One line, three facts
Every line of a parts list answers three questions: which shape? (the part number), which colour? and how many?. Everything else – picture, name, element ID – only helps you find it.
An example: according to the catalogue data, the Galaxy Explorer (set 10497) has 1,254 pieces. Its parts list, however, has only 283 lines, because identical parts in the same colour are grouped into one line.
The part number: the shape
The part number describes the shape only, not the colour. 3001 is the 2 × 4 brick – in red, in yellow and in every other colour. On many parts the number is moulded in small print, usually inside or on the underside.
Letters often follow the number. The most important ones:
- a, b, c – variants of the same shape. 3070a is the 1 × 1 tile without a groove along the bottom edge, 3070b the newer one with a groove. In a finished model they look the same.
- pr plus a number – a printed part. 3001pr0001 is a 2 × 4 brick with a print.
- c01, c02 … – a part made of several pieces joined for good, such as a lever with its base.
The numbers on Bricoria follow Rebrickable’s data. Most of them match the manufacturer’s numbers; for variants and prints they can differ.
The colour: three names for one grey
Colour names are a classic trap when you reorder parts. The same colour has different names depending on the source: the mid grey found in almost every set since 2004 is “Light Bluish Gray” on Rebrickable and BrickLink but “Medium Stone Grey” at the manufacturer. Older sets used a slightly warmer “Light Gray”, which looks almost identical in photos.
So when you buy parts, always check the colour number or compare against the colour swatch next to the line – not just the name.
The element ID: shape and colour in one number
The element ID is a six- or seven-digit number for exactly one part in exactly one colour. You will find it in the parts list at the back of the building instructions.
On older parts you can still see how it works: the red 2 × 4 brick has element ID 300121 – part number 3001 plus the manufacturer’s colour code 21 for red. The black one is 300126, the white one 300101. Newer element IDs are sequential numbers with no visible pattern, such as 6284070 for the black 1 × 1 round tile.
One shape in one colour can have several element IDs. The white 1 × 1 round tile has four in the catalogue data. That happens when a part is made in another factory or from a new material. For you, the parts are the same.
Spare parts: more in the box than counted
Many sets include one or two extra pieces of small parts – 1 × 1 plates, round tiles, levers, clips. These spares are not part of the official piece count. Parts lists mark them separately or list them in their own group at the end.
The Galaxy Explorer comes with 25 spares across 24 lines. When you check whether a set is complete, simply leave those lines out.
Most lists also show minifigures separately – as a complete figure, not as head, torso and legs.
The parts list from the mosaic generator
The list you get from the mosaic generator is simpler: there is only one part type, so only one part number. Every line is a colour with its quantity, sorted by count. The total always equals width × height – 2,304 pieces for 48 × 48 studs.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn’t the piece count on the box match my count?
Usually because of spare parts. They come in the set but are not part of the official piece count. Minifigures can also be counted differently, because one figure is made of several parts.
Which number do I need to reorder a single part?
The element ID. It fixes shape and colour at the same time. With the part number alone you get the part in any colour.
Should I keep the spare parts?
You don’t need them to build. Many builders keep them in a separate box – small parts like 1 × 1 plates are the first to go missing when you rebuild.
