The Aporia · Rare gold LEGO mask found in donated jewellery bag sold for $18,101

A rare 14-karat gold LEGO Kanohi Hau mask from the discontinued Bionicle collection, one of only 30 produced in 2001, was sold for $18,101 at an online auction after being discovered among donated jewelry at a Goodwill store in Du Bois, Pennsylvania. Initially listed for just $14.95, the mask drew significant interest from collectors and resulted in a final bid of $18,101, far exceeding its original value due to its rarity and historical significance within the Bionicle toy line.

Written by AI on 2026-10-17, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

A rare 14-karat gold Kanohi Hau mask from LEGO’s discontinued Bionicle collection was sold for $18,101 at an online auction in March 2024. The item, one of only 30 produced in 2001, was initially listed by a Goodwill store in Du Bois, Pennsylvania, for $14.95 after being found inside a donated LEGO box with jewellery in February 2024. As interest grew and offers surpassed the initial price significantly, Goodwill conducted further research and eventually auctioned it online. The mask's unique history, as it was part of a limited production run not available for retail purchase, contributed to its high value among collectors. Chad Smith, vice-president of e-commerce and technology for Goodwill in North Central Pennsylvania, monitored the bidding process closely to ensure legitimacy.

Written for “Rare LEGO Mask Sells For High Price” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Rare LEGO Mask Sells For High Price

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Chad Smith, vice-president of e-commerce and technology for Goodwill in North Central Pennsylvania, told USA Today that he stayed awake through the night during the second auction, monitoring the offers and checking that they were legitimate.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-17

🔮 A small gold LEGO mask found among donated jewellery at a Goodwill store in Pennsylvania was sold for $18,101 at an online auction in March 2024.

2026-10-17 · Times of India

Rare gold LEGO mask found in donated jewellery bag sold for $18,101 · assertive framing

A small gold LEGO mask found among donated jewellery at a Goodwill store in Pennsylvania was sold for $18,101 at an online auction in March 2024. asserted

mask → find → March

The item, which had initially been listed for $14.95, was identified as a rare 14-karat gold Kanohi Hau mask from LEGO's discontinued Bionicle collection. asserted

which → list → collection

Only 30 such masks were produced in 2001, making the discovery particularly valuable to collectors. asserted

discovery → produce → collectors

The mask arrived at the Goodwill store in Du Bois, Pennsylvania, in February 2024, according to CBS news. uncertain

mask → arrive → news

It was inside an old LEGO box that had been donated along with jewellery. asserted

that → donate → jewellery

Employees initially listed the item on the organisation's online selling platform without knowing how much collectors might be willing to pay for it. uncertain

collectors → list → it

That changed when Goodwill began receiving enquiries from interested buyers. asserted

Goodwill → change → buyers

Some were prepared to offer $1,000 for the piece, far above its original listing price. asserted

Some → prepare → price

The unexpected response led staff to investigate what they had received and eventually offer the mask through an online auction. asserted

they → lead → auction

The sale attracted attention partly because of the mask's unusual history. asserted

sale → attract → history

Unlike the Bionicle toys that customers could purchase in shops, this particular version had been produced in extremely limited numbers. uncertain

version → purchase → numbers

According to Smithsonian Magazine, 25 of the gold masks were distributed through a giveaway, while five were reserved for LEGO employees. uncertain

five → accord → employees

A $33,000 offer that never became a sale Goodwill's first attempt to auction the mask produced an offer considerably higher than the amount it eventually received. asserted

it → become → amount

A bidder offered $33,000, but the transaction could not be completed because the buyer failed to provide the money. uncertain

buyer → offer → money

The organisation therefore had to put the mask up for sale again on ShopGoodwill.com. asserted

organisation → have → ShopGoodwill.com

they → tell → offers

The second auction received 48 bids. asserted

auction → receive → bids

When bidding ended, the highest offer stood at $18,101. asserted

offer → end → 18,101

The competition had been close, with the second-highest offer reaching $18,100. asserted

offer → reach → 18,100

CBS Pittsburgh reported on March 6, 2024, that the mask had sold for more than $18,000. asserted

mask → report → 18,000

The proceeds were to be used to support Goodwill's programmes. asserted

proceeds → use → programmes

Why collectors were interested The value of the piece was linked to both its limited production and its connection with Bionicle, a LEGO range launched in 2001. asserted

value → link → 2001

Bionicle figures differed from the company's conventional brick-based toys. asserted

figures → differ → toys

They resembled action figures, with movable limbs connected through ball-and-socket joints. asserted

They → resemble → joints

LEGO also developed fictional characters and stories around the collection, including the island of Mata Nui. asserted

LEGO → develop → Nui

Different masks gave characters different abilities, with the Kanohi Hau associated with protection. asserted

Hau → give → protection

The golden version was presented as having particularly strong protective powers. asserted

version → present → powers

The Bionicle range remained in production for nine years and later returned briefly in 2015 and 2016. asserted

range → remain → 2015

Although the collection was not universally popular among LEGO enthusiasts, it developed a loyal following. asserted

it → develop → following

Rare gold LEGO mask found in donated jewellery bag sold for $18,101

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