Browse
- Sets
- All Sets
- New Sets
- Recently Retired Sets
- Sets Retiring Soon
- Sets Available Soon
- Set Release Rumors
- Minifigs
- All Minifigs
- New Minifigs
- Recently Retired Minifigs
- Minifigs Retiring Soon
Deals
Analysis
- Sets
- Themes
- Subthemes
- Years
- Most Valuable
- Most Expensive
- Most Owned
- BE 100 Index
- Minifigures
- Most Valuable
- Most Owned
My CollectionSign In or Up

Sets
Basic
Basic Building Set

520 LEGO Basic Building Set

Name: LEGO Basic Building Set
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 520-1
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (17 reviews)

Images 3

LEGO 520 Basic Building Set is a vintage Basic set from 1985 valued at $47 for new and sealed sets, up 260% from an original retail price of $12.95. Annual appreciation has averaged 3.18% since release. Used copies are valued between $10 and $13 depending on condition.

Set Value (New/Sealed)

This chart represents the current new/sealed value of the set Basic Building Set since June 2016. Very high accuracy

LEGO 520-1 Basic Building Set is a Basic theme set released in 1985, containing 165 pieces and 1 Classic Town–style minifigure. It provides a selection of standard bricks and plates along with elements such as wheels, windows, and doors for open-ended construction. The set reflects the 1980s Basic line emphasis on parts assortments rather than defined models. It supports building small vehicles, simple houses, and basic scenes using the included elements.

A new and sealed Basic Building Set is currently valued at around $47, with annual growth of approximately 2%, which is lower than other Basic sets. The average used price is $11 for those in good overall condition. Based on current trends, this set could be valued near $48 within the next year. New and sealed listings currently range from $36 to $55.

All regions

All regions 3
United States 2
European Union 1

For Sale (New/Sealed)

	(US) SEE ACTUAL IMAGE, Some shelf wear, Tape seal on end cut but box glue seal intact, Fac...	$45.00 -3.5%
	(US) Basic: Basic Building Set (520) New Box Has Wear and Tear Vintage	BrickEconomy Choice $49.00 +5.0%
	(NL) Nieuw MISB	$59.48 +27.5%

All regions

All regions 5
European Union 1
United Kingdom 3
Germany 1

For Sale (Used)

	(UK) Used - Complete with instructions no box.	$10.16
	(FR) Used - Complete : YES / Mini fig. : YES / Instructions : NO / Box : NO	$10.40
	(UK) Used - . 100% Complete, In Good Condition. With Original Instructions in good used co...	$10.46
	(UK) Used - 100% complete, minifig great, all parts in great condition - but 1x white door...	$11.95
	(DE) Used - (I13/6) Lego 728 plate 8x11 old light gray from 518 519 520 5821	$12.01

Minifigs

Basic Building Set contains 1 minifig. The minifig is also included in 1 other set.

pln021

Male with Plain Blue Torso

2 sets

Value $3.19

Related Sets


	527 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1987 Pieces / Minifigs 192 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $12.95 Value $44.99 Growth +247.4% Annual growth 4.1% I own this set I want this set

More sets in Basic


	540 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 626 / 2 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	Retail $19.95 Value $96.45 Growth +383.5% Annual growth 3.3% I own this set I want this set

	550 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 569 / 2 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $42.00 Value $359.96 Growth +757.0% Annual growth 5.1% I own this set I want this set

	740 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 516 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	Retail $60.00 Value $307.20 Growth +412.0% Annual growth 4.1% I own this set I want this set

	730-2 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 429 / 2 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	Retail $30.00 Value $122.92 Growth +309.7% Annual growth 3.5% I own this set I want this set

	720 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 334 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	Retail $25.00 Value $250.00 Growth +900.0% Annual growth 5.4% I own this set I want this set

	350-2 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 311 / 4 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $14.95 Value $311.56 Growth +1984.0% Annual growth 8.8% I own this set I want this set

	530 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 269 / 2 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	Retail $14.95 Value $99.75 Growth +567.2% Annual growth 3.8% I own this set I want this set

	340 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 214 / 2 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $2.95 Value $75.91 Growth +2473.2% Annual growth 8.2% I own this set I want this set

	1962 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 211 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $15.00 Value $224.03 Growth +1393.5% Annual growth 6.8% I own this set I want this set

	1520 Basic Building Set with Storage Case Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 210 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay Bricklink	Retail $16.49 Value $205.82 Growth +1148.2% Annual growth 6.4% I own this set I want this set

	330 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 156 / 2 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay Bricklink	Retail $9.95 Value $118.06 Growth +1086.5% Annual growth 6.2% I own this set I want this set

	510 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 106 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $3.50 Value $63.40 Growth +1711.4% Annual growth 6.7% I own this set I want this set

	320 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 77 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $7.97 Value $45.84 Growth +475.2% Annual growth 4.0% I own this set I want this set

	508 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 66 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	Retail $4.95 Value $21.94 Growth +343.2% Annual growth 2.4% I own this set I want this set

	310-4 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 46 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $5.00 Value $34.52 Growth +590.4% Annual growth 2.9% I own this set I want this set

	504 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 41 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $3.95 Value $44.07 Growth +1015.7% Annual growth 4.6% I own this set I want this set

	1548-2 Helicopter Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 36 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	promotional Value $173.80 Annual growth 5.6% I own this set I want this set

	1562-2 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 32 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $4.00 Value $13.90 Growth +247.5% Annual growth 3.1% I own this set I want this set

	1965 Building Set Trial Size Offer Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 32 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay Bricklink	Retail $1.50 Value $125.00 Growth +8233.3% Annual growth 14.0% I own this set I want this set

	304 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 31 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $2.00 Value $15.31 Growth +665.5% Annual growth 3.6% I own this set I want this set

	308-2 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 30 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay Bricklink	Retail $3.00 Value $25.00 Growth +733.3% Annual growth 5.3% I own this set I want this set

	1964 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 27 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay	Retail $1.49 Value $24.43 Growth +1539.6% Annual growth 7.1% I own this set I want this set

	1546 Aircraft Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces / Minifigs 26 / 1 Availability Retired Buy this set at Bricklink	promotional Value $100.08 Annual growth 10.4% I own this set I want this set

	1551 Duck Theme Basic Year 1985 Pieces 6 Availability Retired Buy this set at eBay Bricklink	Retail $0.40 Value $5.00 Growth +1150.0% Annual growth 8.7% I own this set I want this set

	293-2 Basic Building Set Theme Basic Year 1985 Availability Retired	Retail $7.00 I own this set I want this set

My Collection

I own this set

I want this set

Set Details

Set number

520-1

Name

Basic Building Set

Theme

Basic

Year

1985

Availability

Retired

Pieces

165 (PPP $0.08)

Minifigs

1 (Value $3.19)

Set Pricing

Retail price

$12.95

New/Sealed

Value

$46.65

Growth

+260.23%

Annual growth

+3.18%

90-day change

8.23%

Used

Value

$10.77

Range

$10.46 - $12.92

Quick Buy

eBay

Buy

Lowest price

$49.00

Bricklink

Buy

Lowest price

$29.99

Highest price

$59.48

*Listings are for new/sealed sets.

Set Predictions

New/Sealed

Today's value

$46.65

1 year forecast

$48.13+3.18%

5 year forecast

$53.99+15.74%

$51

$56

520 Basic Building Set is projected to be valued between $51 - $56 within five years.

Insights

Retired Basic set Basic Building Set, from the Basic theme, dates to the 1980s and draws value mainly from nostalgia and completeness, and its long production run and generic parts mix limit scarcity and keep appreciation modest compared with stronger, more unique themes.

Set Facts

The included minifigure features the standard Classic Town proportions and printing common to mid-1980s basic assortments.
The set’s wheels and window elements enable both vehicle construction and simple architectural models.
The assortment is representative of the Basic line’s focus on unrestricted building, offering parts rather than model-specific instructions.

Basic Building Set Reviews

17 ratings

4.5

Collectors

Investors

Theme Analysis

Basic

Sets

402

Years

1972 - 2003

Annual growth

+3.89% (this set +3.18%)

This set's annual growth (CAGR) vs. subtheme

Community Stats

Basic Building Set currently ranks #38 out of the top most owned sets in Basic.

#1Building Plate, Green

#2X-Large Baseplate Grey

#3Brick Separator, Green

#4Universal Building Set

#5Basic Building Set

#38Basic Building Set

#39Helicopter

#40Cargo Ship

About Basic

The LEGO Basic theme, which began in the 1970s, was designed to be a more general, non-thematic series of sets. Unlike the themed sets that revolve around specific stories, characters, or concepts (e.g., space, city, or pirates), the Basic theme provided a collection of standard LEGO bricks and pieces, often in a variety of colors. The goal was to encourage free building and creativity without the confines of a specific theme or narrative.

Set Pricing Models

BrickEconomy uses a number of methods to determine the value of a set.

New/Sealed

Machine Learning/AI Model

Value (today)

$46.65

Value (in a year)

$48.13

Value (in 2 years)

$49.62

Accuracy

0.960400 Very high

Statistical Model

Value (today)

$49.76

Value (in a year)

$50.06

Value (in two years)

$50.37

Accuracy

0.202454 Very low

Used

Machine Learning/AI Model

Value (today)

$10.77

Value (low range)

$10.46

Value (high range)

$12.92

Accuracy

0.905400 High

To learn more about how we calculate pricing and forecasting, check out our article on BrickEconomy’s Approach to LEGO Pricing and Future Value Predictions.

Region · United States (USD)

Theme · Light

Explore

Sets Minifigs Deals

About Us

About BrickEconomy Contact Us Support Us

Helpful Links

FAQs Widgets Sitemap

Follow BrickEconomy

Facebook

Twitter/X

Instagram

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the brick and knob configurations are trademarks and/or copyrights of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.
BrickEconomy, the BrickEconomy logo and all content not covered by The LEGO Group's copyright is, unless otherwise stated, ©2026 BrickEconomy.

Change Region

Changes the pricing currency and date formats to a specific region. Adjusts pricing and date formats to region.