https://sheets.works/data-viz/lego-colors

I pulled color data from Rebrickable and tried to visualize the full history of LEGO’s color palette.

Since 1949, LEGO has produced 228 solid colors (excluding transparent ones). Today only 56 are still active, while the rest have been discontinued over the years.

The visualization shows when each color first appeared, how long it lasted, and when it disappeared.

A few things that surprised me while building it:

• The palette stayed really small for decades
• The late 90s introduced a huge wave of new colors
• Around 2004 LEGO replaced several classic colors like Light Gray and Brown
• Some colours lasted 50+ years while others only appeared briefly

Curious what people here think, especially if you’ve been collecting long enough to remember some of the older colours. --u/Mastbubbles

Very nice visualization. I never knew there were so many discontinued colors.

Fun fact: even the discontinued colors still hurt like a bastid when you accidentally step on them with bare feet. :D

Around 2004 LEGO replaced several classic colors like Light Gray and Brown

Ah yes, the great greypocalypse of the early 2000s.

Indeed. I distinctly remember when they went from the yellowish-grey to the bluish-grey. It was between the chamber of secrets and prisoner of azkaban sets... All of a sudden, I couldn't use the old grey pieces anymore, the yellow tint disgusted me. I loved the new colours, but it was a huge pain.

And this is how I discover that the best colour, Medium Blue, was terminated last year.