On this day in Denmark back in 1977, the first patent for the LEGO Minifigure was handed in but there are also other patents for many other countries as well granted on different dates. As you can see below, some of these countries include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and China. LEGO chose August 29 to celebrate the birthday of the LEGO minifigure and the date seems random but there’s an explanation.

August 29th has been chosen as this was the original date that the first patent was filed in Denmark, in 1977. The first minifigures were not launched until 1978, hence we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first launched minifigures and not when the first patent was filed.