In 2001, LEGO released just 30 gold Kanohi Hau masks; 23 years later, Pennsylvania Goodwill staff found one in jewellery and sold the Bionicle rarity for $18,101

A small gold toy mask was tucked inside a collection of jewellery that was once donated. The item turned out to be an exceptionally rare collectable, selling for $18,101 at an online auction in February 2024. The item was a 14-karat gold Kanohi Hau mask from LEGO’s Bionicle toy line, one of just 30 gold versions reportedly produced in 2001. Initially, the staff associated with Goodwill Industries of North Central Pennsylvania listed the piece on its online auction platform for $14.95 before collectors’ interest revealed its potential value. As reported by Smithsonian Magazine on March 8, 2024, the sale turned an unassuming donation into a significant fundraising opportunity for the nonprofit organisation.A rare discovery inside a jewellery donationThe mask was donated at a Goodwill store located in State College, Pennsylvania and was part of a collection of jewellery. The mask was later sent to the company’s auction in DuBois along with other objects. In DuBois, the people who worked there examined the object. Goodwill Industries of North Central Pennsylvania’s public relations and social media coordinator, Jessica Illuzzi, told WPSU that the manager overseeing the online auction initially listed the mask for $14.95. Its significance was not immediately apparent.Interest grew when potential buyers began contacting the company about the item. Contemporary news reports suggest that some prospective buyers offered substantially more than the initial listing price, prompting staff to investigate the mask further. The piece was confirmed to be made of 14-karat gold and identified as a rare Bionicle Kanohi Hau mask. Following this, instead of selling it at the initial price, Goodwill placed it in an online auction where collectors could compete for it.Why the gold Kanohi Hau mask was so rareThis mask was part of the Bionicle collection, a construction toy. The figure toy range was released by LEGO in 2001. Due to its movable figures, unique masks, and fictional characters, the toy became quite popular among LEGO enthusiasts. In the Bionicle world, the figures wore the Kanohi masks that endowed them with certain abilities. The Hau mask signified protection, while the golden one was a collector's item.There are various accounts of how LEGO distributed these 30 Kanohi Hau masks. Most accounts point out that some of them were given away to LEGO employees while others were awarded in a promotional contest. According to a WPSU report, 25 of these were given to LEGO employees, and the remaining five were awarded in a magazine promotional contest. Even though there may be other accounts of how these 30 masks were distributed, this is the key number when it comes to the rarity of these masks.The attraction of the gold mask was in the combination of the materials used, the rarity of the mask, and the fact that it belonged to a recognisable toy line. The majority of Bionicle masks were made of plastic, while this particular mask was made of gold. Thus, the value of the mask for collectors was not limited to its role as a toy accessory.From an unpaid $33,000 bid to an $18,101 saleThe auction had an unusual complication. An earlier round of bidding was said to have gone up to $33,000, but the buyer failed to make the payment. This led to the mask being resold, and the new auction received 48 bids and ended on February 21, 2024, at $18,101. This price was still an amazing outcome for an item listed for less than $15.Following the close of the sale, Goodwill managed to utilise the proceeds of the auction for the benefit of its community budgets, financing regional employment readiness training and localised educational programs in 2024 and 2025. In this way, the sale became linked with the overall community mission of the organisation through an unusual collectable. Instead of being a stroke of luck related to a rare toy, the auction raised funds that could be used for the benefit of people seeking employment.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.