a conveyor belt next to the filling machine.

In 2022, LEGO were back to running four Inside Tours each with 35 participants. Each tour group received the set in a unique box with a photo of their tour group. Each set variant was number from 1 to 80, with a total of 140 being distributed to tour participants. The remaining sets were distributed to LEGO employees helping with the event and it's assumed that four went to the LEGO vault. This gives a total production run of 320.

The design for the exclusive LIT minifigure torso got a bigger overhaul in 2022. The front print remained the same as 2019, except for a date change, but the back printing featured the iconic LEGO duck, the company's most famous wooden toy. It also features the exact tour dates, meaning the torso pieces were unique to each tour group. It is estimated that 80 copies of each torso were made, based on the production run of the LEGO Factory AGV.

Conclusion

While in this article we have only listed sets and minifigures made exclusively for the Inside Tour, tour participants receive other giveaways that are not necessarily reserved solely for them. This includes printed tiles, employee business card minifigures, factory minifigures, LEGO House exclusive sets, mini-builds, and brick-built trophies as prizes for the tour's building competition.

Many people have often criticised the cost of the LEGO Inside Tour, with the 2023 edition costing close to $3,000. This certainly puts it out of reach for many LEGO fans, but if you can afford it, you can easily cover your costs from selling the exclusives, and perhaps make a profit. As demand for the event has grown, LEGO have introduced an application process to try and diversify the attendees, so even if you can afford it, it might take several years for you to get on.

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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