The five largest ever LEGO sets: 2018 edition

Graham Hancock and Daniel Konstanski count down the new top five as 71043 Hogwarts Castle takes the number two slot on the list of the largest ever LEGO sets

Last year, the LEGO Group launched Star Wars 75192 Millennium Falcon to the delight of fans. What made the release extra special was that it became the new largest ever LEGO set. While Harry Potter 71043 Hogwarts Castle has not stolen that top spot, it has taken a place on the list of the five largest ever LEGO sets.

It is amazing to think that something as niche as LEGO Ghostbusters maintained a place on the list to begin with, but 75827 Firehouse Headquarters has now been knocked out of the top five to make space for 71043 Hogwarts Castle. Here is the updated-for-2018 version of the list, now with added wizardry…

#5 – The LEGO NINJAGO Movie 70620 NINJAGO City

2017 proved to be an expensive year for LEGO collectors. collectors – and also their credit card provider. 70620 NINJAGO City joined the top five list alongside the new Millennium Falcon.What makes the model so notable is that something so sizable and appealing could have come from an in-house LEGO theme, that was originally squarely targeted at children.

What makes this model worthy of its 4,867 piece count is that it is one of the finest sets ever to have emerged from the Billund design offices. It works beautifully as a display piece, but is also packed with fascinating functions and play options. This set goes above and beyond a standard Creator Expert modular to offer a truly satifsying build experience.

#4 – LEGO Star Wars 10179 Ultimate Collector Series Millennium Falcon

While the Taj Mahal might have spent some time holding the highest piece count of all time, it was eclipsed in every other way by this 2007 masterpiece. More than any other product from the LEGO Group, this is the set is responsible for launching the LEGO aftermarket from the exclusive domain of hobbyists into a bona fide area for investors.

Any cliched article claiming that LEGO sets are worth more than gold, uses an image of this set. Its astronomical aftermarket price is hard to comprehend, especially for a sealed copy. It is probably is no small part that that very appreciation is what fans have to thank for the release of the updated 75192 Millennium Falcon, that shows how a decade of patience can sometimes pay off.

#3 – LEGO Creator Expert 10189 / 10256 Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal took the LEGO collecting world by surprise when it was released back in 2008. The LEGO Group had been releasing larger models and even a few based on landmarks since the early 2000s, but this was something new. It was such an unbelievable departure in terms of piece count – nothing released before came close, aside from 10179 Millennium Falcon.

10143 Death Star from 2005, the second place slot holder before this release, was outdone to the tune of over 2,000 pieces. This was part of a new class of sets, occasionally released, with piece counts closing in on 6,000. Until the release of 75192 Millennium Falcon, this set spent ten years holding the title of the largest ever LEGO set. Luckily for fans who dreamt of owning this landmark, it was re-released as LEGO Creator Expert 10256 Taj Mahal on November 27, 2017, with a piece count of 5,923. The additional piece that was added to the set is a brick separator.

#2 – LEGO Harry Potter 71043 Hogwarts Castle

The term microscale can be misleading. It implies that a LEGO set will be small. But when your subject matter is Hogwarts Castle, the expansive location in which wizards are schooled, then a microscale set still requires 6,020 pieces to make it happen.

LEGO Harry Potter fans have wanted an ultimate Hogwarts for some time, but it always seemed a slightly unachievable set in minifigure scale – thankfully, this beautiful new set offers a compromise. Potterheads can own the model of their dreams, but it does not have to be bigger than the room it will be displayed in. What makes this set work so well is now just how expansive it is, but how many details have been packed into the interior sections – the famous house banners, flaming torches and jars of potion all give this the magic touch.

#1 – LEGO Star Wars 75192 Millennium Falcon

It is finally the case, almost a year after its release, that fans can easily own 75192 Millennium Falcon. Despite the unprecedented price tage on this set, fans queued for hours, refreshed web pages and paid even higher prices on eBay when it launched. The prospect of owning the new largest ever LEGO set, clocking in at 7,541 pieces, was too much to resist for many. For months, it was frequently sold out around the world.

It is unlikely that any other LEGO set will knock 75192 Millennium Falcon off the top spot any time soon, as 7,541 pieces is a big number to beat. When that next huge release does come along, fans will expect the same level of quality and level of detail that is found here, in a set that truly deserves the Ultimate Collector label.

To continue to support the work of Brick Fanatics, please buy your LEGO sets from LEGO.com and Amazon using our affiliate links.