LEGO Ideas Typewriter

Hey everyone, it’s Tanner. The LEGO Typewriter (set 21327) is one of the cleverest mechanical builds LEGO has ever produced, and as of December 2023 it’s officially retired — which means if you don’t already own one, you’re now competing with the secondary market for a copy.

What Makes This Set Special

This isn’t a static display piece. It’s a working mechanical model. When you press a key on the keyboard:

• The corresponding type bar lifts up toward the platen (the rubber roller)
• The carriage shifts one position to the left
• A subtle “click” happens because of the way the mechanism is geared

You can press all 36 type bars. The carriage advances. The paper actually scrolls when you turn the platen knob. The carriage-return lever works. This is the kind of mechanical engineering that earns the Ideas line its reputation.

The Build

2,079 pieces, roughly 8 hours over three sessions. The build is structured around the central type-bar mechanism, which goes together first. This is the smart sequencing choice — the rest of the build is body panels and aesthetic detail, but the engineering challenge is front-loaded so you stay engaged.

The single most satisfying moment is bag 7, when you connect the keyboard to the type-bar rack for the first time and press a key and watch the bar swing up. I made an audible noise. My partner came in to see what was happening. That’s the kind of mechanism this is.

What to Watch For

The type-bar rack is delicate. Once assembled, the bars are loose-pivoting on small axles, and they’re easy to bend out of alignment if a kid or a cat gets hold of the model. I’ve had to re-seat two of mine over the years. Treat this set the way you’d treat the Eiffel Tower — display it where it’s safe, don’t move it around once it’s built.

The other thing nobody tells you: the typewriter doesn’t actually print. The mechanism lifts the type bars, but there’s no ink and no impression on the paper. You’re getting the sensation of typing, not the function. For me that’s plenty — but if you came in expecting an actual functional typewriter, set the expectation now.

Now Retired — Secondary Market Reality

LEGO retired set 21327 in December 2023. Since then:

• eBay sold listings (2024): averaging $325 for sealed sets, $250 for opened-built
• eBay sold listings (mid-2025): averaging $385 sealed, $290 opened
• Trajectory: prices climbed roughly 18–20% in the first 18 months post-retirement

This is one of the better-performing retired LEGO sets of the past five years. The Typewriter has a non-LEGO collector audience (writers, designers, gift buyers) which keeps secondary demand high. If you bought at MSRP in 2021–2023, you’re already up 30%+ on a sealed copy.

If you’re shopping now: I’d buy a gently-used built copy in the $260–$290 range rather than a sealed set. The build is the experience here. Sealed copies are for resellers, not collectors.

Display Notes

Footprint is 27cm × 26cm — small enough to fit on a desk corner, which is actually where this set wants to live. I have mine on my actual writing desk, where it functions as both a conversation piece and a daily reminder of why I started collecting LEGO in the first place. The vintage aesthetic doesn’t read as “toy on display” — it reads as “object,” which is rare for a LEGO set.

Is It Worth Chasing on the Secondary Market?

Short answer: yes, if you can get it under $300. The mechanism alone is worth the price of admission, and the display energy is unmatched at the size. This is the set I recommend most often when someone asks me “what LEGO set should I buy that doesn’t look like LEGO?”

If you missed it at MSRP, you missed a deal — but you didn’t miss the opportunity. Just be patient and watch eBay’s “best offer” listings for opened-built copies in the $260–$280 range. They appear 2–3 times a month if you set an alert.

For the full retirement context, see my LEGO retired sets buyer’s guide 2026.