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Re: Collect or Play? Investment or Display?
What you do with your collection is up to you. When I grew up with The Beast Wars era, I always opened and played with my action figures because that was just the thing to do. Unfortunately as I grew older, I had to throw out the card backs due to space and just growing up. Ever since then, I got back into it with Fall of Cybertron and Transformers Prime and swore to only buy figures at a discount (ie Winners/TJX) and also, the figured that look great to me. However, one thing lead to another and I began collecting the generations line since they've been doing a better job with the details.
The one major issue I have is like yours, so far, all of my figures that I've collected after Beast Wars and starting in FOC have not been opened and have began piling up with my other MIB collection of other things. I had to move a few months ago and I can tell you that it was not fun at all - counting every box, making sure nothing was damaged and was, "mint", and if something was damaged, I learned to just ignore it and move on.
What have I learned after comparing the value of my Beast Wars figures and recent ones? The value between an unopened transformer from 20 years ago is no different than now. There is no signifcant difference in value even MIB - Transformers is not a hobby for investing. You should just go into Stocks or if you're really keen on it... collect trading cards but that is niche and also advised to not be seen as an investment hobby. After factoring in the potential time and cost of travel of even trying to "flip" these figures along with the space needed, it's just not worth it. Remember, Transformers itself is niche. I never really understood what the guy selling me a Combiner Wars Leader Silver Megatron meant when he told me that he was selling his stuff at retail value - while telling me to collect what I want wisely, but I guess it all makes sense now.
What are my options now? Welp, I'm in a relationship planning for the future soon and I can say that I will be opening them up just to play with them when I move in with my partner - also, SPACE. I initially began collecting because of my nostalgia with these characters and the fact that I couldnt afford to while growing up. The more exclusive things and sentimental ones will not be opened (ie. Target FOC Grimlock with Silver Optimus, POTP Nemesis Prime that she got me for my Birthday or Golden Lagoon Soundwave obtained from Japan). Hope this helps.
Just Read Echotransformer's approach - I like it. It captures that moment when you obtained a figure that you've hunted for in the stores.
Last edited by Grimlocked; 08-05-2019 at 09:28 PM.
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