Labubu — the wide-eyed, jagged-toothed little “monster” designed by Kasing Lung for Pop Mart’s The Monsters line[1] — went from niche art toy to global obsession almost overnight. With that hype came eye-watering resale prices, sold-out secret editions, and a whole subculture chasing the rarest Labubu figures on the planet. If you have ever wondered exactly how much are Labubus, which one is the most expensive Labubu ever sold, and how to actually get a rare Labubu without overpaying, this guide breaks it all down — and shows you how to buy directly from Japan.
How Much Are Labubus? A Real Price Breakdown
At retail, Labubus are surprisingly affordable. A single Pop Mart blind box usually runs about ¥1,700–¥2,200 in Japan (roughly $12–$20), and a full sealed set of six costs proportionally more. The catch is that you rarely get the exact figure you want, because each box is a mystery until you open it.
Prices climb fast on the secondary market. Here is a realistic snapshot of what collectors actually pay in 2026:
- Standard open-box figures: $15–$40 each, depending on the series and character.
- Popular sold-out series (sealed): $50–$150 per box once a wave retires.
- Secret / chase editions: often $200–$1,000+, since they appear in roughly 1 out of every 72–144 boxes.
- Limited collaborations and event exclusives: several hundred to a few thousand dollars.
So when someone asks how much are Labubus, the honest answer is: anywhere from a $15 impulse buy to a five-figure collector’s grail. The gap is entirely about rarity.
The Most Expensive Labubu Ever Sold
The undisputed record-holder is a human-sized mint-green Labubu that sold at a 2025 collectors’ auction in Beijing for over $150,000 (about 1.08 million yuan) — making it, by a wide margin, the most expensive Labubu to ever change hands. It was a one-of-a-kind display piece, not a mass-produced toy, which is exactly why it commanded a price closer to fine art than a blind box.
Below that headline number, plenty of “normal-sized” figures still trade like small luxuries. Early Pop Mart x Labubu collaborations, discontinued first-generation series, and regional exclusives regularly clear four figures at auction. The pattern is consistent: the smaller the production run and the older the release, the higher the ceiling.
The Rarest Labubu Figures Collectors Hunt
Not every valuable Labubu is a giant statue. Most of the most rare Labubu pieces are standard-scale figures that are simply very hard to pull. When collectors debate which Labubu is truly the rarest Labubu, a few categories come up again and again:
1. Secret (chase) editions
Every blind-box series hides a “secret” figure with dramatically lower pull odds. These are the backbone of the resale market and the reason a $20 box can turn into a $500 flip.
2. Early series before the hype
First-run The Monsters releases were produced in far smaller numbers than today’s mega-drops, so mint examples are genuinely scarce.
3. Collaboration and event exclusives
Brand collabs, convention-only colorways, and city-specific releases are printed once and never restocked — the definition of a rare Labubu.
4. Error and prototype figures
Miscolored or pre-production samples occasionally surface and are treated like trophies by serious collectors.
If a listing says “Labubu rare” but the seller can restock it on demand, it probably is not. True rarity means a fixed, finished production run — and once it is gone, Japan’s resale platforms are usually your best shot at finding one.
Why Japan Is the Best Place to Buy Rare Labubu
Japan is one of the richest hunting grounds for Labubu figures. Pop Mart has a strong retail and blind-box presence there, and Japanese resale culture means gently-used and sealed pieces flow constantly through a handful of trusted platforms:
- Mercari Japan[2] — the country’s biggest flea-market app, packed with individual figures and full sets at fair prices.
- Yahoo Auctions Japan[3] — the go-to for secret editions, discontinued series, and true grails sold to the highest bidder.
- Suruga-ya[4] — a specialist hobby retailer with carefully graded collectible stock.
The problem for overseas buyers: most of these platforms reject foreign credit cards and refuse to ship internationally. That is exactly the gap a Japanese proxy service fills — if you are new to the process, our guide on the cheapest way to buy Japan-exclusive items walks through the whole workflow.
How to Buy the Most Expensive and Rarest Labubu with OneMall
This is where OneMall turns a frustrating hunt into a few clicks. OneMall is a Japanese proxy shopping service that buys items on your behalf from any Japanese store — Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Suruga-ya and more — then ships them worldwide. A few features matter a lot when you are chasing a rare Labubu:
- AI Image Search: upload a photo of the exact figure you want and OneMall finds matching listings across Japanese stores instantly — perfect for identifying a specific secret edition.
- Robotic ordering: limited Labubu drops sell out in seconds, so automated fast-ordering dramatically improves your odds on hyped releases.
- Professional inspection: your figure is checked before it ships, so you know a “mint” secret edition really is mint.
- 90 days of free storage: stack up several wins, then combine them into one shipment to slash international postage.
OneMall’s pricing is transparent, too. Service fees start as low as ¥200 per order, and consolidation is free for your first six orders — after that it is just ¥100 per additional order (so combining ten orders costs only ¥400). For delivery, Japan Post EMS[5] reaches most countries in about 2–4 days with tracking and insurance, while OneMall also offers DHL, ECMS, and economy sea mail to match your budget.
One important note for US buyers: the $800 de minimis duty exemption was repealed in August 2025[6], so US shipments are now dutiable regardless of value. Factor a little customs cost into your planning before you bid on that grail.
Ready to start? Browse live Labubu listings on OneMall and let the service handle the buying, inspection, and shipping for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are Labubus at retail versus resale?
At retail a single Labubu blind box is about ¥1,700–¥2,200 ($12–$20). On the resale market, standard figures run $15–$40, sealed sold-out series $50–$150, and secret or collaboration editions $200–$1,000 or more.
What is the most expensive Labubu ever sold?
A one-of-a-kind human-sized mint-green Labubu sold at a 2025 Beijing auction for over $150,000, making it the most expensive Labubu on record. Standard-scale collaboration and early-series figures can still reach four figures.
Which is the rarest Labubu?
The rarest Labubu figures are typically secret (chase) editions with very low pull odds, early first-run series, and one-time collaboration or event exclusives. Error and prototype pieces are even scarcer but rarely appear for sale.
How can I tell if a “rare Labubu” listing is legit?
Genuine rarity comes from a fixed, finished production run. If a seller can restock the item on demand, it is not truly rare. Buying through a proxy like OneMall adds professional inspection, so you can verify condition before you pay for shipping.
Can I buy a rare Labubu from Japan if I live overseas?
Yes. Most Japanese platforms block foreign cards and international shipping, but a proxy service such as OneMall buys on your behalf and ships worldwide, with consolidation to keep postage low.
References
- Pop Mart, official maker of Labubu and The Monsters line. https://www.popmart.com
- Mercari, Japan’s largest flea-market marketplace. https://www.mercari.com
- Yahoo Auctions Japan, leading auction platform. https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp
- Suruga-ya, specialist Japanese hobby and collectibles retailer. https://www.suruga-ya.jp
- Japan Post, EMS international shipping service. https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/ems/
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, de minimis policy. https://www.cbp.gov
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