To open or not to open

[pokeyjtc]

Just wondering if you all open up and assemble your items or if you leave it boxed up because you think it will decrease the value to open it? I like to open my planes and even fly them around and chase the dog. I generally buy one of each type of plane unless they are cheap and then I buy one to open and one to keep in the box. Just wanted to know what other members think.

[kimtheredxd]

I dont buy them as an invesment I buy them to enjoy displaying them etc.If money was not a question.Then sure it would be fun to buy an extra or two to put away but who really has that kind of money or space?

[tmanthegreat]

I second that! Although I like the fact that some of my planes (the origional ME-109 and P-51, for example) have gone up in value over the past 5 years, I do not get XD items, or any of my other military toys, specifically for potential value. Some of the items will be worth something in the distant future, but they're not really something you should expect to use to finance a house. XD items were a dream come true for me and are of more personal value outside the box - assembled and where they can be displayed in all their glory. I like my toys where I can see and use them!

Nonetheless, I do remove them carefully and always save the box with as much of the packing and twist-ties as possible - simply because of the whole "value" thing...

[steelbonnet]

Ohhh l don`t think l could buy one & let it be in the box. There toys & have to come out

Also how else do you customize it if it`s still in the box??? LOL

SB

[Teamski]

As everybody knows, I have a 2 vehicle rule. One to open up and the other to keep in the box. That way, I have the best of both worlds, hehehehe.......

-Ski

[Sentinel]

Open and "fly" your XDs to your heart's desire, but I would suggest that you never write off the trade/investment angle - especially if you have the extra space. Collecting is never a static thing, and there will be a new influx of enthusiasts “coming of age” just around the next corner.

Most WWII aircraft have a certain timeless quality about them that Beanies or Star Wars stuff will never match.

There's a certain satisfaction in owning some extra NIB copies of the more popular models. However, it was much more exciting before the 21st Century craze of re-issuing of some of their originals.

Still interesting, though.

[Johnny Reb]

SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE FELLAS..... Johnny Reb

[cruizin2000]

Go for it and open away!! Opening a new toy is the other half of the fun of buying it. Why have it if you're not going to play with it? It's just going to take up space that you might need.

I'd leave it un-opened if you're wanting to sell it and turn a profit or just wanting to help out someone here that cannot find one on their own.

Life's just too short...

C2000

[corpbob]

Unless you have the money for Teamski's two vehicle rule, I can't in good conscience keep any in the box. It's like having a Picasso and keeping it in a closet.

[Sentinel]

Well it’s certainly looks like a great time to ignore the “crowd mentality” thing.

Simply put . . . If it weren’t for me having some new (and boxed) planes available, I’d have nowhere near the collection I currently have. Much of it was acquired through trading these dreaded new-in-box items with fellow collectors.

Easy stuff from this OP.

[pokeyjtc]

I do take most of my stuff out of the box. A big part of the enjoyment for me is to assemble it and check it out. I usually only buy duplicates to keep in the box when I find them on clearance at Wal-Mart (ie. the $2 FW-190s I found a while back). I am not really in it for the investment , but I do wonder how much it would effect the resale price later on if it was out of box versus MIB. What do you guys think?

[digger]

It's not only money but space. I just don't have room for 50 planes still in the box.

However, aside from 2 planes, there is nothing you cannot buy at a decent price even today, so to say you wouldn't have the collection you have now without MIB planes is absurd. Let's say you had 10 MIB planes you spent 40 bucks on 3 years ago, and they've allowed you to swap for 15 planes as of late - there are plenty of stocks you could have bought with 400 bucks 3 years ago that would give you 600 now (ebay being one, I believe), and you could buy all the planes you wanted AND had 20 more square feet in your house for 3 years.....Don't get me wrong, save 'em, stash 'em, hoard 'em - but we can't say there's an easy answer that applies to all. The planes cost money, take up space (and are too damn sweet to leave in the box imo. But that's IMO), and are not the greatest investment known to man, so to each his own on this one.....

[Sentinel]

Well, well, well, it’s been awhile since my ways have been called absurd.

My collection dates back many years, and much of it is composed of 109’s. I recently traded one 95% box “Spinach” model (which was my worst condition example) for four (4) mint Night Flyer 109’s. I would expect those to be good trading goods for me in the future.

Your fuzzy math may work well for you, but my chosen system works for me, keeps me happy, and all without having to insult anyone at all.

[gustav]

I leave most of my planes in the box, except of course for my winter stuka which I had to open due to my affection for all things winterized. I'm thankful I did it too, or else no one would be guarding my refrigerator!

As for the rest, I keep them new in the box for a variety of reasons, e.g., easier to store, value retention, and so on. I also want to ensure that future generations of my line have the thrill of enjoying the coolest toys ever.

For instance, I've been inundating my nephew with spare 1:18 and 1:32 for as long as I can remember. Although he breaks most of them, I'm just glad he knows the difference between a sherman/panther and can say the word sturmgeschutz. I look forward to doing the same with my own.

[digger]

Sentinel,
I didn't mean to insult if it came across that way.
As a matter of fact, this comment right here could be considered insulting:
"Well it’s certainly looks like a great time to ignore the “crowd mentality” thing"
You may recognize it as your own. It implies that we're a collective bunch of goons who share a brain (maybe true, likely not though).
If you read my post I say to each his own in the end. My point was it's not a "no-brainer" as you said.

I noticed you used one of the two planes that currently demand a fortune in your example. If you think having 4 Nightfighters in your house is a good idea, then go for it

[Sentinel]

digger,

Nice try, but most of the posts in this particular thread favor opening the planes, hence the "crowd" designation.

The 95% "Spinach" 109 still had it's yellow/orange TRU price tag for $29.99 on it. So for that original investment, I did the Night 109 trade. Now even two of those have already "moved on" to another deal that I consider good for my purposes. And all without ebay!

What great fun!

There's plenty of room for everyone in our hobby.

[digger]

Most people say open them because we LOVE THEM and need to get our paws on them and have them protecting our air space .

Nothing wrong with stashing a few - lord knows I have mine .
I think we'd all kill for Teamski's stash....

What great fun!

There's plenty of room for everyone in our hobby.

Agreed!

[Johnny Reb]

I'm wondering how many Beenie Babies collectors cashed in and made any real money, very few I suspect and spending $400 or better on these aircraft no matter how many ya get- well I'll stick to an ounce of gold for that kind of money.... thank you very much...... Johnny Reb

[tankduel]

There's no way,with all the added expense I have to go through to get XD in my part of the world,that I could ever consider keeping an extra NIB of everything;so out of the box they all come. i regularly load them all into the car for RC tank club events/museum displays,and they tend to get dinged up that way,but I dont care as I get a lot of enjoyment from them;especially showing other people. I do however keep all the boxes and I told the Mrs that if I 'peg out" before her, she should put everything back into the boxes and she will get back most of what I have blown on this addictive hobby,hehe. Thats the only way I'm ever gonna part with my war toys! And while I'm typing this I have an unopened carton in front of me which just arrived with my first XD Spit,and my second FW paint scheme,oh goodie!!

[Morian Miner]

Although I prefer to open all my stuff, I do have bad habits of picking up extras. The main reason for that was when I started collecting SW years ago, I bought two of everything "just in case something broke, I had an extra". This has morphed into buy the extra in case I want to have more than one of something in particular to open later. But this thinking has caused major storage problems.

If you have the space and money, and its something you really enjoy, always buy more than one and keep extras in the box. That way you have trade fodder, you can sell the extras, or you may find you just need more opened. I kick myself over and over for not buying more of the NVA figures and Kublewagens when I had the chance.

[immeww2]

I usually end up purchasing 2 or more of each piece so that I can display one and keep the other(s) boxed. I'm able to do this since I don't collect the planes anymore which were really taking up a lot of space. Just concentrating on the armor stuff saved me alot of space for duplicates and in the end was relatively cheaper too!

[5ohsinker]

I open all of them and display them. As for value, ask people who collect POTF Star Wars, Kenner Starting Line-ups and Benaie Babies how much profit they've realized on their investment. Call me crazy, but massproduced toys dont have much potential. Don't get me wrong, I wish they did. I say, go ahead and open them up. If you're feeling particularly spry take them out and run around the house making airplane noises.

[Dubar1]

My take on it is that if it's going to become a collectible, it'll do so in or out of the box. The only difference is the price tag. Besides, the boxes they use now aren't as rigid as the boxes the 1960's G.I. Joes came in. Most of the planes/tanks I've seen in WM are in boxes already torn up.

I have only 2 planes (P40 and Spitfire) now. I'm waiting on the ME-262 and a FW-190A to show up. Then I'll get more

[wm69]

Sentinel,


I noticed you used one of the two planes that currently demand a fortune in your example. If you think having 4 Nightfighters in your house is a good idea, then go for it

The nightfighters aren't bringing so much anymore. I figured that would happen. As soon as people saw them going for $100+ on ebay everyone (including myself) ran out and bought the ones sitting on the shelves at their local WM. I sold mine for $65-75 each with "buy it now" and sold them as fast as I could list them. Didn't make a killing since I paid full price + 9% sales tax on them but it was enough to make it worth my while, and with baby girl #2 arriving last wed I sure need the money. One of those things where you say "I can't believe these people are paying that much" BUT you never know, the nightfighter could turn into a more desirable, but just as hard to find Winter 109. I haven't seen any of those anywhere lately.

[KAMIKAZE]

Hey Morian Minor.If it wasn't for you,I wouldn't have a Spitfire right now.
I will allways open one for myself and buy more if the price is right.

Mark