The search for Mr. Gold -- a recently-released LEGO Minifigure -- has collectors opening their wallets wide, with the average 1.5-inch figurine bringing in about $800 in eBay auctions.

Mr. Gold was created to commemorate LEGO's 10th series of its Minifigure line. Only 5,000 of the figure were created and then hidden in boxes across the globe in Willy-Wonka-like fashion. Each Mr. Gold figure comes with a code for the owner to enter on LEGO's website, where the found pieces are tracked on a map. According to the map's current count, 4,857 figures remain at large and you just KNOW there's a Veruca Salt out there making her dad buy endless LEGOS until she finds one of them.

The coveted figure has been selling for serious cash on eBay, where one current auction lists the "buy it now" price at $1,000. The figures sell for $2.99 on LEGO.com.

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