Random set of the day: City Airport
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 10159 City Airport, released during 2004. It's one of 2 Town sets produced that year. It contains 928 pieces and 12 minifigs, and its retail price was US$90/£69.99.
It's owned by 1,596 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $682.50, or eBay.
109 likes
31 comments on this article
So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s.
@Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Probably because Lego figured out what we knew all along, that some of those sets were AWESOME.
I mean, just look at this airport. It's beautiful!
Over 900 pieces and $90, and it looks absolutely worth it and more. This set looks awesome, and I'm sure it was a blast to play with, too.
The only downside of this being a re-release in 2004: bluish grays. I would want the most authentic experience with it, which means going 90s and getting the old grays via 6597 .
@Maxbricks14: Weirder still, I had to do a 'double-take' when I saw the year this set was issued; as: I wasn't in Spokane, WA in 2004...so, I did 'a dive' to find out about its...pre-release? Predecessor? Anywho, yes 1994 I was 'there'; and you are correct: it's strange Lego re-released a set 10 years after its first release, and didn't really change anything...:)
@brick_r said:
" @Maxbricks14 : Weirder still, I had to do a 'double-take' when I saw the year this set was issued; as: I wasn't in Spokane, WA in 2004...so, I did 'a dive' to find out about its...pre-release? Predecessor? Anywho, yes 1994 I was 'there'; and you are correct: it's strange Lego re-released a set 10 years after its first release, and didn't really change anything...:) "
I saw the 6 copies of this comment. That's quite the double-take if you ask me. :P
@Zordboy said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Probably because Lego figured out what we knew all along, that some of those sets were AWESOME."
And then they quickly figured out that which many of us refuse to understand, which is that reissued vintage sets don't really sell well compared to modern sets. They sell to a fraction of a fraction of the market. Not every AFOL bought every Legends set. I didn't buy any of them, because none of them were from themes (or subthemes) that I really cared about. And then when I built 10355, and I don't even care about having never owned 6954. Some people will obsess over vintage sets, others won't care about them at all, and for the ones who fall in the middle ground, some of them will care more about the true vintage sets than any reissued copy.
@MCLegoboy said:
" @brick_r said:
" @Maxbricks14 : Weirder still, I had to do a 'double-take' when I saw the year this set was issued; as: I wasn't in Spokane, WA in 2004...so, I did 'a dive' to find out about its...pre-release? Predecessor? Anywho, yes 1994 I was 'there'; and you are correct: it's strange Lego re-released a set 10 years after its first release, and didn't really change anything...:) "
I saw the 6 copies of this comment. That's quite the double-take if you ask me. :P"
I'm telling you, zombie comments are real, man.
What a master set! Love this classic. I remember looking through the catalogs in the mid-90s and seeing this set. And dreaming of owning it.
Even though this set is a re-release, that era holds a special place in my heart. I joined the party too late (Classic Space was my jam originally) but I managed to pick good number of Classic Town over the years. The original airport was one of them.
@Zordboy said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Probably because Lego figured out what we knew all along, that some of those sets were AWESOME.
I mean, just look at this airport. It's beautiful! "
Yeah I agree I didn't mean I didn't like it just that there was a decade between the original relase and it was when Town was transforming into City.
One of my prized MISB sets on display.:o)
All it’s missing is Little Timmy staring down oncoming planes with haunted eyes
@Zordboy said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Probably because Lego figured out what we knew all along, that some of those sets were AWESOME.
I mean, just look at this airport. It's beautiful! "
It's not my favorite airport (that would be my 6392, mainly for nostalgia reasons though), yet still one of the best imho.
And look at the number of pieces, and what you get. A sizeable airplane, a rescue/cargo helicopter, several buildings, and infrastructure (runway, taxiway etc.)
Just compare that with this year's new City airport (which isn't even a bad set, it's just that this offers so much more).
@yellowcastle said:
"One of my prized MISB sets on display.:o)"
So you mean a box on a shelf? :p
this was the third and last airport with roadplates... FOUR ROADPLATES! sigh!
IMHO this is the worst of the 3, but roadplates are so nostalgic!
@MCLegoboy said:
"Over 900 pieces and $90, and it looks absolutely worth it and more. This set looks awesome, and I'm sure it was a blast to play with, too.
The only downside of this being a re-release in 2004: bluish grays. I would want the most authentic experience with it, which means going 90s and getting the old grays via 6597 ."
That's what made it great. There were so many old parts and printed parts released in new colors that are exclusive to this set.
Best Lego Airport ever.
@Tupperfan said:
" @yellowcastle said:
"One of my prized MISB sets on display.:o)"
So you mean a box on a shelf? :p"
Back when LEGO boxes were a thing of beauty.
@Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Also 10151
A fantastic set considering the colours and parts available - would be lovely for City to explore a tropical holiday island with a similar airport - we can dream (not a fan of the 2026 city selection)!
I never really liked the cargo helicopter in this set despite liking pretty much everything else. the plane is great, the small helicopter is great, the tower and terminal are great designs, but the big helicopter..... just doesn't look right.
I won Christmas with this one. The original version was my brother's favourite "drool over in the catalogues" Town set of our childhood, but while it came out late enough for us to know all about it, it was too early to remain in stores into our "save up for sets" era. When it was released in 2004, the game changed, but he didn't get to it right away--so when Christmas came around and I bought it for him, I "won."
I'm pretty sure that was the last Christmas before Mom started a gift exchange program for us kids, where we each had ONE sibling to buy for instead of all of them. No idea if there's a connection.
This was my last childhood set I got before I went into my dark ages! It's very special to me! I was 19 years old and was looking around at Toys R Us and saw it on the shelf. I couldn't believe it had been rereleased! I always wanted it when I was 9 years old in 1994 but never got it. I was an adult now and had some spare money since I had been working a job for a few years at that point, so I splurged and bought it! The last set I got before that was 65153-1 in 2002 with the carrying case. I only built 10159 once and then disassembled it and put it away. I didn't keep the box though which I still kick myself for, but I still have the set and instructions in perfect shape! I fell into my dark ages after that and didn't get another set until ten years later in 2014 when 21108 was released. Theres no turning back now, I'm a AFOL for life!
@Zordboy said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Probably because Lego figured out what we knew all along, that some of those sets were AWESOME.
I mean, just look at this airport. It's beautiful! "
I made a Bricklist on this subject almost 10 years ago called "Classic 1990s sets that were reissued in the 2000s" Theres 19 by my count and I own 5 of them. I would love to have them all someday! My biggest Lego dream is that they would start rereleasing all my favorite sets from the 90s again. I'd buy every one of them!
My brother had this one!
@transamman6585 said:
"My biggest Lego dream is that they would start rereleasing all my favorite sets from the 90s again. I'd buy every one of them! "
Sorry to break it to you, but that's a pipe dream for so many reasons. I mean, sure, there are a lot of Nineties sets that I missed the first time around that I'd love to get my hands on one way or the other, but if rereleasing Nineties sets wasn't very successful in the Aughts, when it meant a lot of people had a second chance to get sets they'd missed the first time around, there's no way they'd give it another shot now, when the sets in question would, let's face it, have no nostalgic appeal to an ever growing part of Lego's customer base. This is especially true when you consider all the molds they'd have to bring back.
@MCLegoboy: Yeah...I had a lot of lag on my end (computer, internet, or both), so I forgot the 'first rule' of the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" ("Don't Panic") and hit the 'post' button a few times. Then had an equal amount of 'fun' cleaning it up.
I have this (well, 6597 ), 6396 , AND 6392 . All the best LEGO airports, baby!
@MusiMus said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"So weird that they re-released 90s sets in the 2000s."
Also 10151"
There were quite a few older sets rereleased under the Legends line, with 10xxx set numbers at the turn of the millennium. I don't know why this set doesn't have the Legends tag (and I don't know why 398 does, since that was the original they brought back for 10021), but your Hot Rod does.
@biffuz said:
"I have this (well, 6597 ), 6396 , AND 6392 . All the best LEGO airports, baby!"
6392 came out the year I turned five, so I wasn't aware of it until the Web let me look at sites like Brickset that had information about old Lego sets, but I had 6396 and I really wanted 6597. Still do, actually.
Fantastic set, as is the 1994 original. And a friendly reminder that when you adjust for inflation, $90 in 2004 for this set and $109 in 1994 for the original work out to 16.6c ppp and 26.7c ppp, respectively.