The five largest ever LEGO sets: 2020 edition

75978 Diagon Alley has been announced for the LEGO Harry Potter theme and entered the top five largest LEGO sets of all time – Graham Hancock counts down the new top five

Two years ago, LEGO Harry Potter was nowhere to be seen on the largest ever LEGO sets list. Now, the theme occupies two of the slots in the top five, thanks to the release of 75978 Diagon Alley.

Fans still know it as one of the greatest LEGO sets ever released, but The LEGO NINJAGO Movie 70620 NINJAGO City now drops off the top five list as 75978 Diagon Alley slots in.

Here is the updated 2020 edition of the top five largest ever LEGO sets…

#5 – 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 5,197 masterpiece that launched in 2007. 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, which shows how a decade of patience can sometimes pay off.

#4 – LEGO Harry Potter 75978 Diagon Alley

Hogwarts Castle is, as the name suggests, a castle. The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a place steeped in tradition, old and full of ancient secrets. By contrast, Diagon Alley is a place that has history, but is constantly reinventing, a lively location that opens Harry Potter’s eyes to a wider world that was previously unknown to him.

While LEGO fans could have taken a guess that the location would be revisited at some point, they could never have taken for granted that it would be a 5,544 piece set. That enormous collection of parts is used to build a whole selection of eclectic locations to delight Potterheads.

#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

LEGO Star Wars 75192 Millennium Falcon was something of a popular set when it launched. Despite the unprecedented price tage on this set, fans queued for hours, refreshed web pages and paid even higher than its official price 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.

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