I was wondering

[Janus]

How do you MOC/MISB collectors do it? I was looking the other night on the 'Bay for some MOC Joes and the thought going through my head was "wow a Grunt BIN for 199, I bet that would so cool to open". I had to reel myself in! Even now my MOC/MISB 25th are at my rents house to keep me from opening them up. I just do not see how you guys can do that. Temptation would be too strong for me.

The bad thing is that I want to buy these guys MOC so I can make a pretty display of them. However, the thought that "hey its only a $5,000 dollar MOC SA Snake Eyes AFA95 who cares if I open him" is a very real presence.

[Bigbot]

I guess the temptation of opening things just doesn't exist for me since I have everything loose anyway. I was lucky enough to be able to buy everything loose that I wanted very early on. My loose collection is not complete, but super close. Then I shifted to MOC/MISB. I found that I might as well fill the missing loose items with MOC/MISB versions.

My philosophy is steadfast and remains something like this:

It is now about the preservation of sealed items, as there are plenty of mint loose examples that can be obtained. An item can go sealed to loose only once, but never the other way around.

[Janus]

I guess the temptation of opening things just doesn't exist for me since I have everything loose anyway. I was lucky enough to be able to buy everything loose that I wanted very early on. My loose collection is not complete, but super close. Then I shifted to MOC/MISB. I found that I might as well fill the missing loose items with MOC/MISB versions.

My philosophy is steadfast and remains something like this:

It is now about the preservation of sealed items, as there are plenty of mint loose examples that can be obtained. An item can go sealed to loose, but never the other way around.

Trouble is I also have them loose, but I still wanna open them. I think it harkens back to when I was a kid and trying to recapture that magic moment when you finally got that piece you just had to have and opening it up to play with.

Alas, I think I may join the MOC/MISB club.

[spiderpumpkin]

If I bought a MISB item to keep sealed I would always wonder if it was actually in the box. Who knows maybe the factory didn't put everything in there or someone carefully resealed the box and put books in there or something.

[Lt. Night Viper]

My philosophy is steadfast and remains something like this:

It is now about the preservation of sealed items, as there are plenty of mint loose examples that can be obtained. An item can go sealed to loose only once, but never the other way around.

It's the exact same way with me. Couldn't have said it any better Bigbot!

If I bought a MISB item to keep sealed I would always wonder if it was actually in the box. Who knows maybe the factory didn't put everything in there or someone carefully resealed the box and put books in there or something.

Ignorance is bliss in a way. If there are no indicators of the box being tampered with, why worry?


I don't have the temptation at all, a little self discipline goes a long way Since I don't really 'play' with anything, I don't see a point in opening anything, at least vintage. Sure, there might be a 'thrill' for the first 30 seconds, but then you're left with an opened toy that you're just going to throw in a bin or up on a shelf once that 30 seconds is over. I like to look at things as they existed on the shelves back in the day, coupled with the idea that Bigbot spelled out above, opening things just isn't appealing to me. For every one thing that's opened, that is one less sealed example in the world.

[Janus]

I thought I could handle a MOC General Flagg once about a year ago that I bought at a flea market for $4.00. Did not last. Popped him open and played with him a bit. Then put him in a bin. On the good hand I look at all my Joes everyday.

I do have my Artic Team sealed and Joe Colton sealed still.

[dark_perceptor]

It's not so bad if you can buy doubles of everything, one to open and one to shelf!

But honestly, I'm on the fence with this one. I love having the majority of my collection MIB/MISB/MOC, even if it is by default since I don't have the room to display even half of it. But in the early stage it was sheer torture, and eventually I caved and opened a few only to regret it within days. Now I spend money on old MOC's instead of new ones. Don't get me wrong, I love opening toys. Seriously. Love it. And when I get a bigger place and my joes can have a room of their own, there will be seal-breaking. Maybe you guys can help me decide which ones will survive...

[CobraLALALALA]

I guess the question to ask yourself Perceptor is "Do I value the mint figure, or the mint package?" If you just value having the minty figure, then open that puppy. It's not like we're 7 years old takin the joes out on the pavement to get scraped and all of that. If the package really matters to you, I think you should leave it sealed.

Obviously if you have something super super rare (and I do mean RARREE), then don't open it...sell it.

[dark_perceptor]

I guess the question to ask yourself Perceptor is "Do I value the mint figure, or the mint package?" If you just value having the minty figure, then open that puppy. It's not like we're 7 years old takin the joes out on the pavement to get scraped and all of that. If the package really matters to you, I think you should leave it sealed.

Obviously if you have something super super rare (and I do mean RARREE), then don't open it...sell it.

Right now, it all comes down to display space. I probably would have no problem opening any figure/vehicle if I had a a sweet spot for it, heck right now I'd settle for a spot on any shelf. But to open something only for a few moments of "play" before bagging and filing kinda defeats the purpose for me. My g/f and I are currently shopping for houses and hope to move before summer. One of the requirements is a room for my collection. My plan is to build museum-style display cases; and because I work in the glass industry, I have all the materials and hardware at my disposal. (Insert evil, foreboding chuckle here)

I should mention too, that I have been buying doubles of certain figures just to keep a copy MOC. Hey, I'm allowed to dual-wield my collection!

[CobraLALALALA]

That should be nice! Can't wait to see it when it all comes together