Opening packaged figures

[DirtDigger324]

I collect transformers as a fan. It is a nice connection with my childhood among other things. I open my figures just to transform them a few times and then place them back in the package. I even open the carded figures half way so that i can keep in them as close to in the package as possible. I know as a collector I should keep everything in its package, but as a fan I like to transform them once or twice. What do you all think?

[Halfshell]

Originally posted by DirtDigger324
I know as a collector I should keep everything in its package

Collecting DNE keeping everything sealed.

Personally I don't see the point of buying an item that you're never going to use, unless it's to sell at a later date.

Do what you want (as Take That once sang).

[Denyer]

Originally posted by DirtDigger324
I know as a collector I should keep everything in its package

Eh?

Being a collector means collecting stuff. No more, no less.

I open everything, personally. Transformers are toys, a really major part of them is the tactile element, and I don't have any interest in collecting vehicles.

Originally posted by Brendocon
as Take That once sang

Let it go, man. Let the healing begin.

[Tetsuro]

Originally posted by Denyer
and I don't have any interest in collecting vehicles.

Or robots.

I'm an opener myself. I display everything out of the box and in robot modes. The empty boxes though...I decided to keep only the Takara boxes and ditch everything else, especially since huge majority of my collection is made of the "modern" stuff, along with a single Hasbro reissue, so they're not exactly rare at this point...and the few original G1 toys I have, I got them without the original packaging anyhow.

[Cliffjumper]

If you keep sealed toys, you're a wanker. Well-known fact.

More seriously, I could just about see it for stuff packed in robot mode - Robot Masters and bits like that, say that they display as well like that or something. But what the point is in only seeing half of Optimus Prime's truck mode for the rest of your life? Thing with Transformers is they transform. It's what they do. On top of the absurdities of keeping any toy sealed, there's the idea that you're actively ignoring the point of the thing - you might as well have a model car or whatever in there... Nothing wrong with hanging on to packaging if it's any good - boxes tend to be perfect storage for one, while lots of the older stuff has nice artwork and graphics to it, and nothing wrong with opening as carefully as possible if you do this (MOSC I cut on three sides, so the bubble still hangs on), but no need to keep anything sealed.

[Zisteau]

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
If you keep sealed toys, you're a wanker. Well-known fact.

Meh. Some stuff I open, well okay most stuff I open, some stuff I keep sealed. There are some figures I just like the aesthetic of the packaging, others I'm more interested in Transforming. To each his own.

[Cliffjumper]

Part-time wanker.

Heh, no, there're exceptions, obviously... it's only really a problem if you do it with most/all figures, in which case you're almost certainly collecting for cash or elitism... If I had the money, I'd have two of each Gobot and stuff the carded ones up on the study wall... But as I only have money for one of each figure (well, it kinda pans out that I end up with six or seven of each, but that's not intentional), I tend to open anything sealed I buy...

[martyboy70]

Im an opener the clue is in the name transformers they are designed to be changed between modes its the whole raison d'etre of the toyline got the 6" titanium UM yesterday and i cant keep my hands off him

[RID Scourge]

I open them. Most of them just end up displayed in robot mode (When I have the room. Right now, all but a small remnant are in giant tupperware tubs). From time to time, I'll take down one of them from the shelves and fiddle with them a bit. Usually, that's the smaller ones.

[Ackula]

As a collector I open my figures and I pose them, transform them, engage them in mortal combat with one another. I display them proudly at home and at work, never failing to show a close friend a worthwhile transformation. As a collector I enjoy the intricacies of transforming them and the satisfaction of interacting with each gimmick, no matter how cheesy it may be.

As a business man I would keep them sealed in packages in a safe place to sell at a later date once prices had risen enough to make me a net profit. However I'm not much of a businessman, just a collector.

[Sir Auros]

I display almost everything in robot mode, but some things stay in their packaging for space/convenience, rarity, or just because I like the packaging. All my TRU reissues are in their boxes. I've opened them and applied stickers and stuff, but the boxes look nice and I don't have space for a dedicated G1 shelf.

I have a TRU exclusive He-Man Vs. Skeletor pack I left in the packaging because it wasn't too easy to find and the packaging just looks nice. Sometimes it's cool to have an example of older packaging.

I have a set of Halo 2 mini-figures that I keep sealed because they were exclusives and also a prize from a Toyfare contest. I also have a Lord of the Rings figure that I'm never going to open because it's an ultra-rare NZ and UK only released Mordor Orc Lt. figure. He was the guy in Return of the King that had the skull on top of his helmet and the slash across his face. That bitch is $40+ on ebay NOW, and there's not going to be any more...

Typically, I do open packaging and play with the things.

[Pun-3X]

I open them.

Only one I really had for a lengthy period of time sealed was a Headmaster Brainstorm I got MISB off ebay. Just never had something from the old stuff in a sealed box before, so I enjoyed having it that way for a bit. But I always knew I'd open the thing eventually.

[RID Scourge]

Aye. I've been tempted to buy a MISB G1er, just so I can feel like a kid again, when I open it up. Never did it because I wanted to spend my money on other things. Someday, perhaps . . .

Right now, I need to find a nice place to move to, a job to make money in this new place and a nice homey-looking house, kind of like the one my aunt and uncle had. Maybe something more rural, just to get out of the constricted city. Maine would be awesome, if it weren't so cold in the winter. Who knows.

[another tf fan]

My collecting habits go like this:

I only buy machinery based alt mode transformers, so being a line completest is out of the question. There are few exceptions, like Classics Grimlock, TRU Reissue Soundwave and movie Scorponok, but for the most part I buy vehicle and jet based alt modes out of a line.

I have a collection of MOSC, MIB, MISB and open toys.

For Deluxe toys that I can hang on a wall I get two, one to open and one to pin up. I like the evolution of the packaging. Some Legends of Cybertron toys also get pinned up. (.... LoC Movie Barricade is sweet, BTW)

Some Scout class toys are unopened on the wall without doubles, and I itch to transform them. That's where detailed Internet pics and reviews can really sooth the savage transformer beast.

Most of the boxed stuff I have only one copy of I'll open but save the box. Alternators, 6 inch titanium's and book style re-issues for example.

Larger figures I generally only buy one of, because of cost, and I never keep the boxes. They are just to bulky to store.

During the Classics series i bought the Voyager size twice to have open and sealed examples. this includes the UM Skywarp set.

Some of them I'm intending to sell, but mostly I just like the packaging and love the "Christmas Morning" feeling I get pulling a fig out of the box, transforming it and placing it back in the package.

If I had a g1 MISB Prime I'd leave it alone, otherwise most g1 stuff would be open, cause I couldn't leave it. Re-Issues have helped take the fun out of g1 toys, because the figures really aren't that great. I like g1 toys for nostalgia.

[Cliffjumper]

I can think of lots of theoretical occasions I'd keep things sealed... If, for example, I was to somehow find a mint, sealed G1 Smokescreen in a charity shop for a couple of quid, I'd buy it and keep it sealed, as there'd be no point in opening him when I have a mint opened Japanese reissue, that sort of thing. Sadly, the charity shops around here never have mint, sealed twenty-year old Transformers, so my willpower's never been tested

I have vague ambitions to own MOSC Gobots from each packaging batch (US first series, US hologram, the nine or ten European rebrandings, Machine Men etc.) but for now it's well down my list when I still have loose figures to get.

[Denyer]

Originally posted by another tf fan
If I had a g1 MISB Prime I'd leave it alone

I'd sell it to someone who cared about that stuff...

[numbat]

Have to say I open everything, and chuck almost all boxes. The only one's I've kept are MP-04, MP-05, THS-01, MPB-01, WST Dinobots (cos of all the small parts - i.e. hands!) and Sentinel Maximus because, mainly, they are really nifty, but also they serve well for storage of either awkward or large figures. The rest of my TFs are currently in a cardboard box or two waiting to be unpacked after moving house. When they are unpacked, a few will find display places again, and cycle as before. I display mainly in robot, but the vehicle modes do get used no infrequently, and I enjoy playing with them anyhoo.

The vast majority of my collection is of rather small figures anyway, and although I initially kept the WST boxes, they became far too space hungry! Now the collection is in a sandwich bag awaiting a new shelf...

I would never be someone who'd keep a TF sealed. Couldn't do it. I struggle to pace myself opening figures when I happen to come across a number I'm after at once! I just love transforming them, posing them, and, erm, having them fight it out! (Yes, I know I'm 25, but it's fun, OK? )

I'm pretty happy with mint loose figures usually anyway, although a lot of newer stuff tends to come packaged. The gerbil makes good use of the paper and card though (you should see the multicoloured beds he makes!).

[Cliffjumper]

Originally posted by numbat
(Yes, I know I'm 25, but it's fun, OK? )

Some day I'm going to have to take pictures of the Gobots and their Lego landscape... hooking all the little ones (and Super Vamp, who makes a great Casmodon) out and having a battle is a regular fall-back on rainy days when the other half's at work. Bloody good fun, don't see how it's much different from playing a computer game (except I can play with Gobots and physically move characters).

[Mirage]

Originally posted by Denyer


Let it go, man. Let the healing begin.

or alternatively, 'let it shine' hehe!

personally, i open the buggers! when i first started collwcting about 8 years ago, i got a sealed mirage, hound and skywarp, i got them relatively cheap, about £100 each, opened them 'cus i wanted to. i don't regret it as they look ace and i sold the empty boxes on ebay about 6 years ago for between £40-£50.

[Tetsuro]

I've applied the stickers on all my reissues, but if I obtained an original boxed TF, say, Fortress Maximus, I'd get a sheet from reprolabels instead.