LEGO 1996 Sets

In 1996 LEGO released 196 sets, many of which today are highly collectable and have proved to be solid investments to the LEGO collector community.

Based on the 196 sets released for that year, the retail value was $3,635.92 with a current value of $30,315.67 for the combined new/factory sealed sets. As of present, the best performing theme for 1996 is currently Model Team which has seen an average annual growth of upwards of 11% to date. All together 1996 saw the release of sets covering 11 themes and 30 subthemes with Duplo having the highest release count of 36 sets.

In 1996, the LEGO Group continued its legacy of innovation, though it was nearing a challenging period in its history. This year saw the company's ventures into digital media, with the establishment of LEGO Media, marking its initial foray into the world of video games and multimedia. Additionally, the Technic line was rebranded to create a more coherent global brand identity. While traditional brick sets remained popular, the mid-90s marked the beginning of a time when the company recognized the need for diversification and modernization to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving toy market.