20+ years old Beast Wars Toys condition. Used vs. New

[Vrillon77]

Hi guys, I have a few questions, sorry if these will sound dumb. I don't know much about action figures, or anything really for that matter.

So I may start trying to buy the original beast wars toys soon. My question is, say I buy one new in box. How new will it actually be? I most likely will open them to transform a few times, and then display. But after 20+ year of not being moved, being trapped in package, will they somehow turn brittle or snap or something else...

I remember reading somewhere that certain types of action figures need to "breathe".

So would somehow, a gently used toy, having being opened many years ago, being exposed to the elements, occasionally moved, somehow be more durable?

Thanks for the responses!

[Lioconvoy81]

You’ll be fine. Be slightly move careful in moving each joint for the first time, but after that it’ll make no difference.

[delrue]

Avoid figures with gold or brown plastic though. The chemicals in that stuff breaks down over time and turns very brittle.

[Lioconvoy81]

Originally Posted by delrue

Avoid figures with gold or brown plastic though. The chemicals in that stuff breaks down over time and turns very brittle.

That?s true whether it?s in or out of octave after 20+ years, though. And obviously it?s not all brown plastic. YMMV on the gold.

[Marcotron]

Beast Wars was a lot of ball joints. The worst that'll happen is some are loose. Then it's up to you if you want to apply a layer of I think it was nail polish clear coat to the ball joints.

Transmetal figures with that metallic paint tends to chip and crack easily, but new in box figures should be ok. Just something to watch out for.

[Lioconvoy81]

Originally Posted by Marcotron

Transmetal figures with that metallic paint tends to chip and crack easily, but new in box figures should be ok. Just something to watch out for.

Not necessarily?

[canprime]

If you are going to open them to play with/handle, then don't bother with sealed items. You are paying more for an item that is sealed, but no different than a well taken care of opened toy.


So why pay 30-100% more, or higher, just to open it? Especially if you are worried about the condition of the figure. You can't do anything but a visual inspection of an item in package so you really won't know the condition until you open it, and then you are out of luck if it has problems.


If you really want to have that feeling of "opening" a figure, I would suggest starting with a reissue that you can find at Walmart right now. Buy one, open it and see how you feel. You might realize that it isn't the thrill you thought of buying a sealed one to open. Then go buy opened ones.


Or you might find you really do want one sealed to either open, or keep.



Either way a reissue is probably a fairly inexpensive way to try it out first and see how you feel.

[Vrillon77]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Good to hear that figures new in packages will keep for the most part. But either way, I may just end up going for open/used figures. I'll avoid trying to pick up the figures that are known for gps/similar issues.

Originally Posted by canprime

So why pay 30-100% more, or higher, just to open it?

Haha, that's what I was thinking. It would almost feels like a crime to open after it was kept sealed for so long.