The Energon Pub

Excellent read

For me it's hard. I mean I'm 14, a new collector to the series. It's hard to see them in their prisons. I want to open them, but when I opened my classics Grimlock, It just felt....wrong. I mean I open my boxes, read the instruction manuals, and often play with my friend's opened transformers, but I don't take my toy out of the box and out of the twist ties to play with. I'm in the gray zone and it kills me! HELP!!!!

Nice article. I for one mainly open my figures so i can play with them and display them in battle scenes you know enjoy them. But i also buy some to keep in the box. If its one i like a lot ill buy 2 or three of them. One to keep MIB one to open and display one to play with and or customize. The figures that ive opend i dont plan on selling because they are like family to me. Im 21 and ive been collecting since i was either 2 or 3. I dont feel i could sell something ive had and enjoyed for that long. The only ones i plan to sell when im an old man are the ones i have doubles or triples of. Hell i may not even sell them. I may just pass some down to my family. I love this franchise and i will continue loving it. As long as there are Transformers ill buy them. That is the curse of a true fan.

Thanks to all those who had something nice or constructive to say. I updated the end of the article to add another question to ponder: What about investing in Hasbro stock?

Masterchip wrote:Excellent read

For me it's hard. I mean I'm 14, a new collector to the series. It's hard to see them in their prisons. I want to open them, but when I opened my classics Grimlock, It just felt....wrong. I mean I open my boxes, read the instruction manuals, and often play with my friend's opened transformers, but I don't take my toy out of the box and out of the twist ties to play with. I'm in the gray zone and it kills me! HELP!!!!

Buy doubles of the ones that you want to collect and still open. I have done that with many figs from many different lines. I keep mine MISB/MOSC and buy doubles of ones that I want to open and display. '08 BB easily falls into that category.

For those reading from the news page: To read the updated version, go to the article from the toys forum. I added some interesting information on HAsbro stock.

Thanks for the FP Hotrod!

I have no problem with people who keep their TFs MISB. Hey its there money and their toys, so they can do whatever they want.

Me, I like mine out of the box. I like to pose them and display them and all that good stuff like everyone else. I'm kind of in that middle group now because I'm going to start keeping the boxes. That way if I get too many TFs and get sick of displaying it I can put it back in its box and no harm will be done to it. Many of my other collections have been ruined by me mis storing them after I was done displaying.

Also I think in the current toy market that selling toys for a profit is all short term. Look at '08 BB. In a couple of months we will all have it, but since its such a hot item right now, people will pay double or triple the MSRP. Its all about finding whats hot and in demand and selling it then.

SB

-Z- G1 Snarl Rules wrote:

Masterchip wrote:Excellent read

For me it's hard. I mean I'm 14, a new collector to the series. It's hard to see them in their prisons. I want to open them, but when I opened my classics Grimlock, It just felt....wrong. I mean I open my boxes, read the instruction manuals, and often play with my friend's opened transformers, but I don't take my toy out of the box and out of the twist ties to play with. I'm in the gray zone and it kills me! HELP!!!!

Buy doubles of the ones that you want to collect and still open. I have done that with many figs from many different lines. I keep mine MISB/MOSC and buy doubles of ones that I want to open and display. '08 BB easily falls into that category.

Agreeed, I have doubles of all The ones I would like to keep sealed for prosperity.

Some past figs like BW AirRazor I got long after the series ended and know she's near imposible to find loose in good shape at an affordable rate, so she stayes boxed.

However, much like the second hand G1 Galvatron that I just got that's pretty beat up, if I find a complete version of a bot it will join the battle.

I already have a G1 Galvatron in a fairly decent box, but the fig is in great shape, still to keep him that way and still enjoy this guy, I picked up a $20 complete less than perfect on Ebay.

I would love a second loosy mint, still the great things about less than perfects is that you don't mind modifying them. Also, it's a cheap way to both preserve and enjoy vintage bots as well as current bots who will one day fit that catagory.

Still, I feel it important to say that the Galvatron I keep boxed isn't for investment sake, but realy it's for Galvatron's sake. Same goes for all my boxed bots!

I'm to the point in collecting that unless its a fig that is basicly a drone like the Energon/Cybertron terrorcons, I'm either buying bots to open and enjoy with seconds on the ones I realy like, or getting seconds to keep active as their boxed counterparts stay safe, or vice versa as I normaly open the figs I buy.

I believe I owe this mindset to a toy add that I saw in the back of a comic years ago that said something like

"toys, vintage in the package, alive outside the box"

That always stuck with me and truth be told, I enjoy my collected pieces more that I can display, set up, and use, as apose to the ones I just look at.

Slumble Beast wrote:
Also I think in the current toy market that selling toys for a profit is all short term. Look at '08 BB. In a couple of months we will all have it, but since its such a hot item right now, people will pay double or triple the MSRP. Its all about finding whats hot and in demand and selling it then.

SB

This is certainly true. The best investment toys were ones you could flip right away for two, three, or more times the price.

Personally, I have only a few Masterpiece and Botcon boxes. Maybe 6 total out of 500 figures. I buy to open them up and keep the figures. Most boxes either get thrown away or sold. I'd rather pass the toys down to my kids or grandkids before I die rather than sell them off. Of course, if I was ever in a real pinch at least I know I have something of value.

Lapse Of Reason wrote:For those reading from the news page: To read the updated version, go to the article from the toys forum. I added some interesting information on HAsbro stock.

Thanks for the FP Hotrod!

Great addition to the article. I will be rethinking my completist attitudes and stopping my collecting of most TF lines for investment purposes. I was considering the Animated Line but after not being impressed with the figs and after reading this article it is a no brainer for me not to even start as there is no interest for me to begin with. Buying them for investment purposes may not be worth it in the end either.

I will set aside some money for certain TFs that I choose to collect in the future (MPs, exclusives and the like) and invest my other disposable income elsewhere in the future (real estate maybe). I will also seriously consider selling off the better part of my G1 collection and cash out when the getting is good. Like right now given the movie's hype.

Thanks for the great insights. It has helped a lot for me to come to some good realizations

Interesting. But I never viewed my toy collection as an investment. I have a small TF collection, mostly new stuff. Some of the toys I have are MISB. But most aren't. The ones that have window display boxes, where I can see the figure, tend to stay sealed. But I've open up all of my Masterpieces. Can't see them until I break the seal. I keep most in boxes because I have no display area, don't want to pull them out so they can collect dust. For the cheaper one, like Alternators, especially with the Fishbowl packaging, I've open them up. But Binaltech stay Sealed.

More sophomoric blog/article flavored writing!

joequick wrote:More sophomoric blog/article flavored writing!

What do you mean?

Liege Evilmus wrote:

-Z- G1 Snarl Rules wrote:

Masterchip wrote:Excellent read

For me it's hard. I mean I'm 14, a new collector to the series. It's hard to see them in their prisons. I want to open them, but when I opened my classics Grimlock, It just felt....wrong. I mean I open my boxes, read the instruction manuals, and often play with my friend's opened transformers, but I don't take my toy out of the box and out of the twist ties to play with. I'm in the gray zone and it kills me! HELP!!!!

Buy doubles of the ones that you want to collect and still open. I have done that with many figs from many different lines. I keep mine MISB/MOSC and buy doubles of ones that I want to open and display. '08 BB easily falls into that category.

Agreeed, I have doubles of all The ones I would like to keep sealed for prosperity.

Some past figs like BW AirRazor I got long after the series ended and know she's near imposible to find loose in good shape at an affordable rate, so she stayes boxed.

However, much like the second hand G1 Galvatron that I just got that's pretty beat up, if I find a complete version of a bot it will join the battle.

I already have a G1 Galvatron in a fairly decent box, but the fig is in great shape, still to keep him that way and still enjoy this guy, I picked up a $20 complete less than perfect on Ebay.

I would love a second loosy mint, still the great things about less than perfects is that you don't mind modifying them. Also, it's a cheap way to both preserve and enjoy vintage bots as well as current bots who will one day fit that catagory.

Still, I feel it important to say that the Galvatron I keep boxed isn't for investment sake, but realy it's for Galvatron's sake. Same goes for all my boxed bots!

I'm to the point in collecting that unless its a fig that is basicly a drone like the Energon/Cybertron terrorcons, I'm either buying bots to open and enjoy with seconds on the ones I realy like, or getting seconds to keep active as their boxed counterparts stay safe, or vice versa as I normaly open the figs I buy.

I believe I owe this mindset to a toy add that I saw in the back of a comic years ago that said something like

"toys, vintage in the package, alive outside the box"

That always stuck with me and truth be told, I enjoy my collected pieces more that I can display, set up, and use, as apose to the ones I just look at.

Yeah I mostly want to mess around with Bumblebee, but I'll open him when I get the Target 2 pack.
Because I have 77 bumble with the First Encounter Pack, and will try to get a carded 08 bumblebee so it'll work out! Now to play with Alt. Rodimus...

Funny thing is, despite liberating my toys, I keep the packages... not sure why, though I think that if I move, I can simply put the figs in thier boxes and move them with a reassurance that they'll be fairly safe.

Again I say, I love my toys.

SnapTrap wrote:Great article LOR. I agree with what you are saying and I hope those who are new to TF collecting can gain valuable insight from this.

microclone wrote:interesting. The takara generation prior to TF was the 'micronauts' (1976-1981 ish)kids who grew up with a pared down version of takaras japanese 'microman' series (which incidentally is where many of the first Tf came from eg megatron/soundwave). The prices for those was very high around 5-6 years ago but seems to have faded as that lot of collectors early 30's to early 40's have finally got their fix through ebay and the net. Mint boxed vehicles and especially carded figured from the line still fetch good prices but only really rare japanese boxed toys command anything like what we see in the TF market and of course on the strength of TF the old microman versions of 'megatron' etc are stil sought after.

^too true. Plus thanks to Romando and eventually Takara releasing reissues of most of the vintage Microman figures drove down the prices these figures were fetching.

oh heck, yes i almost forgot about the microman reissues, great for collectors, the majority of my TF/microman/henshin cyborg is reissue!!

Toy Liberator all the way! What good is a transformer if you can't transform it!? Enjoy the box and then toss it to recycling!

joequick wrote:More sophomoric blog/article flavored writing!

I'm sorry, who are you?

I don't seem to have any respect for your opinion based upon the six whole posts you've made here...

Imagine that!

Let's make a gentleman's agreement, you and I, right here before God and Country.

You go about contributing something to the forums and/or discussion (something worthwhile mind you) and then, I will take a look at your snide little criticism.

Whatddya say pal? Can ya do that for me?



(LoR, Good read, I'm glad to see it's helping people out. I don't personally believe collecting to be any form of an investment. I personally think that accrued value in toys only serves to restrict what we can buy and acts as a safety net for when and if we leave the hobby. Just my personal views on the matter, I'm not disagreeing with anything you said in particular.)

Masterchip wrote:

Liege Evilmus wrote:

-Z- G1 Snarl Rules wrote:

Masterchip wrote:Excellent read

For me it's hard. I mean I'm 14, a new collector to the series. It's hard to see them in their prisons. I want to open them, but when I opened my classics Grimlock, It just felt....wrong. I mean I open my boxes, read the instruction manuals, and often play with my friend's opened transformers, but I don't take my toy out of the box and out of the twist ties to play with. I'm in the gray zone and it kills me! HELP!!!!

Buy doubles of the ones that you want to collect and still open. I have done that with many figs from many different lines. I keep mine MISB/MOSC and buy doubles of ones that I want to open and display. '08 BB easily falls into that category.

Agreeed, I have doubles of all The ones I would like to keep sealed for prosperity.

Some past figs like BW AirRazor I got long after the series ended and know she's near imposible to find loose in good shape at an affordable rate, so she stayes boxed.

However, much like the second hand G1 Galvatron that I just got that's pretty beat up, if I find a complete version of a bot it will join the battle.

I already have a G1 Galvatron in a fairly decent box, but the fig is in great shape, still to keep him that way and still enjoy this guy, I picked up a $20 complete less than perfect on Ebay.

I would love a second loosy mint, still the great things about less than perfects is that you don't mind modifying them. Also, it's a cheap way to both preserve and enjoy vintage bots as well as current bots who will one day fit that catagory.

Still, I feel it important to say that the Galvatron I keep boxed isn't for investment sake, but realy it's for Galvatron's sake. Same goes for all my boxed bots!

I'm to the point in collecting that unless its a fig that is basicly a drone like the Energon/Cybertron terrorcons, I'm either buying bots to open and enjoy with seconds on the ones I realy like, or getting seconds to keep active as their boxed counterparts stay safe, or vice versa as I normaly open the figs I buy.

I believe I owe this mindset to a toy add that I saw in the back of a comic years ago that said something like

"toys, vintage in the package, alive outside the box"

That always stuck with me and truth be told, I enjoy my collected pieces more that I can display, set up, and use, as apose to the ones I just look at.

Yeah I mostly want to mess around with Bumblebee, but I'll open him when I get the Target 2 pack.
Because I have 77 bumble with the First Encounter Pack, and will try to get a carded 08 bumblebee so it'll work out! Now to play with Alt. Rodimus...

See I on the other hand ripped mine right open and plan on keeping all my exclusive 2packs sealed. However I did kinda drop the ball on that. The 2packs are cheaper with more bang for the buck. The Desert Attack pack was only $18 or so while Blackout alone is $20.

What I feel I should have done looking back was gone for 2 2packs, opened one and left my deluxe guys carded(I ordered them way before the movie came out).

I wanna keep an eye on that in the future, because unlike Takara, Hasbro doesn't make it easy to put figs back in the box!

I do both.. I collect some.. (MP's alternators) and display them and use the movie and classics toys (and an anniv. prime) to play/display/sketch..

Counterpunch wrote:
(LoR, Good read, I'm glad to see it's helping people out. I don't personally believe collecting to be any form of an investment. I personally think that accrued value in toys only serves to restrict what we can buy and acts as a safety net for when and if we leave the hobby. Just my personal views on the matter, I'm not disagreeing with anything you said in particular.)

I actually agree with you. I tried to leave my personal opinion aside in the original post (at least as much as I could).

I think many of us use a toy's future value as a justification to buy it. How many of us have used the excuse that it would be worth more later? Personally, I will use that reasoning but not from an investment standpoint; more of a cheap bastard standpoint. I buy what I like when I see it so I won't have to pay more later when the thing becomes hard to find. Alt Swerve - got it. Cyb Leobreaker - got it. Alt Camshaft - passed, didn't want it but I saw it. Kicked self later for not buying it to resell. It was also on clearance for $15. When it comes to pay now or pay more later, the cheapo in me decides to pay now.

Yep, definitely kicking myself for not picking up the camshaft for resale. I looked at it and was disgusted by the look of it, but apparently it's pretty sought after. Also passed on a old box style prowl, again highly sought after. Both of them were on clearance for 15 at 2 different stores.

As for the article, very well written. I fall in the middle catergory. Some of them I keep in MISB, but I only do that because I want to give them to my children one day and their children and so forth. I usually buy them, take them out, transform them, display them and then put them back in the box until I get a bigger place to display ALL of them. As far as investment goes, well someone once told me that if I wanted to collect transformers for investment purposes, then I would be better served to put it in an IRA and then take it out when I'm 65, now that's sound investment advice!

"The Toy Liberator" Yup, this is me. It began *gasp* with my non-transformers toys and just kinda spread from there. Once in a while my brohter-in-law comes over and I get a kick out of him playing with my latest toys.
Long story short, very nice article. Keep up the good work.

i think that both sides of the debate over the varying styles of toy colecting are both right in thier own ways we who play with the toys or display them out side the box are right becuase well we just love toys more tehn the need for true colectability whike the MISB guys are right becuaset hey want to keep thier items safe from the various elements they might encounter to have a nice keepsake for thier future

King Starscream89 wrote:i think that both sides of the debate over the varying styles of toy colecting are both right in thier own ways we who play with the toys or display them out side the box are right becuase well we just love toys more tehn the need for true colectability whike the MISB guys are right becuaset hey want to keep thier items safe from the various elements they might encounter to have a nice keepsake for thier future

I think so to. To each his own.

sweet! that was fun to read! im right on the line, some in, some out... i wish i would have bought another classics starscream to keep misb though...