LEGO 1973 / Universal Building Set / Basic Set Sets

LEGO's Universal Building Sets theme was released as early as 1966 but it was not until 1973 that the Basic LEGO sets became known as Universal Building Sets. These sets were produced in two set version numbers, the first was for sets that were sold in the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia. The other version numbers, but for the same exact set with the same box artwork was released in the United States. Most, but not all sets between 1973 and 1981 were sold in both regions.

1973 LEGO Sets

In 1973, LEGO released several new sets and themes, including the LEGO Town theme, which introduced the first minifigures with movable arms and legs. This was a major innovation for LEGO, as it allowed for much more realistic and detailed play scenarios. 1973 was also the year that LEGO introduced the LEGO DUPLO line. In addition to these new products, 1973 saw the release of several other popular LEGO sets and themes, such as the LEGO Castle theme and the LEGO Space theme. These sets, along with the new minifigures and DUPLO bricks, helped to cement LEGO's position as one of the leading toy brands in the world.