The Energon Pub

Just make sure you don't keep it MISB.

as a collector i open most and keep certain ones misb.especially ones i have a double of.

Although i do think toys or most should be open i do respect someones choice to keep all misb

it may go mouldy...

I got a vintage toy recently and I couldn't wait to get it out of the package. I was thrilled

tom brokaw wrote:

Homer wrote:

tom brokaw wrote:cookies aint my thing, but i am eating some cupcakes.

maybe i will.

i laughed so hard when i saw that

Sunstar wrote:I have seen it before where I have been asked to back up why I agree or disagree with something.

Well you should back up your opinions if you are going to present an argument to someone elses opinion. If you're just going to agree or disagree there is really little point in posting short of posting for the sake of posting. In the forum I moderate on another site posting just to post is against the rules. You have to be prepared to make a logical argument if you're going to post.

Of course there are times when you might just be trying to make a point and not really arguing with others. Certainly this forum isn't setup for the great debates that other forum is.

Really I did not intend to start an argument over which is better removing or keeping MISB. I was merely commenting on my own lack of understanding for collecting things that you're not going to enjoy. At least not in the same way I enjoy mine. Others of course took it beyond that into what the thread became. People can do with their collection what they want, it is for no one else to tell them how they should collect. Though for the sake of understanding we can ask why.

Koloth wrote:I was merely commenting on my own lack of understanding for collecting things that you're not going to enjoy. At least not in the same way I enjoy mine.

I think that I commented on this in my post on this thread as to why I collect and keep them MISB. That is the just the way that I collect as I regard it as an investment and a collection. The value of a sealed item will always be higher than one that is opened and played with.

If I want to open an item I get a double of it so that way a MISB version will be kept aside for future investment purposes. One does not have to look very far back to see some increasing value on recently released items such as the HASBRO reissue line. Some of those items are already reaching 3-5 times their retail value.

That is in the end how I enjoy them as the boxed item is as nice as the item outside of box to me.

Koloth wrote:

Sunstar wrote:I have seen it before where I have been asked to back up why I agree or disagree with something.

Well you should back up your opinions if you are going to present an argument to someone elses opinion. If you're just going to agree or disagree there is really little point in posting short of posting for the sake of posting. In the forum I moderate on another site posting just to post is against the rules. You have to be prepared to make a logical argument if you're going to post.

Of course there are times when you might just be trying to make a point and not really arguing with others. Certainly this forum isn't setup for the great debates that other forum is.

Case and point. I feel I must explain myself.

I do not like debates or arguments, which is why I never go into the philosphers forum. I have a reason, my reason is my own and I need not explain that. If I like or dislike something, I will often say why, but for the most part, I am not interested in arguing about it.

Also, I do not care to explain myself sometimes. I am a busy person with lots of things to do. If I say I really like something or I really dislike something what is there to explain? I may have no idea why I like or dislike something, I just don't

In the end, my argument is...I don't feel I need to give anyone a reson.

g1transformers wrote:I regard it as an investment

That is fine. However I have made the point before that toys in generalare a poor investment and if you are looking for an investment opportunity there are far better things to put your money into.

Take Beast Wars for instance. Loose or boxed they do not demand a very high price. Rampage nets about $50 MISB. Certainly not much higher than when they were first released. Which is fine by me since while I enjoyed the show when it first aired I wasn't interested in collecting the toys. Now that I am I can get them at a small premium but nothing painful. Much better than finding a MIB G1 Jetfire. Even just a complete Jetfire was tough to find for less than $90. and mine sadly isn't in mint condition. But the nostalgia means more to me than the value.

Some of them can go up in value but it is by no means gareenteed. If I were going to invest I would pick something with a greater gareentee of return.

softimus_prime wrote:honestly this issue is somehow getting ridiculous to the fact that it's a flame starter for some of the board members and i dont dig the issue that one fellow seibertronian shows his collection on misb and then some issue about opening them came, i myself replied that i hope he'll open one of those toys someday then others suggested it but suddenly the thread just went crazy for some reason... i dont like that kind of stuff we are all having rights to give our opinions but let's not start an argument over something that we all share in common... collecting imo i open my toys just for a simple reason i like the feeling of toying them but for those who dont want to open their collection it's still fine because they say it's nice to keep them brand new and hell if i even have enough money i'll buy duplicates too just to keep them misb but unfortunately not... but let's just dont forget that tf toys is the reason why we are here not to argue with someone like their saying it's not a way of colecting or other stuff... again respect is the keyword here...

for those who open their toys that's cool and for those who doesn't still same reaction and to make the story short, imo im happy for those who share their collections opened or misb and happy to meet people like you guys...

p.s. too bad i cant see blkbitcloud's collection due to firewall issues but im happy for you dude!! more power!

BW may not be the best example. I have complete collections of G1 and Armada onwards including the ones without TV shows like Alts, BTs, MPs and the like. Overall all these lines are appreciating. Selected pieces of the TV show lines have appreciated like Energon Omega Sentinel and Armada Starscream. Not all will appreciate but what would look better on one's wall a mutual fund or a TF? I invest and collect. The combination make TFs the way to go for me. Makes me happy I guess and I like what you said in your post that respect is the key word. Different yolks for different folks and all.

I always buy my mints in a sealed box. If the box on my mints has been opened, who knows who could have poured cyanide or something into them.

g1transformers wrote:BW may not be the best example.

Depends on what you're using it as an example for. I'm simply saying that MISB collecting is by no means a gareentee of a large return on your money.

Consider the Alternators as well. There was a time when the Red Box Tracks and Jazz could command a very high price. Upwards of $70 or more. Then Hasbro released the fishbowl versions. People that couldn't get them in the first release were happy enough that the red box versions dropped drastically. The TRU reissues dropped the prices on some of the vintage G1 figures as well. Simply because the demand was lowwer because of a greater supply.

While the mutual fund might not look good on the wall it certainly looks better in the investment portfolio. This is not to say you can't continue to collect them MISB all you like. And I'm sure that when you do sell they will in all likelyhood be worth a bit more than the purchase price. But over time stocks, bonds, CDs, ERAs, savings accounts and mutual funds are going to give the greater return.

And of course the worst scenario for toys as an investment is the whole Beanie baby debacle. People expecting the rake in huge sums on these things only to see the collecting craze crash as interest waned and there were no buyers to sell to. An unlikely scenario for transformers with sucha long history behind them. But the price you can fetch on toys is very much determined by what the buyer is willing to pay. If interest wanes then the rpices fall and fall fast.

Koloth wrote:

g1transformers wrote:BW may not be the best example.

Depends on what you're using it as an example for. I'm simply saying that MISB collecting is by no means a gareentee of a large return on your money.

Consider the Alternators as well. There was a time when the Red Box Tracks and Jazz could command a very high price. Upwards of $70 or more. Then Hasbro released the fishbowl versions. People that couldn't get them in the first release were happy enough that the red box versions dropped drastically. The TRU reissues dropped the prices on some of the vintage G1 figures as well. Simply because the demand was lowwer because of a greater supply.

While the mutual fund might not look good on the wall it certainly looks better in the investment portfolio. This is not to say you can't continue to collect them MISB all you like. And I'm sure that when you do sell they will in all likelyhood be worth a bit more than the purchase price. But over time stocks, bonds, CDs, ERAs, savings accounts and mutual funds are going to give the greater return.

And of course the worst scenario for toys as an investment is the whole Beanie baby debacle. People expecting the rake in huge sums on these things only to see the collecting craze crash as interest waned and there were no buyers to sell to. An unlikely scenario for transformers with sucha long history behind them. But the price you can fetch on toys is very much determined by what the buyer is willing to pay. If interest wanes then the rpices fall and fall fast.

G1 items have rebounded dramatically with the movie being out so you might be not totally right there. You are correct though on some of the other facts of future value. It is the chance that you take with collecting and investing in toys or anything really. Mutual funds carry the same risk depending on the risk involved in the funds you select. White collar crime in recent years has really impacted mutual fund values and people's life investments. ENRON, WORLDCOM and many other come to mind. People lost everything. Time will tell in the end if I have made the right choice.

I would worry more about the future of the planet than the future of my investment in the end. Money is all good but in the end this is also a collection that I totally enjoy and I am involved in. The monetary value is secondary even though it was mentioned first to make a point.

Well no investment is 100% safe. But there are certianly safer things with higher rates of return than TFs.

I just personally have a problem with people buying TFs as an investment in and of itself. I was watching a TV show years ago during the Beanie Baby crash and one thing said by one guy on the show stuck with me. Don't collect toys or other items as an investment. Collect the things you enjoy and invest your money else where.

If you derive enjoyment from MISB toys that's great for you. Just as long as you realize the difference between a hobby and an investment. In the long run TFs may or may not make you rich. But you shouldn't be buying them looking forward to the day you sell them. You should be buying them because they bring you joy first and fore most.

I would gather you understand that aspect of it g1transformers so I'm not worried about what you do with your collection. I still say I don't understand how you enjoy a toy in a box but that's me and you do as you please. Though I would hope I get through to those other numbskulls out there collecting for the wrong reasons. Better to learn from the past and realize toys aren't the path to a quick buck. Though I would help if we could get people to stop paying $80 a pop on eBay for 08 BB.

As for the problems of the world, I wouldn't get overly concerned about it either way. Just do your part to make it better and hope those around you do the same.

Koloth wrote:Well no investment is 100% safe. But there are certianly safer things with higher rates of return than TFs.

I just personally have a problem with people buying TFs as an investment in and of itself. I was watching a TV show years ago during the Beanie Baby crash and one thing said by one guy on the show stuck with me. Don't collect toys or other items as an investment. Collect the things you enjoy and invest your money else where.

If you derive enjoyment from MISB toys that's great for you. Just as long as you realize the difference between a hobby and an investment. In the long run TFs may or may not make you rich. But you shouldn't be buying them looking forward to the day you sell them. You should be buying them because they bring you joy first and fore most.

I would gather you understand that aspect of it g1transformers so I'm not worried about what you do with your collection. I still say I don't understand how you enjoy a toy in a box but that's me and you do as you please. Though I would hope I get through to those other numbskulls out there collecting for the wrong reasons. Better to learn from the past and realize toys aren't the path to a quick buck. Though I would help if we could get people to stop paying $80 a pop on eBay for 08 BB.

As for the problems of the world, I wouldn't get overly concerned about it either way. Just do your part to make it better and hope those around you do the same.

A well thought out response and one that should be taken to heart by all collectors. This is the type of mature discussion that should be promoted on Seibertron instead of those posts that turn into something like a schoolyard brawl.

In the end this is something that one should derive fun from and not consider it solely as something to make profit from. The value of these items are subjective based on market demand. Regarding your point about no understanding keeping them in the box to each his/her own to paraphrase what you said. Scalpers are the problem on eBay that ruin it for everyone. They cause the prices on some figures to reach the levels that they do.

I love my collection. I am proud of it and its all open

Invest to collect.. that's my philosophy.. I have a number of long term and short term investments, and Roth IRAs.. I use some of my dividens to purchase Transformers, mostly to pay off bills.. but I wouldn't consider Transformers a great investment.. generally most of my collection is MISB.. but I do buy asian releases because I can take them out with ease, then place them back and they become MIB instead of MISB.. either way, they aren't damaged, the package isn't damaged, there are no twisties to contend with, and the toy has had minimal dealings.. but mainly my reasons for doing this is because I have no display section or proper storage in my new house.. one day we will refinance and add on.. but till then they have to remain either MISB or MIB.... in lock down at my parents house..safest place ever!!!

MIB is actually an easy way to enjoy your figures.. you can take about an hour opening and placing it back into the box, replacing tape, twistie ties, ect...it's an art... But then again like I said, buy the Asian releases that are easily opened and you have no problem..I have no display, but I like to open it, transform it once, and display for about an hour or 2 while I gawk at it.. then it's back in the box, good as new!!

There is no real way to collect figure and transformers.. but I will say, those of us who still have our boxes... it really makes them easier to transport if you move to another house, condo, townhouse or apartment..and down the road if you need quick cash, they are easier to sell and command a better price..

though as I indicated before.. I would never sell my collection....

As long as you love and value your transformers and continue to buy and cherish them, you are collecting transformers the right way...
whether you open them or not.. it really doesn't matter so long as the first sentence above is true!!

Gutter Bunny wrote:I'm a mod in MY head...

I'm the People's Mod.

In fact, I banned Punch for threats to my person.

skywarp-2 wrote:Invest to collect.. that's my philosophy.. I have a number of long term and short term investments, and Roth IRAs.. I use some of my dividens to purchase Transformers, mostly to pay off bills.. but I wouldn't consider Transformers a great investment.. generally most of my collection is MISB.. but I do buy asian releases because I can take them out with ease, then place them back and they become MIB instead of MISB.. either way, they aren't damaged, the package isn't damaged, there are no twisties to contend with, and the toy has had minimal dealings.. but mainly my reasons for doing this is because I have no display section or proper storage in my new house.. one day we will refinance and add on.. but till then they have to remain either MISB or MIB.... in lock down at my parents house..safest place ever!!!

MIB is actually an easy way to enjoy your figures.. you can take about an hour opening and placing it back into the box, replacing tape, twistie ties, ect...it's an art... But then again like I said, buy the Asian releases that are easily opened and you have no problem..I have no display, but I like to open it, transform it once, and display for about an hour or 2 while I gawk at it.. then it's back in the box, good as new!!

There is no real way to collect figure and transformers.. but I will say, those of us who still have our boxes... it really makes them easier to transport if you move to another house, condo, townhouse or apartment..and down the road if you need quick cash, they are easier to sell and command a better price..

though as I indicated before.. I would never sell my collection....

As long as you love and value your transformers and continue to buy and cherish them, you are collecting transformers the right way...
whether you open them or not.. it really doesn't matter so long as the first sentence above is true!!

Well said. The enjoyment of the line is of the utmost importance in the end. MIB, MISB or on permanent display. Value is subjective but will hold as long as the line survives the test of time. After almost 25 years it is still going strong.