This is a good point. I have actually bought a sealed figure to keep sealed, but then went and bought a loose one from a seller, so I can have one open. With modern toys, it might be the opposite, where everyone is scared to open the sealed figures, so there will be demand for loose ones down the line. Either way, just check out the value of the boxed figures before making the decision to open them. Definitely keep vintage items sealed. As far as displaying them, as some have said before, less is more, keep a rotating display so it does not look overly jumbled. Here is a tip that I use for my sealed items on display, well not carded, just boxed; seran wrap. Plastic (clear thin kitchen stuff) wrap can be wrapped around the front of the box carefully and the end result will be that the box is protected from dust and other nasty airborne bits. You have to be very careful, but this works well.
The main differences with modern figures as opposed to vintage are the production numbers and (as noted) more people collecting modern toys versus those who were collecting them in the '80s. Demand on sealed toys of any era will always be there, but the command of prices are vastly different.
...you guys are going to think I'm insane...I want my collection to be an experience rather than just something where you get an overview of it all, so for instance the boxed stuff will be stored on shelves, with several other MISB boxes behind it so that one needs to move some boxes to see it all...maybe I should explain myself: I'm working on my misb display now - It will be my own version of toystore I loved as a kid. I've had to knock down a wall and had to give up having a store display as putting in a window indoors is a bit too extreme even for me, but the room is now 516 square feet. The room will have a glassdoor, a welcome mat, a cash register - the works. The "store" will have a girl section and a boy section and those sections will in turn be divided up per toyline: there will be a TF section, a M.A.S.K. section, Bravestarr, Gi Joe, He-Man, Star Wars, Captain Power, Blackstar, etc, etc, etc. and the girl's section will sport my fiancée's toy collection: Lady lovely locks, Sylvanian families, My little pony, care bears, etc, etc, etc. Carded stuff goes on pegs. Some loose stuff will go into a fish tank for a store display in the boys section, not just standing on the glass, but with some coarser sand, some bots "flying" supported by fishing lines, etc - the aim of it is to make it look like somewhat of a realistic battle scene. I mentioned that my boxed stuff will be on shelves, that's not entirely true as I will have a bargain bin with things in smashed packaging for those less than successful shipping experiences. insane? maybe...but it's going to look absolutely f'n fantastic.
I love MISB displays. You don't see that often here. I wish the collection would let me see more them easily. There's only quite a few. Sifting through the collections is quite hard. Maybe a new section? Even the more modern ones like first Classics just takes me back. I see pressure on those MISB peeps to open them from other peeps here. Maybe a new section will encourage some to keep and display more... MISB wise.
^I don't keep my toys MISB/MOSC, but that is very impressive display. Looks like you live in a toyshop
Thanks. It's even more fun seeing my 6year old sitting on the floor starring at the walls. Of course now he wants to know where the skylander room is gonna be
I don't think that sounds strange at all man, in my book that sounds totally AMAZING!!! Imagine having the type of store in your house that we all loved to go visit as kids, and just hang out for hours. Freaking amazing. Be sure to show us some pictures of that man, so that we can live vicariously through you!!!
I just have one MISB item and it's a FOC Shockwave I got just because I like how it looks in the box, so it's just handing on the wall with a push pin. Plus Transformers are 2 things in one, keeping them MISB is no fun.
You know, I don't get the MISB thing at all. Whenever I see those collections I think it looks like a toy store. The only way I like it is when there is multiples. So one MISB, and another lose one right in front of it with it accessories, etc. But you can also accomplish the same look by opening your figure and posing it in front of it's box.
Nice display.I prefer a mix of both. BTW, I think your display room is almost as big as my whole apartment.
I can't wait to see that. Make sure you post in the Collections Showcase forum (and submit a gallery!) when you get it completed! Seeing the RotF line like that really gives me some modern nostalgia of such a great line on the shelves. That's super! I think to the degree collectors can appreciated sealed items will be to the degree they can appreciate a MiSB collection display. Products like this have two great potentials - their intended look on the shelf, and their intended potential as products for consumption. Both of these intentions are the greatest desire by the manufacturer. A LOT of work goes into making a product packaged well, and account for nearly 30% of the total cost paid (IIRC that my number is right from product design research). Companies like Hasbro really desire for their products to look great on the shelf. I think the most of us completely understand the desirability of loose items, so not much discussion necessary there. I did a lot of undergraduate work in package design, and I've always been fascinated by that aspect of art. In fact, the Generation One line was toted as a "textbook example" of how great packages look. I still remember how cool it was to see a sealed G1 TF in (the example was Red Alert) a graphic design textbook.
DotM toys may have had quite a few mediocre toys, but the deluxe packages are the best of the movie line!