I remember the day the news broke. My phone buzzed with notifications from collector groups, and my DMs at PopNya started filling up. "Do you have the $170,000 Labubu?" "How much for a mint green one?" It was chaos. A single labubu auction had sent a shockwave through our little world.
But here's the first thing we need to get straight, and it's the biggest misconception from that whole media frenzy. The piece that sold at the Yongle International Auction Labubu event in Beijing wasn't a toy you could find in a blind box. It was a one-of-a-kind, mint green human sized labubu. A massive, artist-made labubu sculpture. Think of it like the master painting, not the poster print. It was a singular piece of art, and its sale was a landmark moment for Kasing Lung and the entire designer toy scene.
So, while you can't buy the worlds largest labubu, the event had a massive, and I mean massive, ripple effect on the little guy that inspired it. And that's the story that actually matters to us as collectors.
The OG: What "First Generation Mint Green Labubu" Really Means
Before it was a six-figure headline, the mint green labubu was just… a Labubu. A really nice one, but still. It was part of the very first "The Monsters" series by Kasing Lung. When collectors talk about the "first generation mint green labubu," this is what they mean. The standard-sized, approximately 6-inch vinyl figure from that original 2017-2018 release.
Even back then, it was a standout. The color is perfect. It's not too bright, not too pale. It's that soft, calming, almost nostalgic shade of mint that just works so well with Labubu's mischievous-but-sweet expression. It's simple. No crazy accessories, no complex theme. Just pure, classic Labubu design.
I've handled hundreds, maybe thousands of Labubus over the years running PopNya. And I can tell you, there's something special about those first couple of series. The vinyl feels a little different, a bit denser, maybe? The paint application was solid, and they have a certain charm that the newer, more elaborate series sometimes trade for complexity. The mint labubu was always a fan favorite, a desirable pull from the set, but it was attainable. It was a piece you'd be happy to trade for or buy for a reasonable markup.
Then the auction happened. And "reasonable" went out the window.
The Auction That Broke the Labubu Internet
Let's talk about the big one for a second, because it's the catalyst for everything. In late 2021, Yongle Auction House in Beijing featured this incredible, life size mint green labubu sculpture. It was a unique commission, a true art piece standing tall and proud. The pre-auction estimates were already high, but nobody was prepared for the final price.
The bidding was intense. When the hammer finally fell, the price was over 1.08 million yuan. That's around $170,000 USD at the time.
The news went viral. Reuters, NBC, Mashable, everyone covered it. For the mainstream world, it was a "can you believe this toy sold for so much?" story. For us in the community, it was different. It was validation. It was a sign that the art we loved was being recognized on a global, high-finance stage. Kasing Lung's creation was officially in the same league as contemporary art. This wasn't just a toy anymore; it was an asset class. The conversation around what is the most expensive Labubu had a new, undisputed champion for a single piece.
But this validation came at a price. A very literal one.
The Ripple Effect: When the Green Labubu Price Went Parabolic
Here's the part the news articles don't cover. What happened next in the actual collector market was pure insanity.
The logic was simple, if a little flawed: "I can't afford the $170,000 sculpture, but I can own the original version of it." The little 6-inch vinyl figure became the proxy, the accessible version of the million-dollar dream. And the green labubu price exploded.
Before the auction, you could find a first generation mint green labubu on the secondary market for maybe $40-$60, depending on condition and if it had the box and card. A fair price for a desirable, out-of-production figure.
The week of the auction, I watched prices on eBay and collector Facebook groups jump to $100. Then $150. I saw some chancers list them for $250 or more. It was a classic hype bubble. Demand massively outstripped the very limited supply of these old figures, and sellers were cashing in. People who had one sitting on their shelf for years suddenly owned one of the hottest commodities in the hobby.
This frenzy highlights a core concept in collecting, and it's a big reason why Labubus can get so expensive. It's not always about the inherent rarity; it's about the story and the cultural moment. The mint green figure didn't suddenly become more rare. The number of them in existence was the same. But the story attached to it changed forever. It was now "the little version of the one that sold for a fortune." And that story was worth a 300% price increase, apparently.
Our Take: A Seller's Honest Advice on the Mint Green Hype
Okay, real talk. As someone who sells these and also collects them personally, I have some strong feelings about the mint green saga.
Is the original mint labubu a fantastic figure? Absolutely. It's a cornerstone piece. It is a key moment in the brand's history and is beautiful in its simplicity. If you're a serious Labubu collector, it's a grail worth having.
But is it worth $200? No. Honestly, no.
The post-auction price spike was pure FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). It attracted a lot of people who were more interested in the hype than the art. It also, unfortunately, led to a surge in fakes. When a single, non-secret figure from an old series suddenly commands that kind of money, counterfeiters take notice. I saw some really bad fakes popping up, wrong shade of green, sloppy paint lines around the eyes, and incorrect copyright info on the foot. It became a minefield for new buyers.
My advice has always been the same: be patient. Hype is a wave. It crests, and then it recedes. The prices for the mint green figure have cooled off from their absolute peak. They haven't crashed back to pre-auction levels, and they probably never will. The story is too good. But you no longer have to pay a completely absurd price for it. A "fair" secondary market price now has settled in a more reasonable, albeit still high, range.
Don't let a headline dictate your collection. If you love the mint green Labubu for what it is, a clean, classic design from the early days, then by all means, hunt one down. But if you're only chasing it because of the auction hype, I'd suggest you pause. There are so many incredible designs in the wider LABUBU collection that you can get for a fraction of the price, without the stress and risk of navigating a hyper-inflated market. Understanding what 'rare Labubu' actually means is key to not getting burned.
So, Can You Still Get One?
This is the question I still get. The short answer is: yes, but it's not easy.
The original "The Monsters" series has been out of production for years. You will not find it on a store shelf. Your only option is the secondary market: places like eBay, private collector forums, StockX, and specialized social media groups.
You'll need to be a savvy shopper. 1. Check Seller Reputation: Look at their feedback and history. Are they a known community member? 2. Ask for Detailed Photos: You want clear, well-lit pictures of the figure from all angles, including the bottom of the feet to see the copyright stamp. 3. Compare the Color: Pull up photos of a confirmed, authentic mint green Labubu and compare the shade. Fakes are often too bright or have a blue-ish tint. 4. Get a Price Check: Before you buy, post in a collector group and ask for a price check. Experienced collectors can tell you if the asking price is fair for the current market. Getting a handle on the real price of Labubu figures in general will help you spot a bad deal.
Will we ever see a new mint green labubu? It's possible. Kasing Lung and Pop Mart love to revisit and remix popular colorways. We might see a "Mint Green Macaron" or a "Mint Green Flower Elf" someday. But it won't be the same. It won't be the OG, the first generation mint green labubu that carries the weight and history of that record-breaking auction.
That one figure, sitting on shelves around the world, is more than just vinyl and paint. It's a tiny, tangible piece of a huge story. It's a reminder of the day our niche hobby made mainstream headlines and proved that these little monsters are a serious force in the art world. The value isn't just in the plastic, it's in the journey. And for the mint green Labubu, what a journey it's been.
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