- Jessica Milligan’s first Lego purchase at 16 sparked a lifelong passion that has grown into a collection worth around $20,000
- Her impressive display includes Lego sets, Marvel memorabilia, Harry Potter collectibles, and Funko Pops, with her collection now exceeding her children’s toy stash
- Sharing her builds online has attracted thousands of fellow collectors
Here, Jessica Milligan, 33, Bordertown, SA tells her own story in her own words.
Clicking the final Lego brick in place, I stood back to admire my creation.
‘That looks amazing,’ my husband Brad, 36, beamed.
‘Really cool, Mum!’ our kids, Brodie, seven, and Henley, five, echoed.
It was June this year and, as I placed my latest build – a 1131 piece aircraft from the Marvel film Avengers: Age of Ultron – on the display shelf in my bedroom, I beamed with joy.
After a busy day at work as a florist, building Lego is one of my favourite ways to relax. The meditative nature of assembling each piece, brick by brick, always helps me unwind.
I’d never been big on the craze as a kid. I spent most of my time on the trampoline or roughhousing with my twin brothers, Chris and Dallon, who were three years younger than me.
But after receiving my first pay check from my casual job at a Chinese restaurant at 16, I spotted a Lego set in the shops.
READ MORE: Harry Potter super fan: ‘My collection’s worth over $498,000’
I spent hours assembling it, and by the time I put the final block in place, I was hooked.
From then on, I’d diligently save all my money, buying a new set, which could cost up to $300, every few months.
Rapidly my collection grew… and grew!
But it wasn’t just Lego that I loved. Soon after, when I saw the first Iron Man movie, I fell in love with the characters, the world, the costumes and the messages of friendship and teamwork.
As more superhero movies hit the screens from across the Marvel Universe, I began collecting different items from them all. Spider-Man was my favourite, and I got my hands on any collectible I could, including T-shirts, jewellery, shoes, stuffed toys, and masks.
When I was 18, I moved in with Brad, then 21, taking all my special pieces with me.
Thankfully, Brad was always supportive of my collecting.
‘At this rate we’ll need a spare room for our display,’ I joked.
‘What’s wrong with that?’ he winked.
It was all the encouragement I needed to add to our ever-expanding collection.
I’d loved Harry Potter movies and books as a kid, so was delighted when Brad bought me the Lego Hogwarts Castle!
To go with my castle, I bought replica wands, quidditch jerseys, and snacks like chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans seen in the Harry Potter films.
Most of the items were purchased in person, but I loved hunting for unique items online too. Each time a package arrived, it was like a little piece of my childhood joy returned.
I always knew that when I had children, I wanted to share my love of collecting with them too. So when my kids were old enough, I wasted no time introducing them to the classic films from my childhood, such as Toy Story, Tangled and Cars.
This year, I’ve been reading the kids Harry Potter at bedtime.
And in their free time, they love spending hours in our bedroom turned display room. They call it a ‘toy store’.
In June 2023, I started posting more about my collection on social media.
READ MORE: I spent over $790k on a Princess Diana dress
Sharing my builds and latest buys, I soon found friends from around the world who all shared the same interest.
As my audience grew, I had toy and film companies reaching out, offering to pay me to promote their latest releases. I couldn’t believe I was being paid to play with toys!
And in 2025 I was invited to the Captain America: Brave New World film premiere in Sydney. Seeing the cast up close, I was on cloud nine.
My love of fantasy worlds has taken me further afield too.
Over the years I’ve travelled to Disneyland in Paris, done a Spider-Man tour in Venice where I visited famous landmarks featured in the films, and been on several Disney-themed cruises with the whole family.
While some of my friends don’t understand my love of collecting, my husband and family have always been so supportive, often gifting me Lego sets or memorabilia for special occasions. For my 32nd birthday,
Brad surprised me with a Lego kit I’d had my eye on for years.
READ MORE: Nessie’s lasting legacy: 27 brides wore grandma’s veil!
Tearing the paper off the box, I burst into tears when I saw what was inside – the Avengers Tower Lego, a 5201 piece set complete with many of the film’s characters, including The Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and more.
And my mum, Peta, 53, is always mailing me new Funko Pop figurines – dolls with oversized heads – or other collectables she finds. And for Christmas last year, my little sister Jorga, 21, got me a replica of
Thor’s hammer from the movie.
‘It’s perfect,’ I cried.
While I’ve lost track of how much I’ve forked out over the years, if I had to guess, I’d say my collection is likely worth around $20,000 – my Funko Pop collection is worth $8500!
I’ve got more toys than my kids! But I’m always happy to share.
Collecting brings me – and my family – so much joy. And you can’t put a price on that!
Follow @jessmilligan_on TikTok.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
