LEGO Star Wars for Collectors

Ask any Star Wars fan and they will probably admit to owning a Star Wars LEGO set or two. The first set, based on the original trilogy, came out around the same time as The Phantom Menance movie in 1999.

Not long after, new LEGO sets started to emerge following each of the newer movies. Each set included models of the ships, LEGO men characters and various scenes from each movie which you could build.

Recently LEGO extended it's licence with Lucas film Ltd to continue releasing sets until 2011.

The sets also inspired video games based on the Star Wars LEGO pieces.

The Millennium Falcon and X-Wing spacecraft are still to this day the most popular sets to own. Specific LEGO pieces were created to achieve the accurate look of each spacecraft.

Over time many of the sets, including the Millenium Falcon, have been redesigned to improve the accuracy of each model.

The mini figures have also undergone many transformations over time. Obi-Wan's torso and face have changed color, the Storm Troopers have had three different helmet and head shapes, not to mention many different torso colors to help improve their look.

The vehicles are usually the most popular of the LEGO sets and to capitalise on this the Ultimate Collector's Series was created in which each model was more detailed and accurate. They were more expensive that the original LEGO sets (due to more pieces and a higher skill level to build) but still proved popular with fans and collectors alike.

Expanded Universe sets are in plans for the future based on the fictional background of the Star Wars universe.

Most of the Expanded Universe information comes from Star Wars related books, comics, video games and other media which can take place anywhere from 25,000 years before The Phantom Menace to 137 years after Return of the Jedi, so LEGO designers have a lot of background to choose from.

Whether you collect them for fun or as a serious hobby, the LEGO Star Wars sets have become popular with both adults and children and will probably go on to provide lots of enjoyment for many years to come.