Searching through catalogs, scouring the net, and acquiring your Hot Toys collectibles is not the end of a collector’s journey. The next step is to determine whether or not it is worth opening and enjoying your latest purchase.
Should I open my Hot Toys figure? Or keep them boxed? The main reason to consider keeping your Hot Toys in their original packaging is to retain a higher resale value. However, it is wise to open your figure on its arrival to check that it is in perfect condition and all parts are present. You can then re-box and store or display it as desired
We’ll take a look at MISB and if it really is considered a crucial factor in today’s world of high-end collectibles. Then we’ll take a look at six great factors why you should open and display your high-end collectibles.
MISB (mint in sealed box) overview
Being an enthusiast and a collector of the sought-after high-end figures like Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles is not just about acquiring the collection of your dreams.
You may find yourself dealing with a lot of stress and not knowing what to do as a new collector. Besides, trying to get good deals, the figures that you want, importing them, waiting, and hoping that a new version or a specific variant will be coming out, once you get them, you will have to decide whether or not you will want to take them out of the box and display them or keep them unboxed and safe.
There are two types of collectors in this regard, and the one type is the MISB (mint in sealed box) collector that does not ever take their collectible out of the packaging. The other collector removes their collectible and puts them on display, whether it’s in a cabinet or on a shelf (it does not matter).
This is actually quite a big deal for collectors due to a number of reasons, and we are going to discuss the pros and cons for each, and then you can decide which type of collector you want to be.
Reasons to open your Hot Toys and other collectibles
We have broken the reasoning down into seven categories to logically determine the pros and cons of removing your collectibles from their packaging.
1# Check for Damage
Even if you never originally planned to open your figures box, so to have an unboxed item to sell in the years to come as a whopping profit. It would in fact be wise to open the box to check that the figure is in perfect condition and not missing any pieces nearer your purchase that years or even months down the line. As Hot Toys do replacements and can send out any missing pieces if you let them know early on in the transaction.
2# Display Factor
Being able to display your collectible is probably the biggest reason you would want to open it up. Many Hot Toys come with accessories and then different attachments. This could be other headpieces, or armor, hand variants, and such. Furthermore, Hot Toys have an insane amount of articulation when it comes to their collectibles which means you can position them and place them in almost any pose you can think of (which is very appealing if you have them on display).
Being able to put them on display really brings out enjoyment for most collectors, and they have said this many times, and a lot seem to think the MISB is a fading phenomenon.
3# Fun Factor
When you put your collectibles on display, you can do a few things with them that you cannot do when they are sealed, and one of these is photography. You do not have to be a professional photographer to take advantage of this, and even snapping some photos with your smartphone will do.
Being able to put your collectibles in a pose and then creating a montage of sorts or any form of picture media is a great way to create additional fulfillment when you have spent your hard-earned money on your collectibles. Collectors enjoy posting their collectibles on Instagram, Facebook, and other forms of social media, which also invokes connecting with other collectors and enthusiasts.
4# Diorama factor
A very cool and somewhat overlooked aspect is that of having dioramas or even making them for your collectibles. For the most part, Hot Toys make collectibles based on Star Wars and Marvel (that’s not to say they do not make other collectibles it’s just at these are their most significant categories).
If you have time and money on your hands, then what you are able to do is build “sets” that your collectibles can pose and feature in. This is another way to get such great fulfillment out of your high-end collectibles.
Check out the Diorama Workshop, where you can get a taste of what a diorama is and how you could begin to create one for your collectibles. Do take note that this site is for Star Wars dioramas.
5# Christmas factor
Another factor that is somewhat overlooked is the feeling you get when you unbox your collectible for the first time. One could say it’s like opening up a present on Christmas morning. What is remarkable is that this feeling never goes away, and you will experience it every single time you open up a new Hot Toy or another collectible.
6# Battery damage factor
One thing to note and that is not as much of a cool factor as the other factors we discussed is that some collectibles come with batteries that are a part of the collectible, and as such, if you do not open them and they are kept for an extended period of time in their packaging then the batteries can corrode and leak causing extensive damage to your collectible.
7# The nature factor
When all is said and done, these collectibles are made to be opened, and they are made to be enjoyed, so if any of the other reasons did not incite you to tear open the packaging of your collectible, then this one should.
Reasons not to open your Hot Toys and other collectibles
The only reason a collector would not open their collectible is probably based on the resale value. If it is MISB, then they would probably be able to sell it for a higher resale value in the future. However, you should maybe only ever consider this if you have a scarce collectors edition where they are worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Conclusion
We discovered that being an enthusiast and collector of Hot Toys actually comes with more stress than one would believe and that stress comes in the form of either keeping your collectible in its packaging or unboxing it and putting it on display.
Being a collector does not just mean owning one of these figures; it means enjoying them to the fullest extent of what they can provide, and you should always opt to do so. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Source list
Hot Toys Collector or Hot Toys Box Collector? Age-old question: To open / not to open the toy!
Should You Open Your Collectible Action Figures or Leave them Packaged? | Nerdzoic Action Figures
