A Fanbase, An Iconic Vessel, High Demand, Low Supply, Timing, And Love For LEGO® Are To Blame.
While Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl debuted on June 28th 2003, The LEGO® Black Pearl 4184 would not come out until almost a decade later on October 15th, 2011 at an affordable price-point of $99.99 USD.

How Expensive Is The Set Today?
However, now, 10 years after that in 2025, the set has grown at an astonishing 918%-920% increase in value. So a $99.99 USD set is now anywhere from $1,000.00 to $1,300.00 on secondary markets. If you were smart enough to invest in this LEGO® set…you would have easily 10x-ed your initial investment. Frankly, I wish I had bought 100 of these Black Pearl ships. The LEGO® Queen Anne’s Revenge similarly joined the Pirates of the Caribbean theme and grew by 730% as it retailed for $120 and is now also in the ballpark of $1,000.00 USD.
Why Is The LEGO® Black Pearl So Expensive?
That is an easy question to answer: This was a LEGO® perfect investment storm of a great movie, aging fanbase, well-priced set (at the time of release), exclusive minifigures, exclusive pieces (jet-black sails), and a pop culture event to boot. Every single variable to make a LEGO® set “pop” as an investment was hit here as the 900%- 1000% increase of value illustrates on the reseller market.
Not To mention Its Minifigures Were Awesome:
The LEGO® set showcased a star-studded lineup of minifigures: “Captain Jack Sparrow,” “Davy Jones of the Deep,” “Trusty Joshamee Gibbs,” “Daring Will Turner,” “Fearsome Maccus,” and “Loyal Bootstrap Bill Turner.” The set was introduced in 2011 and was taken off the market in 2012. It’s a pretty detailed set with 804 pieces, including some unique fabric sails to give it an authentic look. The entire ensemble is modeled after the second installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, “Dead Man’s Chest.”
Should You Invest In This Set As A Reseller?
As a reseller, for your sake, please do not buy these. If you are a collector of rare and vintage sets? Be my guest!
Let’s look at the LEGO® Black Pearl set from an investment perspective. The set initially retailed for $99.99 and has soared in value to an estimated $1,000.00 USD representing a growth of approximately 900-950% (depends on where you are buying/looking). While that kind of appreciation is impressive, it’s important to note that most of the growth likely occurred because the set was discontinued and became a collector’s item.
If you were to buy the set now at its current high price of $1,028, the potential for future appreciation is likely much lower than it was when the set was newly released. Even if the set were to experience another triple-digit percent increase in value (which is improbable, given that items often see their most dramatic appreciation shortly after discontinuation), you’d still be taking on a considerable risk. There are also opportunity costs and market risks to consider, such as economic downturns or waning consumer interest, which could lead to a stagnation or even a decrease in the set’s value.
The Boom In Price Is Said And Done
In a nutshell, the LEGO® Black Pearl set has already undergone its most significant surge in value, making it a risky and potentially less rewarding investment if purchased at its current price of $1,000-$1,300.00 USD.
The post Why Is The LEGO® Pirates of The Caribbean Black Pearl Set 4184 So Expensive? appeared first on Baumlinks.