My UAE Collection: Inside the Dubai Lego minifigure collection valued at Dh500,000

When the first Lego minifigure appeared in 1978, it immediately resonated with children. It was only four bricks tall but quietly transformed the future of the Danish toy company.

These characters introduced personality and storytelling to the sets children built, turning static creations into lively scenes filled with heroes, villains and everyday people.

In the decades since, the minifigure has grown into a cultural phenomenon. More than 10,000 unique designs exist today, spanning classic Lego themes, modern franchises, special collaborations and extremely rare, limited editions.

For many fans, the minifigure has become the most desirable part of any set. That fascination has created a global community of collectors who build entire displays dedicated to these small but expressive characters.

Among them is Dubai resident Warren Chang, who has spent nearly 20 years gathering one of the city’s most dedicated collections.

Walk into Chang’s home office, and the sight is staggering. Hundreds of Lego minifigures line the walls in perfectly arranged rows. Superheroes stand next to classic astronauts, movie characters share space with vintage designs from the 1980s and rare gold-plated figures sit quietly among more common pieces. It is colourful, organised and personal. Every character represents dedicated effort and lasting memories.

Chang, a Korean-American businessman who has lived in Dubai for 16 years, began collecting Lego long before the city became his home.

“I grew up with Lego, especially the classic space themes,” he says. “I would get these amazing sets and spend hours building. It was something I treasured as a kid.”

Among his vast collection are some rarities, including the Mr Gold minifigure. Antonie Robertson / The National

That nostalgia is central to his passion today. Over the years he realised he was most drawn to the minifigures themselves. “They are the prized part for a lot of collectors. Many sets have a unique figure you can only get in that box, so collecting them becomes the real goal.”

His collection grew slowly. He focused on retail purchases rather than chasing high aftermarket prices, and one figure led to another. Before long, he found himself creating displays, organising shelves and tracking new releases. It became more than a hobby. It became a way of revisiting the joy of childhood.

Among his collection sits one of Lego’s most sought-after characters: Mr Gold, a limited-edition figure released in 2013. Only 5,000 were made worldwide.