Figure assistance!

[Michael Crawford]

My two cents...

I'm going to weigh in with a slightly different opinion, but only slightly.

Where it varies is whether anything produced these days will be worth anything 20-30 years from now. While it's true that what kids play with most will end up worth the most in the future, exactly what that is really is impossible to guess. And the idea that there's lots of stuff produced today compared to 30 years ago - no way. Consider Star Wars, where common figures produced from the original line were done in the 2-3 MILLION, while the usual figure these days is more like 150-200k, and only goes through one production cycle.

What will happen is that anything NOT moc or mib will be worth zippo, because there will be more boxed and carded examples available.

On the other hand, where I don't have a different opinion, is on opening stuff up. You'll get a tremendous amount of pleasure opening up your toys, and you'll love how they look on the shelf. Don't spend too much time worrying about value, and just focus on how much fun you have today - who knows, you might not be here tomorrow.

I think I've shown folks here this before, but just for emphasis:

http://www.mwctoys.com/ToyRoom_Intro.htm

You can see I have lots of loose stuff, and lots of MOC or MIB stuff. I have tons of stuff in plastic containers too, both MOC and loose. It's all fun. Do what you enjoy, and don't spend time worrying about what others think you should do.

Hey, didn't I write a Daily Bit for Palisades on this very topic?

Michael
MWC
and the folks here are going to be most interested the photos that start here:

http://www.mwctoys.com/ToyRoom_138.htm

 

[incredeeble!]

Like Michael said pretty much, to each their own... I highly doubt that your standard figures that you can find at the stores today will be worth enough to pay for your child's education down the road. Things are produced in so much more quantity nowadays because there's more of a market for them. (People don't know how to use birth control) I'm sure in 25 years, a Dr Teeth repaint would definitely be worth more than an open one, but think about how much more fun you could potentially have with it if it were open?

What I personally do is keep my toys sealed. I do it for a couple of reasons. One, I really like to display complete collections of toys in a uniform row on my walls at home and work. But that's just me. Second, I'll keep it sealed for trade purposes. I wouldn't be looking to break someone's bank, but I might just lose interest in a toy or two down the road, and I could always trade it to someone and get whatever my next "thing" will be. I did this with my spawn collection. Those are space hogs but I kept the harder to find ones sealed and I eventually lost interest. Traded them away for pretty much retail value and got some POTF toys in return.

Kinda unrelated, but when I was at the SD Comic Con this year, one of the very hot exclusives was the He-Man (if you didn't already know)... I just thought it would be hilarious to just shred the living daylights out of the package in front of all the hoarders who were trying to get their hands on them. I heard people in those lines saying they were buying them and putting them on ebay immediately. It was very dissapointing...

 

[Telly]

I guess I'm not really into buying toys just for the thought of profit. I'd never even think of selling my toys. Plus, I mean...I still wanna have adventures with 'em!

 

[frogboy4]

The only way someone else is gonna get my figures is in 70 years or so when I'm dead and gone (morbid thought) so I don't really care about the packaging. To some - keepting them in the blister brings them joy. However I take Palisades' slogan literally - I'm playin' with them!

 

[Lu775]

Originally posted by Lunatic Daring
unless you ask to be buried with ALL your toys like I will

All your toys? You better buy a second coffin....or just leave all the toys to me. Yeah, that's the ticket! You can trust me to take care of them ol' buddy, ol' pal!

 

[Sweetums74]

There was a "Fight Club" parody that was circulating around the internet about this very topic- it is called "Figure Club" and deals with the trials and tribulations of "Do you leave it MIB or do you open it and play with it as it was intended to be?".

It can be found by going to http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/figure_club

As for myself- I'm keeping one entire set MIB (including WW Teeth) just because I want to (I like them like that). I'm also getting 2 of all of the figs that I want to display in my office @ work which is basically all of them except Invisible Beaker, WW Teeth, and regular piggy (I prefer the 'hair-down' version).

If I could only afford to do it one way, they would be opened. All of my McFarlane Movie Maniacs are open. I'm not a big figure collector, but the Muppet series is the only series that I'm trying to get a complete mint set.

Chris

 

[Lunatic Daring]

.or just leave all the toys to me. Yeah, that's the ticket! You can trust me to take care of them ol' buddy, ol' pal! [/B][/QUOTE]

Note to self, do NOT eat anything you give me, and remove you from will...well, I don't have one... hmmmm ah, do not PUT you in will...at least don't tell you about it if I do

trouble is you're the only one who would take care of my toys properly...tell ya' what, when I kick off, surprise me!

 

[Lu775]

mmmm Rockets!

Note to self, do NOT eat anything you give me

Darn you and your evil schemes! I should have taken your advice.
You gave me that nifty rocket dispensor, and I've already eaten through the first roll. They're just so tasty...tart yet sweet, and dispensed like pez from a happy rabbit.
must get more rockets!