LEGO 2011 / Minifigure Series / Series 3 Sets

The Minifigures Series 3 (8803) is the third series of collectable minifigures, released in January 2011 and contained 16 minifigures. The barcodes that allowed buyers to identify the contents of polybags in previous series' were removed, replaced with a system of bump codes to identify the packaging. Each minifigure has its own unique code, which helps collectors figure out what minifigure is in each bag. However, subsequent production batches turned out to feature different bump codes, rendering them unreliable.

2011 LEGO Sets

2011 introduced Ninjago, which quickly became one of LEGO’s most successful original themes and the foundation of a long-running multimedia franchise. Other launches included Pirates of the Caribbean, coinciding with Disney’s On Stranger Tides, the sci-fi Alien Conquest, and Master Builder Academy, a design-focused building program. LEGO also experimented with digital-physical integration through Life of George, an early augmented reality experience. Collectible Minifigures Series 3–5 strengthened LEGO’s growing collector market, while internal employee-exclusive sets like Moulding Machines became prized rarities. Several themes concluded this year, including Harry Potter, Ben 10, Power Miners, Toy Story, Prince of Persia, Space Police III, and BrickMaster.