[Deefuzz]

Great discussion going on here everyone! This is what I love to see here!

As for me (apologies for not posting this when I made the article on the frontpage, just have been too busy to type out a decent response) I have at times been at every stage of the "collector dilemma" and now have seemed to settle at a mixture of both.

I used to buy 2 of anything I wanted (WAY back in the day) 1 to open and 1 to keep sealed. But space and finance forced me to put a stop to that. I still have several items from those days that are still sealed, and in recent days began to open many things (R.I.D. figures, 200X MOTU figures, Marvel Legends, DCU) and found that in some cases, I didn't really like the items as much. For example the old 6" Titanium Transformers figures, I had every single one of them sealed, then a couple years ago decided to open them all in one fell swoop while watching some G1 on DVD. It wasn't until then that I realized how shitty those toys were, joints were loose as well, some pieces were already broken out of the package, they didn't stand or display well on their own. I was a bit upset but realized had I been opening these things from the beginning, I would have realized all of that and stopped buying them after 2 or 3 of them.

Still to this day there are a few items I like to keep sealed. Sometimes I think they just look better in the package. I LOVE the Japanese packaging for Transformers, sometimes I see that as art in itself and love to display it as such. Some items I keep sealed are vintage G1 items, I have some vintage Battle Beasts on card that I will never open as well. And sometimes It's just a matter of I buy too much at one time that piles of stuff just sits around until I have the time to open it and enjoy. I have stacks of Lego sets I haven't even gotten around to yet.

So there are some days when I need a pick me up for whatever reason, and I can come home and dig into an unopened toy that has been sitting there waiting for me, and it feels good. Sometimes having some of that stuff sitting there sealed works out for others, when I realize after a while that I no longer care for it or want it, and it usually ends up going to Toys For Tots since they require toys to be sealed in package.

It can work against me as well, sometimes I miss out on an entire toy movement if you will, and come to the party late, realize how cool it is, and have to play catch up while everyone else has moved onto the next thing. I would open stuff up right when I buy it, but I love taking it home, and getting pics of everything before I open it.

Overall I would say that I am still a mix of both, but I primarily try to open. It saves on space, allows me to enjoy the figure more, and gives me the opportunity to take some sweet pictures!