The Top 10 Best LEGO Collectible Minifigures

16th November 2022

LEGO released their first Collectible Minifigure (CMF) Series in 2020 and there have since been another 22 Series, as well as several franchised and promotional editions covering Marvel, Harry Potter, The Simpsons, Disney, The Muppets, Looney Tunes, the LEGO movies, and major sporting events. At present, there are over 700 individual CMFs, some of which are better than others.

In this article we provide our list of the 10 best CMFs, which includes some exceptional and truly memorable figures. Narrowing down over 700 to our favourite ten was not an easy task. We considered uniqueness, quality of design, level of detail, visual appeal, and useability.

10. Dragon Suit Guy (COL318)

The Dragon Suit Guy is the newest minifigure to make our list, having been released in 2018 with the 18th Series. One of the reasons this minifigure is among our favourites is the strong nostalgia value it has for AFOLs of a certain age. This is because it's a throwback to the dragons in the Fantasy Era Castle sets from 2007. However, misty-eyed sentiment aside, the minifigure looks fantastic due to the nice moulds used for the head, wings, and tail. The vibrant red colour also makes him a great figure to display.

9. Demolition Dummy (COL008)

The Demolition Dummy was one of the earliest CMFs, having been in the first ever Series. It was an inspired choice for a CMF as it perfectly suits the classic yellow minifigure colour scheme. One of the best things about the CMF Series it that it gives LEGO the opportunity to make minifigures that are unlikely to ever appear in a regular set. A crash test / demolition dummy is a great example of LEGO giving us something different from the norm. This figure makes our list because of its originality and distinctive, classic appearance.

8. William Shakespeare (TLM008)

Besides promotional CMF Series, such the ones linked to the World Cup and the Olympics, it's rare to get a CMF based on a real-life person. The CMF Series that centred around the first LEGO Movie provided the opportunity to give us two, with Abraham Lincoln and William Shakespeare both arriving in 2014. Shakey is one of England's finest exports to the world, so many Brits will have felt it was about time we got him in LEGO form.

With the semi-bald headpiece and neck ruff, he's a fantastic replica of the drawings and paints we have of the famous bard. The detail on the torso and dark red colour also very nicely portrays a Tudor style outfit. Beside Shakespeare lovers, this figure is desirable for Castle MOC builders, as he makes for a great addition to a medieval-themed display.

7. Roman Commander (COL147)

There have been several CMFs based on Roman soldiers and members of society, with the Roman Commander marking the last entry in this small group. In our opinion, it also marks the pinnacle of LEGO's Roman figures.

The printing and colours chosen for the torso and legs do an excellent job in depicting his elegant armour, while the plumed helmet and red cloak give this figure the stature befitting of one of the leaders of arguably the greatest army the world has ever seen. This figure goes a little way to making up for the fact that LEGO have neglected Ancient Rome for so long in its sets.

Overall, this is set with lots of visual appeal and some decent height, being just over half a metre tall, making it an impressive model to display. Playability is good too and the lighthouse would make a great addition to any LEGO city.

6. Battle Goddess (COL183)

The Battle Goddess was released in 2014 with the 12th CMF Series. We're big fans of historical-themed minifigures and this is one of the best from the CMF range. The figure resembles a Roman or Greek Goddess whose armour is printed in metallic gold, on both her torso and arms, which makes it glisten in the light. She also has a unique cloth skirt that gives her a nice sense of motion. Her spear and ornate shield accessories make it clear this is a warrior not to be messed with!

5. Diver (COL118)

Series 8, released in 2013, gave us the Diver, which depicts a man in an old-style submersible outfit. The main reason why this figure makes out list is the beautiful pearl gold helmet, which accurately depicts the bulky metallic Victorian era helmets. The rest of his outfit is also very nice thanks to the medium nougat colour choice that makes him look like the adventurous Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Antique diving apparatus was notoriously heavy, so two grey 1x1 tiles attach to the bottom of the legs to show the weighted boots. Besides looking pretty, this figure would also make a great addition to any underwater-themed build.

4. Lizard Man (COL070)

Regular minifigures dressed in costumes are now a staple of the CMF Series. The second CMF based on this premise was the Lizard Man, who was released in 2011 with Series 5. Despite his age and simplistic printing, he's our favourite costume-based figure because of the brilliant design. There's a great moulded headpiece, that has only been used with this figure. The spikes running down the long tail, which attaches round his neck, also seamlessly joins those on the head. When the minifigure is viewed side-on, the man inside all but disappears, transforming him into a fantastic LEGO Godzilla-type figure!

3. Mr. Gold (COL161)

To mark the 10th CMF Series landmark, LEGO randomly distributed 5,000 chrome gold figures, known as Mr. Gold, into blind bags. The whole thing had a very Willy Wonka vibe to it. Not everyone likes the idea of exclusive limited edition minifigures that only a lucky or very wealthy few can ever have. However, this is only a problem if you're of the mindset that you must have every CMF LEGO has ever made. Stunts like Mr. Gold create some fun excitement and hype around LEGO, which we think is no bad thing.

Chrome finishes on minifigures and parts are rare things as LEGO is against making them due to quality concerns. No one can argue that they don't look amazing, and this is one of very few minifigures that has an all-chrome finish. As a result of this and his rareness, he is now among the most expensive LEGO minifigures. The 20th Series passed without a similar gold hunt, but we hope the 30th has some suitable fanfare, although unfortunately this is likely to be at least five years away!

2. Lady Liberty (COL084)

Lady Liberty depicts the world-famous Statue of Liberty in New York and was released in 2012 with the 6th CMF Series. She has become one of the most iconic CMFs LEGO have released due to her distinctive appearance and colour scheme. Sand green is one of the best colours in LEGO's palette that looks great in both sets and minifigures.

The minifigure is also incredibly detailed, with some intricate printing on the legs and torso to show all the folds in her gown. The headpiece is made from a rubbery plastic, a material usually reserved for premium minifigures in flagship sets. The figure also comes with a torch and Declaration of Independence tablet that complete a very accurate replica.

1. Hazmat Guy (COL061)

The Hazmat Guy was released in 2011 with the 4th CMF Series. His bright orange protective suit certainly makes him stand out from the hundreds of other figures. Minifigures in bold, unusual colours always score highly in our opinion, but what really makes this figure special is the unique helmet mould. It's incredibly well done, with excellent detail showing the air filtering system around his neck and on his back. The shape also closely resembles those we're used to seeing onscreen in various disaster movies. In addition, his face has a great scared expression, which brings some nice personality to this figure.

The quality, distinctiveness, and versatility of this figure, as he can be used in MOCs based on a range of themes, is the reason he tops our list.

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