LEGO 1950s Original Town Plan Sets

Quick Value Summary

Version	Condition	Estimated Value
700 Wood Box (German, 1957)	Complete with lid/plan	$3,000 - $6,000+
810 Town Plan (European, 1960s)	Complete with box	$3,900 - $5,000
725 Town Plan (Samsonite/US, 1961)	Complete with box	$2,500 - $3,500
10184 Town Plan (50th Anniversary, 2008)	New/Sealed	$350 - $500
Individual HO vehicles (common colors)	Good condition	$20 - $80
Individual HO vehicles (rare colors/promos)	Good condition	$500 - $3,000+
1200 Vinyl Town Plan Mat	Good condition	$100 - $300

Values based on BrickEconomy estimates and recent eBay/BrickLink sales as of early 2025.

The Birth of a System

Before there was LEGO City, before there were minifigures, before the brick even had tubes inside it, there was the Town Plan. And the story of how it came to exist starts, appropriately enough, on a boat.

In January 1954, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (son of LEGO founder Ole Kirk Christiansen) took a ferry to the London Toy Fair. On the crossing, he struck up a conversation with Troels Petersen, the toy buyer for Magasin du Nord, Copenhagen's largest department store. Petersen made an observation that stuck: every toy on the market was a one-off purchase. There was no cohesive toy system where pieces worked together and parents could keep adding to their children's collection over time.

Godtfred went home to Billund and started thinking seriously about this idea. He reviewed the company's entire product line (over 200 items at the time, including wooden toys) and landed on one candidate: the Mursten (brick) sets. He drew up what became the famous "10 Important LEGO Features," principles that still guide the company today, and spent nearly a year developing a concept he called "System i Leg" (System of Play).

The result was unveiled at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 1955. The reception was lukewarm. One German buyer reportedly told Godtfred the product had "nothing at all to offer the German toy market." But Petersen, the ferry conversation partner, was enthusiastic. He set up a special ground-floor display at Magasin du Nord for the Danish launch, and the system took off. By 1956, sales had nearly doubled.

What the Town Plan Actually Was

The Town Plan wasn't a single boxed set the way we think of LEGO sets today. It was a concept: a coordinated system of building sets, accessories, vehicles, and a play surface that together created a miniature townscape.

The original components included:

• 1200 Town Plan Mat: A vinyl play surface printed with streets and labeled "Byg Din Egen Lego-By" (Build Your Own LEGO Town). Later versions used Masonite (fiberboard).

• 700 Series Mursten Sets: The core building brick sets (700/1 through 700/6) for constructing buildings.

• HO Scale Vehicles: A range of 1:87 scale cars and trucks with metal frames, metal axles and wheels, and plastic bodies. The initial lineup consisted of eight Bedford trucks (sets 1250 through 1257).

• Accessories: Trees (1240), bushes (1241), street signs (1248), Esso fuel pumps (1247), and traffic police figures (1271).

The system was designed in collaboration with what was then the Danish equivalent of today's Council for Road Safety. Godtfred hoped children would learn about traffic rules. In practice, as one historian noted, a generation of European children mostly learned the joys of crashing toy cars and running over tiny police figures.

Over the following years, the system expanded with dedicated building sets: the Esso Station (1310, 1956), VW Showroom (1307, 1957), Fire Station (1308, 1957), and a Church (1309, 1957).

The Different Versions and Set Numbers

This is where things get complicated for collectors, because LEGO sold the Town Plan differently depending on the market and era.

Danish and Scandinavian Markets (1955 onward)

Components were sold individually. Parents could buy the mat, a few brick sets, some vehicles, and add more over time. This was the original marketing vision.

German 700 Wood Box Sets (1957 onward)

LEGO packaged complete Town Plan systems in wooden boxes for the German market. These came in at least four different box designs over the years. The two halves of the Masonite box lid doubled as the Town Plan board. These are among the most sought-after versions today, with complete examples in good condition selling for $3,000 to $6,000 or more depending on the specific version and completeness.

European 810 Town Plan (Early 1960s)

A large cardboard-boxed set containing everything needed for a complete Town Plan. The cardboard plan board (set 200) and box were actually printed by John Waddington Ltd., the British company best known as the UK licensee for Monopoly and Cluedo. BrickEconomy estimates the current value at approximately $3,900 to $4,900 depending on the specific version (810-2 vs. 810-4).

North American 725 Town Plan (1961, Samsonite)

When LEGO entered the US and Canadian markets through its partnership with Samsonite, the Town Plan was offered as the 725 set. This large cardboard-boxed set included all components. BrickEconomy estimates the current value of the 725-3 at approximately $3,070. Samsonite-era LEGO is a distinct collecting niche of its own.

The HO Scale Vehicles: A Collecting World Unto Themselves

The 1:87 scale vehicles might be the most fascinating (and potentially most valuable) part of the Town Plan ecosystem. These weren't just LEGO accessories. They were high-quality die-cast style vehicles that cross over into the world of HO scale model collecting, attracting buyers who might never purchase another LEGO product.

Bedford Trucks (1955-1964): The original eight models included Esso tankers, flatbeds, delivery vans, a tow truck, and a fire engine. Early versions were made of cellulose acetate, which tends to warp over time. Some warping is expected and doesn't drastically reduce value, but extreme warping does. Norwegian and Swedish versions with unique Esso decals can command 500 Euros or more just for the decal. Trucks with brass wheels are especially rare.

VW Beetles (1957 onward): Available in nearly 30 different colors. In Denmark and Norway, they were sold in display boxes of 24. The front and back bumpers break off easily, so complete examples with intact bumpers carry a premium. Individual beetles in common colors sell for $20 to $50, while rare colors can reach several hundred dollars.

VW Buses and Vans (1961-1967): Produced in three major types (Van, Pickup, and Samba Bus) with countless color combinations. Some were used as corporate promotions for companies like Philips and Agfa Film. A Steyr Diesel promotional van, with only 30 produced, is among the rarest LEGO items in existence. Promotional vans can command thousands of Euros.

Cars in Plastic Garages (1961-1965): Eight car models (Mercedes, Opel, Karmann Ghia, VW, Ford Taunus, and others) were sold in clear plastic garages with studs on top. Mint examples with the original paper band around the garage can sell for over 100 Euros. Rare colors like metallic blue, dark green, or burgundy can reach over 1,000 Euros.

British/Australian Exclusives: The Vauxhall Victor Estate and Jaguar E-Type were only sold in Britain, Ireland, and Australia, and only in three colors (white, red, black). A black Jaguar E-Type can be worth over 800 Euros.

Black Fiat (1965-66): With fewer than 10 known examples, a black Fiat sold for over 3,000 Euros around 2010. This is one of the single most valuable LEGO items ever produced.

Identification Guide

How to Tell Original 1950s-60s LEGO Bricks

• Pre-1958 bricks lack the internal tubes that give modern LEGO its clutch power. They're hollow underneath. The patent for the tube system was filed in 1958.

• Early bricks are made of cellulose acetate (CA), which yellows and can warp. LEGO switched to ABS plastic around 1963.

• Authentic LEGO markings: The LEGO logo should be embossed on the studs. Very early bricks (pre-1955) may not have stud markings.

Identifying the Town Plan Mat

• The original 1200 mat is vinyl, printed in color with Danish text ("Byg Din Egen Lego-By").

• Later mats came in Masonite (fiberboard) versions, particularly the ones used as lids for the German wood box sets.

• The Samsonite/North American version (725) used a cardboard plan board.

HO Vehicle Authentication

• Genuine LEGO HO vehicles have "LEGO" embossed on the underside of the chassis.

• Metal frames and axles with metal wheels (some brass, most chrome-plated).

• Plastic bodies should show appropriate aging for cellulose acetate (pre-1963) or ABS (1963 onward).

• Bedford trucks have a characteristic flat-front cab design.

Authentication and Fakes

The good news: outright fakes of original Town Plan sets are relatively uncommon. The complexity of reproducing 60+ year old cellulose acetate plastics, period-correct metal chassis, and authentic packaging makes counterfeiting impractical for most would-be fakers.

The more common issues are:

• Reproduction parts mixed with originals: Sellers assembling "complete" sets from parts sourced across multiple lots. This isn't necessarily fraud, but a mixed-provenance set is worth less than one with a clear single-owner history.

• Misidentified sets: The numbering system across countries and years is genuinely confusing. A 700/1 from Denmark is not the same as a 700 wood box from Germany. Make sure you know exactly which version you're buying.

• Condition misrepresentation: CA plastic warping, missing HO vehicle bumpers, and replaced or missing accessories are common issues that sellers may downplay.

• The 2008 reissue (10184): This 50th anniversary tribute set has a completely different look and construction from the originals. No one is likely to confuse them, but be aware it exists if you're searching broadly for "LEGO Town Plan."

Where to Buy and Sell

BrickLink (bricklink.com): The largest dedicated LEGO marketplace. Best for individual components and vehicles. Knowledgeable buyer base that understands the nuances of vintage LEGO.

eBay: Wider audience but requires more careful listing to reach the right collectors. Complete sets with good photography tend to perform well. Expect fees of approximately 13% of the final sale price.

Specialty Auction Houses: For high-value items like the German wood box sets or rare promotional vehicles, a toy or collectibles auction house may achieve better results. Buyer's premiums typically run 20-25%, and consignment fees vary.

LEGO Collector Forums and Groups: Communities on Brickset Forum, Reddit's r/lego, and dedicated Facebook groups can connect you with knowledgeable buyers. Private sales avoid platform fees but offer less buyer protection.

Selling Costs to Expect: For a $3,000+ Town Plan set on eBay, fees will eat roughly $390. BrickLink fees are lower (around 3% for the store subscription model). Auction houses will take 15-25% from the seller side. For high-value pieces, the auction house route often nets more despite higher fees, because it reaches serious collectors willing to pay market prices.

The 2008 Tribute: Set 10184

LEGO released the 10184 Town Plan in 2008 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the LEGO brick's patent. This 1,981-piece set recreated a 1950s-style town with a movie theater, town hall, gas station, and fountain, along with eight retro-styled minifigures. The box featured Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen (Godtfred's son), who had appeared as a child on the original Town Plan box art.

This is a modern set with modern construction, and it's not a replica of any specific original. But it's become a collectible in its own right. BrickEconomy estimates its current value at approximately $385 for a complete used set, with sealed examples commanding more. Original retail was around $50, making it a solid long-term investment for those who bought it at release.

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