An 18-year-old student from South London has turned a small teenage hobby of reselling second-hand Lego into a business with annual sales of more than $400,000 (£312,000). Jamie Bell runs the business, called JTB Collectables, through eBay. During the last tax year, he made almost $68,000 (£53,000) in net profit after paying for stock, postage and professional accountancy services. His business recently reached a new high when he sold 200 lbs (90 kg) of Lego Star Wars minifigures in a single online auction. The auction received 65 bids and ended with a sale price of more than $30,000 (£23,400).Bell’s business and financial figures were reported by Kennedy News and Media and published by People magazine.
Starting a business from his bedroom
Bell first saw an opportunity in the second-hand Lego market when he was 13. He initially bought and sold smaller Lego sets. But he soon noticed that there was demand for large collections of used Lego pieces. Many smaller Lego traders did not have enough money or access to buy large quantities of stock. Bell realised he could buy large collections and then sell them in bulk to these smaller traders. As his business grew, the number of sales became too large for him to manage the accounts himself.“I had to get an accountant at 16, but I probably needed one at 15,” Bell said.By the age of 15, he was regularly selling large bundles because there were few other sellers offering the same service. Other traders could buy his large lots and then sell individual pieces or figures to collectors.“I realised people would buy them to sell each one individually and I could be their supplier,” he said.The business eventually became large enough to take over significant parts of his family home.Bell stores much of his stock in large cardboard boxes at his parents’ house.“I keep them on the floor in big cardboard boxes at my parents’ house,” he said.His father also helps with packing and administration, although Bell remains responsible for running the business.
Selling 100kg of Lego every month
Bell now sells around 220 lbs (100 kg) of Lego products each month. His stock is divided into two main types. He sells large mixed lots to other Lego traders, while rare figures and individual pieces are sold directly to collectors. The market for used and rare Lego has grown significantly in recent years. Adult collectors have helped increase demand for older and harder-to-find figures, while online sellers are also looking for affordable stock that they can resell at a higher price. Bell says his customers are mainly divided between collectors and other resellers. “It’s exciting watching the auctions because sometimes someone will pop in right at the end and increase the price by a few thousand [dollars],” he said. He estimates that around 40 per cent of his customers are serious collectors with significant disposable income, while about 60 per cent are resellers.
A £23,400 Lego auction
One of Bell’s biggest sales came in May 2026, when he auctioned around 200 lbs (90 kg) of Lego Star Wars minifigures. The lot attracted 65 bids before selling for more than $30,000 (£23,400). Photographs from the auction showed thousands of small Lego figures spread across his parents’ bedroom floor before they were sorted and packed for the buyer. The sale demonstrated how valuable large collections of Lego can become when they contain rare or desirable figures. For Bell, however, the business is not only about individual high-value sales. His regular bulk transactions provide a steady flow of income, while rare items can produce much larger returns.
Keeping education as a priority
Despite the size of his business, Bell does not plan to leave education and make Lego reselling his full-time career immediately. He plans to attend university and study history. Bell sees the business as a way to build savings and create financial security rather than as the only career he wants to pursue. “I could make it my full-time job, but for career stability I’d like to have a profession as well,” he said. He also says that large sales have become a normal part of his business, but he does not plan to spend most of the money he earns. Instead, he saves most of his profits towards buying his first home. The money is kept in savings while he prepares to attend university and build his future career.
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