The Energon Pub

Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:03 pm

Most of the figures I have I display on shelf, but I've taken to keeping the boxes and cards for everything from Leader class to Deluxe. Needless to say things are getting cluttered quickly, and I've got to get ride of something. Considering they're already opened how much could potential future value of my figures be impacted if I get rid of the boxes? I'll keep the instructions.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:08 pm

My advice? Get rid of them. I clip the bios, but that's it.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:12 pm

i typically only keep the boxes for my mp's and alternities and third party stuff or exclusives. but if space is a concern id get rid of the packaging, keep the card backs if you like along with the instructions. personally i only keep the instructions. as far as value over the last couple of years you wont find any current movie or even most classics increasing in value. only time will tell on that front.

News Credits: 7 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:25 pm

I keep them. For me, they are as much part of a figure as its weapons.

News Credits: 5749 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:43 pm

I keep a few, but discard most. Especially current general release figures. If you really want to keep them you could always break down and fold them flat, they store much easier that way.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:48 pm

I think I'm going to get rid of them. I'm sensing I may be becoming a hoarder because I don't want to thrown anything out, ever. I've got transformers boxes, computer parts, and the boxes for all my consoles piling up here. After seeing how clean my friend's basement manages to look I've got to do my part in cutting down the clutter.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:50 pm

For mass retail releases, I keep the card backs for Deluxe class and below. For Voyager class and above, I cut out the side of the box that has the bio and figure images (two sides on the 2010 line).

I keep full boxes for special figures - Masterpiece, Commemorative, FansProject. I also keep packaging for boxed sets, like the Classics/Universe combiners and Takara 2010 Predaking. I'm debating as to whether or not it's worth it for the Takara Encore Metroplex, Omega Supreme, and Sky Lynx.

News Credits: 1 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:13 pm

I keep all my TF boxes these days. When I was a young kid collecting G1 in the eighties, I used to throw all the packaging away, now of course I wish I hadn't.

The more mainstream pieces may seem readily available now, but you can't discount the nostalgia factor later on. G1 Prime is a perfect example, almost everyone I knew had him when I was a kid, he was everywhere, however the vast majority got broken, thrown out or even given away. As a result today, trying to purchase a genuine G1 Prime MIB now means you have to part with some serious cash.

So, if I were you I'd keep the lot.

News Credits: 1 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:14 pm

Double posted, damn Internet!

Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:00 pm

I think it all depends piece by piece. I collected Star Wars forever and they are all packaged. They bring about 2 dollars more MIB compared to loose. But Star Wars collecting is dead value wise. No movies, a minor tv show and not much else.

TF is really hot. I'm finding loose figures with boxes go at about the same price as MIB on some eBay sales.

I had a loose Super Nintendo I sold for 50 dollars last month. I found my old one that I had put back in the box and had been stored for the last X number of years and it went for 200. That's the same price as it went retail the day it was released.

So I'd kind of lean toward keeping boxes.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:02 pm

SN95 Cobra R wrote:I think it all depends piece by piece. I collected Star Wars forever and they are all packaged. They bring about 2 dollars more MIB compared to loose. But Star Wars collecting is dead value wise. No movies, a minor tv show and not much else.

TF is really hot. I'm finding loose figures with boxes go at about the same price as MIB on some eBay sales.

I had a loose Super Nintendo I sold for 50 dollars last month. I found my old one that I had put back in the box and had been stored for the last X number of years and it went for 200. That's the same price as it went retail the day it was released.

So I'd kind of lean toward keeping boxes.

Time to invest in more plastic storage containers, then.

News Credits: 60 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:29 pm

If it's G1, keep it, If it's G1 related, keep it. If it's the Japanese version keep it. If you have not intentions of selling, keep it.

News Credits: 1 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:02 pm

I personally keep any and all boxes, and display my TF's on a rotational basis. The boxes are good for protecting the figs from damage or dust.

Thing is, I'm fast running out of space in my house, and with TF3 DOTM looming, I might have to start "flat-packing" the boxes pretty soon, and store undisplayed figs in plastic storage containers like most everyone else. The deluxe bubble packs can't be flat-packed, though.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:30 pm

I think I'll keep the boxes for the Leader class figures then. I just have to do something about the clutter down here. SN95 Cobra R's post has convinced me to hold onto the boxes for my gaming consoles, though.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:48 pm

I'm glad I could help. One thing I forgot to add is one day everything stops being "hot". That's what 15 years of collecting had taught me.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:48 pm

as said by someone else if its gi and others keep

also what i do when i get a rare tf that was newly released i keep the box just in case all of a sudden demand for the figure goes up and the companie runs out of it. if that every happens with the boxes ive kept iwould sell it for alot of $ :ic$:

$

News Credits: 1 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:17 pm

i only keep the encore and reissue boxes, and i clip the characters picture from the front of the package. i dont know why i do that, i guess i'm just weird!

News Credits: 3 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:05 pm

They'd be worth a bit more if/when you went to sell them, but how much is it worth to store a closet full or worse of boxes for x number of years? I know you wouldn't make back what it would cost you to rent out a storage unit...if you have the space to waste, great. If not, dump 'em.

News Credits: 5749 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:14 pm

Kibble wrote:They'd be worth a bit more if/when you went to sell them, but how much is it worth to store a closet full or worse of boxes for x number of years? I know you wouldn't make back what it would cost you to rent out a storage unit...if you have the space to waste, great. If not, dump 'em.

You beat me to it, I was about to say the exact same thing. If a figure ends up being valuable it will be with or without the box. Sure you'll get a little bit more when/if you sell it, but will those few extra bucks be worth the hassle and space consumption? In fact this has me thinking about tossing the boxes I have hanging around.

News Credits: 33 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:15 pm

Flatten the box, and keep it somewhere that is dry (but not too dry, dont want to dry out the glues on the window), clean and safe. I've never thrown away a box since I started collecting, and when it came to selling my RID\Armada\Energon\Cybertron\Classics stuff, the fact I had the boxes made the stuff much easier to sell.

Personally, as a collector - I get all gooey for boxes. I lo----------ve boxes. When I started collecting G1 *properly*, MIB became the only thing that satisfied. I'd rather pay double and have the box.

News Credits: 5749 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:25 pm

Well the original poster should be thoroughly confused by now.

News Credits: 2 · Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:29 pm

I only keep boxes for limited/exclusive edition figures, 3rd party stuff, some imports, Masterpieces and that's it. I sometimes keep boxes if they're fancy looking (like the Movie HA ones) but for the most part throw everything else (and keep instructions/cards or extras).

It all depends on the figure really.

And like SN95 Cobra R said, it also depends on the hobby, I'm also a retro/classics games collector and complete MIB games and consoles are worth a lot more than loose ones. Doesn't seem to be the same for Transformers though.

Tue Jan 04, 2011 2:17 pm

Transformers are a strange thing to collect and want to keep MIB. They are so interactive. I like boxes a little bit myself but TFs call you to fiddle with them.

Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:30 pm

SN95 Cobra R wrote:Transformers are a strange thing to collect and want to keep MIB. They are so interactive. I like boxes a little bit myself but TFs call you to fiddle with them.

right on ! they sure do

Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:12 pm

I usually keep 'em. I mostly have Legends class of ROTF. With those, I keep the plastic part and from the back I cut off the insignia and the rest, I discard. Also, I kept Voyager pack, but unfortunately I threw away Deluxe Soundwaves pack, as well as Legends Barricade's.

All the better to store them, at times.