Topic: Collecting Loose or Carded?

[Tamer]

JKNO and I are having an excellent debate about opening things up or leaving them in the box for display purposes. I though his last message in my collection thread was extremely well thought out and makes so much sense.

I only hope you opened them at least to look at what is inside. Just imagine the following scenario - partially just happened to me: I recently got my Sideshow Premium Format 1:4 Stormtrooper statue. It arrived with broken belt (other members got them even worse, with broken legs and damaged armor parts). If I decided to keep it boxed (it has a great art box indeed) and never open it up to verify I would have never seen the damage and get replacement in time.

In 5 years if I'd like to sell it I would advertise as "never opened, mint in box" etc. etc. But in fact it comes with a broken belt and in the end I would get in trouble with the buyer. Busts and statues if displayed well (inside glass cabinets, out of the sunlight, no cigarette smoke etc.) will never have a lower resale value in the future. Their boxes are made in such a way you can open and re-open as many times you want/ you just need to add some tape on some.

But in 5 years a sold out item will never have replacement parts not even at the original producer, if that is still on the market. There are some people waiting for replacement plaques for various props from Master Replicas because they bought MIB, never opened props and they were missing those plaques. Will they get them? NO. Master Replicas doesn't exist anymore. Some of the plaques cost a small fortune on ebay now. If they have opened the boxes back then MR had replaced everything

There is also the materials these high end busts, statues and figures are made of: resin, polystone, plastic (ABS/PVC), rubber and cloth (on some PF's and 1:6 figs). I read a lot about preserving statues and figures, how the paint reacts in time with the box and how figures like Hot Toys Batman, HT Appleseed, Sideshow Captain America statue etc. had badly damaged paint or even bodies because of being kept inside packaging. Check out some SSF threads, interesting and scary reads.

Thus in fact personally I wouldn't buy a rare statue, a figure or even more, a prop or helmet, that hasn't been ever opened up by the seller, to be verified, especially if that item is long sold out (and thus out of replacement parts). I asked all the guys and even shops who sold me various items to see the pics of the items I bought.

Not sure if you saw my deactivated real Sterling SMG modified as Stormtrooper blaster (thus being the most accurate blaster possible beating even the Master Replicas version easily), I asked for pics of it because I wanted to see it, even if it is a piece of metal, a real decomissioned weapon like the one used in SW, and nothing could happen to a lump of metal (except some rust that can be easily fixed - though the pro assembling it added a special coat of protective lacquer inside too).

But when I got my Stormtrooper PF statue I asked Mike from Razor's Edge Collectibles to look at his statue stock because I knew many arrived badly damaged from Sideshow factory. He thanked me for letting him know (he had quite a few damaged indeed and got replacements from SS) and even so I got the small belt broken, because none of us thought that the belt, separately packed in a bubble wrap, could be damaged from factory. I did the same with most of my stuff in my collection. I NEVER buy something with just stock pictures, and without real pics of the item outside the box. It saved me a lot of trouble.

Of course, sometimes I am not known for having a great deal of sense. 

Still, I wonder if I should crack open the box on a few of these things? Personally, I like my collection to have open and boxed items especially if that box or card has nice artwork and I know we carded collectors are starting to go by the wayside. Still, I thought it would be great fun to start the debate and see what the rest of you thought about this issue? Remember, ultimately it is up to you how you collect and there really is no wrong way to do it as long as it is fun for you so lets keeps this fun with no bashing of folks and their opinions.

[Mr. Black]

Ah.... Ye ol' loose vs. boxed debate  I display my collections both loose and packaged. Will elaborate on that later on....

[jkno]

I think high end items like statues, busts, figures, premium formats, props and replicas, studio scale ships and vehicles, and helmets can only be displayed out of the box. Most of these don't even have an option to display them boxed since they come in brown shipping boxes with special protective foam boxes inside, and takes even up to 5 minutes to take them out. Plus you need to open them up to see what really is inside and in what condition (if a limited edition collectible is damaged and you don't find out in time, you might remain with it as is, since in a few years replacements might not be available anymore).

Besides that most high end collectibles come from the factories packed in a way that protects them the best. This means no window boxes or transparent shells. Sideshow and Hot Toys figures do have window boxes, but those are not good to keep boxed because rubber and cloth can deteriorate inside tight warm spaces like a box, over time - examples are many on various forums already. Also most of the high end collectibles can be easily placed back inside the original shipping boxes because they are made exactly for that. I did this when I moved and had no problems. I can put an item in and out of its box 1000 times, without it losing any value.

And in the end looking at a bust, statue, figure, prop or helmet displayed nicely on a stand/shelf, or in a cabinet or display case, makes your collection much more than just a warehouse with a list of items you acquired over time. Of course these high end items cannot be displayed in direct sunlight, home with pets, cigarette smoke, they need to be protected as well as possible. But this is available for all kind of collectibles IMO.

I can't speak for Hasbro figures though since I sold/traded/donated most of them years ago, and even then I had them loose, because I wanted to feel those figures, and even play with them, not just look at a pretty card. But I totally understand people collecting them carded/boxed for high value etc. So yeah, personally I collect my items loose. The only thing I have on display carded is a vintage Stormtrooper mouse

[Mr. Black]

I'm with jkno on this one. High end collectibles will end up displayed loose in my home. I have GG's Speede Bike statue standing in our bookshelf in the living room, GG's Slave Leia upstairs in the attic/workroom, a few more GG maquettes and statues and Kotobukiyas in my own little Star Wars/customizing room. The boxes are all intact, but stuffed away in our attic.

I do have items unpacked, namely the entire VOTC and VTSC (or is it VSTC?) figure collection. Back then I was extremely pleased with the 12 VOTC figures, bringing back a lot of sweet memories of me going from toy store to toy store to buy new action figures. The packaging was such a excellent nod to Kenner, you see. Okay, the few VTSC figures were great to add as well, but that's where I drew the line. I don't collect the TVC figures on card, because now it's overkill imho.

But that's beside the point. I have those figures MOC, because of the excellent packaging and design. And basically, that's the only thing I have MOC.

I'm in the process of revamping my room, aiming for a display of my collection of loose Kenner figures with their best modern counterpart standing next to them.

If I had the space available, I'd unpack things like a BMF, AT-AT, TIE Fighters and such as well, going for a diorama look in various parts of the house. Unfortunately I don't have that space, so my collection is limited, but consists only of the things I myself value really high.

[jkno]

To be honest I was expecting more interest from members here in such an important topic

[Tamer]

To be honest I was expecting more interest from members here in such an important topic

Yeah me too, let me go get this on the front page.

Ofcourse one of the realities of being a dreaded carded collector is something I started dealing with yesterday. I ordered a new Hasbro Figure from an Estore that didn't have a written description just a title for what figure it was and their picture showed the figure on an unpunched card. The one I recieved in the mail yesterday was punched. Not a big deal to a loose collector, but a major deal to a carded collector like me who only bought this figure with the understanding that it was unpunched.

So, even the places where you buy your goodies are sometimes not concscious (or just don't care) about this either. Sometimes a company's packing job doesn't show much concern for the keeping the package safe either.

[Tamer]

I made us a graphic Serg!



Wow does your collection display beautifully. It really has swayed how I show my items and what I focus on.

[jkno]

As I said I totally understand Hasbro/Kenner collectors or vintage collectors who keep the SW items carded like new and pristine. If I collected Hasbro or vintage I would do the same, or at least buy the more important figures as doubles/extras, to have one carded and one loose. But on higher end items, collecting and especially displaying them boxed, is not a very good choice, because you cannot see what is inside when you display the box, it is not like the transparent card that comes with Hasbro figs, where you see all the details without the need of opening up the card. 

[Tamer]

I do agree that if there is any item that has no box art then it is pretty much ridiculous to keep the item packed.

Point to JKNO.

[botwt]

My personal collection is both loose and carded. I only keep rare figures carded while just your everyday figure I will open up.

[darthpaz]

I have the 70's/80's figure loose (glad I have them all now - and I am afraid that having them carded will not be possible this lifetime).

The newer figures I mostly unpack, since I only buy the figures I'd like to display in specific scenes (Jabba Palace, Hoth, Cantina..).
The "new" Vintage Collection is my "problem".... I really love the packaging, but most of the figures are so great that I have to display them..... And buying two of each will be too expensive (considering it will cost me about $15 per figure in Europe...)

I only have a few statues, but they can easily be packed again.....

[Tamer]

Yepper, I do agree with your point about the great vintage cards. I really, really like Wookie Balls collection room with all those great true vintage recards on the walls and the vintage line is about as close as I can get. I live in the US and can still only afford to collect one of each so I look for the best carded representative I can for each new TESB Figure (unpunched) and go from there.

I also think that it is so much fun to display loose figures in some form of background or diorama, kind of like I have my great Custom Drivers from the Yarders even if its just some of those generic Hasbro Cardboard Diorama Inserts. I am so jealous of folks like R1bb1t who can have a whole room devoted to a massive diorama. I could easily see me designing a room with a square raised platform with something like that in the center to be the central focus surrounded by shelves of other smaller dioramas and figures and busts and what not.

I have plans one day to turn some of my under my stairs cabinets into diorama displays where each small segement is a diorama of some sort. As such, I ended up putting my vehicle display in there and until I get my next set of cabinets this idea has been on hold. Still, I think it is the ulimate way to display loose items whether it be AF, bust, statue or what not.

I am loving to hear everyone's opinion. I hope more folks share.

[The Spectre]

I do not collect anything for it's possible "future value". If I buy anything, it's because I want to own it.

I do not have a single carded/boxed toy in my collection and all of my high-end statues are loose on my bookcases and the boxes were long ago tossed in the trash. I admire package artwork, but I do not feel the need to save it as I can always look at the pictures online in one of the fine galleries that many sites have up if i feel the need to revisit the artwork.

Just my $.02,

The Spectre's views are strictly the individual's own and do not represent the admins or staff of www.imperialshipyards.com or it's affiliates 

[Tamer]

LOL. Good perspective Spectre.

So, what items besides the great new Vintage Carded Items and Vintage Boxed Ships do you feel deserve the Boxed or Carded Treatment?

[Savageopress]

I, like incom, keep some figures packaged but I open most. I do however open those very carefully so the boxes do not look opened and I can keep them. I also don't plan to sell these down the road, so condition doesn't matter as much to me.