A while back, Paypal offered me €5 credit to simply log into my account (it had been a while). Well, I looked that gift horse straight in the mouth, clicked the link, and sat back to consider my newfound wealth. Specifically, how I would convert my windfall to Lego. As I'd just started a Pirates collection, 6235 seemed the ideal candidate. A few clicks on eBay and a nice used example was on it's way. I had loose change from the fiver.

I had this set as a kid and remember buying it in our village toy shop. The kind that doesn't really exist anymore with a bell on the door, an elderly man behind the counter and little stick on price labels on the boxes. I remember being pretty delighted with it and kept it permanently assembled and proudly displayed next to my Barracuda (when it wasn't out on an epic sortie). I think it speaks volumes that an eleven year old who was fortunate enough to have some large sets still really enjoyed this small one. It's a great little set.

I do have a bit of a thing for these small sets. They don't so much tell a story as give the builder's imagination a starting point to create one of their own. Throughout the Pirates theme many of these were released (North Americans got even more) but for me, Buried Treasure stands out. Everything about this little sets works well. Aesthetically it's really good, with the small number of parts forming a coherent scene. The colour palette is perfect with the Pirate's red bandana providing a nice accent. For a great many of the original recipients, this Pirate would have been their first minifigure with a face other than the classic grin. The treasure chest, with real plastic gold coins, pirate flag and monkey generously fulfilled the main aim of this set… to provide kids with an affordable 'in' to the then new theme.

Again I find myself pretty delighted with this set and pleased to have it in my collection. Eventually, I'll incorporate it into a large diorama containing all of the Pirates sets; for now though, it's displayed on the corner of my desk, a 17 piece totem representing my collection as a whole and silently declaring: "A proud AFOL sits here".

Building Experience:

A simple small set to build. Instructions are quick and to the point, and they made the set feel like the treasure is partially buried in the sand and I like that effect.

Parts:

You get some cool parts and of course being one of the first Lego pirate sets released, some were original. You get a cool looking pirate with a red bandanna and striped muscle shirt, you get a monkey (Haven't you always wanted a monkey!), a treasure chest with some coins, a pirate flag, a shovel, a cutlass and a pistol. And then of course you get the green foliage, some bricks to resemble sand and a baseplate.

Playability:

For kids, this would be a fun set to play with. Of course not every Lego set can offer hours of playtime but having a pirate and monkey can offer some fun adventures to an imaginative mind.

Me as an adult I have a lot of fun displaying it and it pairs well with other pirate sets too.

Value For Money:

At the time it was great value for your money if you were a fan of collecting sets and pieces. The monkey and the fact it's a first wave set means buying it now may not be worth it unless you're a die hard pirate fan or trying to collect all the sets.

Over the weekend I spent some time with the kids building all sets we have with 20 pieces or less (from 1979's #886 Space Buggy to 1998's #6324 Chopper Cop), and when I asked which one of them was their favourite both immediately pointed at this little gem.

Box/Instructions

I no longer have the box, but if I remember correctly there was this alternative of the monkey using the leaf to wave some fresh air to the dozing pirate which I found hilarious. That must have been one well-trained monkey, though I guess he should be if he can brandish a sabre as well. The instructions are your standard tiny set folding little sheet with a coloured background which I assumed to be an evocation of parchment but I could be wrong.

Parts

This small set was released in the first wave of pirate sets in 1989, and what a goldmine for parts it was! A monkey, a small pirate flag, a plant leaf, a treasure chest filled with new chrome gold coins and a new pistol and sabre. Even the shovel was a relatively rare part in our collection, as was that yellow 4 x 6 plate.

Minifigures

Technically, just one: a rather friendly looking pirate (sergeant Mendoza from the old 'Zorro' tv-series always came to mind) in a then new, exciting outfit; a blue-striped shirt (no backprinting in those days so it looks like he's shirtless from the back though) and a red bandana. The little monkey could also be seen as a sort of minifigure and back in 1989 it was fresh and exciting to get one. It is still in use today so this part has certainly proven it's worth.

The build

Really? There are just 7 pieces to 'build' here (or 9 if you count the flag and antenna) so what building there is to it is over in a jiffy. It probably took longer to remove the coins from the sprues they came on (funnily enough, those sprues were also kept to serve as gold bars) but I'll grant that a nice build is not really the point of this set. :)

The completed model

A little pirate vignette that fits in the palm of your hand and tells a small story all on its own. The only part that feels a bit out of place is that pirate flag (why mark the location where you bury your treasure so conspicuously?) but I'm not deducting points for adding a nice extra piece.

Overall opinion

Is this what lego perfection in 20 pieces looks like? If not, it comes awfully close: a pirate with a monkey and a treasure with a tiny spot to bury it in. My children choose this tiny set over all others with the same amount of pieces (those we have, I should add - totally not being subjective here), indeed they choose this one over bigger sets so if you want an affordable, enjoyable pirate set look no further - it can still be yours for pocket money!

A small set, most who got this, probably did so as Impulse, Child who's able to afford a lego set with allowance or a gift in a Stocking at Christmas.

Due to it's size, no there isn't a whole lot of building being done. It's close to being a parts or extremely small Minifigure pack. I say pack as I always count the monkeys. And it's good. If you got it back in the day or off ebay, this set provided a cheap easy way to get a chest with the pirate gold, monkey, flag, Pirate mate and some accessories. Much it's value and play comes from being able to add it to other larger sets or include them with another set to extend out scenarios.

This set is just fantastic. Although its really small,its also really cheap! Its worth it for the monkey,gold and weapons alone-you can never have enough of these three things in the LEGO Carribean.
As Pirates is my favourite theme,perhaps Im biased but the monkey is soo cool,and you can use this little bed of sand to bridge the gap between two islands. I give this set 5/5