Would you open the box...?

[palitoyjunky]

I have discussed this subject before at length as I collect multi-packs myself being a baggie nut & its the sole case where I feel justified in opening the box & also the sole instance I u grade an item (opening a further can of worms :lol: ) but if you're going to open it & its been sealed for 30+ years & it is the world's only surviving example, at least you have the proof to confirm it was a sealed box, I take my sealed ones in to Steve & open them in front of him, so I get the joy of opening them before they are cased up, I have all the bags done separately with the box & catalog in a separate case.

After all who wants to look at a plain cardboard box? :? it holds little appeal even to me & I'm nutty about baggies & BTW this is most likely the most common of all the early brown box mailers.

I am in total agreement with u!

 

[poncho]

Unlike an actual vehicle playset box with graphics/pictures on it...this is a plain cardboard shipping box with a white label. Nothing close to pleasing about it.

what he said

 

[Alas-1]

Leave it closed.
Ridiculous to get something like this graded in the first place.

Rare item for sure but a pointless needless graded item.

 

[itfciain]

Lots of different things here

Would I have it graded ? No
Would I have it opened and U-graded ? No - I don't see the point in that silly little U and am sure that is the main reason it all started

Would I leave it as is ? Probably, not because it anything to look at in it's current form but because this is a piece of history and if they were all opened then that history would disappear

 

[pizzathehutt]

just send it to nottingham to be x-ray'd

 

[poncho]

Would I leave it as is ? Probably, not because it anything to look at in it's current form but because this is a piece of history and if they were all opened then that history would disappear

thats a good point also

 

[Lom]

I had made my mind up which way to go then read the thread and now understand cognitive dissonance like I never have before.

Any chance of adding a 'Don't have a scooby' option?

 

[Mr-shifter]

I would leave it. Its a sears shipping box. They purchased these baggies in bulk from kenner to do catalogue promotions. There may not be many of these around but there are probably more opened examples then sealed. Sell it for £550 odd quid and buy an opened one and have a bit of cash left over.

However, why grade it. It would look absolute shite on display. Its a cardboard box for christ sakes.

 

[edd_jedi]

I agree it's dull as hell, but really opening this is no different from opening a MOC, it's still destroying something that can't be replaced.

 

[Section 8]

Todd "Unlike an actual vehicle playset box with graphics/pictures on it...this is a plain cardboard shipping box with a white label. Nothing close to pleasing about it."

Part of the pleasing aspect of having the sealed vehicle inside the box is knowing it's been untouched for nearly 40 years. If collectors only want to look at the fancy pictures they may aswell just collect mint condition boxes.

To me it is similar to opening a moc. Where often it's said that someone else would have loved to have owned the pre opened moc and it's one less in the community. I'm sure there are a lot of collectors who would love to own an unopened boxed baggie. Me being one of them. Opening it means there is one less for me to collect.

Maybe it's me, but surely there is more to collecting than just how they look. I'm surprised that Frank has opened and U graded ones in the past. I would have thought this to be a big no no in the general community. If the box is just a box, then the bag is just a bag.

I'm not usually one of those protectors of "the community" and think some folk go overboard, but can't believe so many are on the otherside of the fence on this one. I even delight in seeing those large shipping boxes full of rigs or mocs, but love the cardboard box as much as the rigs or mocs. To me it's all one item.

PS: The Xrays will kill off any bacteria inside.

 

[Pomse2001]

I would never buy it, but if I had it I would never open it

 

[Anonymous]

You don't have an X-ray it option??

I'd open it.

Dave

 

[TheGent]

So what's happened to the x-ray option? None of your friends work in the health business? Or at a dentist?

 

[skywalker]

Bloody hell I've created a monster.. :lol: :lol: :lol:

It is still really close down the line, but before I started this I thought I would be the only one saying open it.... very interesting..

 

[ZippyNL]

I really had to think about this one, but in the end I went with keep it closed. Once opened it becomes lots of commonplace parts, but sealed it is unique. It was a close run thing mind.

 

[Rebel_Runner]

You've heard of Schrodinger's Cat, well this is Schrodinger's MOC. :lol:

I would open it. Just a brown box otherwise.

 

[mumbo]

I voted 'no' after much deliberation. I just couldn't bring myself to open it up if I owned it.

Yes it's just a cardboard box to look at but it's part of the vintage history and therefore should remain as it is, although I wouldn't hesitate to take it out of it's acrylic prison :roll:

If it were to ever be opened I would imagine it would feel like a great disturbance in the collecting community, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced

 

[Robstyley]

It's easy to say what you would do if it was yours because it's not yours. I wouldn't buy this (for the money it costs), it doesn't interest me, not my thing. I like to see my collectables or at least be able to remove them from a box and look at them occasionally. If I was rich and did buy it I would not open it. It is a piece of Star Wars merchandise history and should be preserved. If you had the money to buy this I'm sure you would already have enough nice items to look at and you could afford to buy the same contents loose as well to have out the box. I still wouldn't want it though, it's just a bit boring, I'd rather get a mint unused ship or a 12 back or something :wink:

 

[x-pack]

Once you open the box the mystery is all gone. It can never be reversed.

Seems that most would open it up. Not sure. Personally I reckon that an xray would be ace.

 

[Frunkstar]

I'm surprised that Frank has opened and U graded ones in the past. I would have thought this to be a big no no in the general community.

Yes I am a guilty one, well I don't feel guilty TBH, I love baggies & would never dream of ripping one open or having one opened for a U grade, I decided to have mine opened & graded via the U option for the sole reason that it can be distinguished as a from sealed contents item, otherwise I think it really would have felt wrong, so there is a use for the dreaded U grade, but this is the only one I can think of thankfully.

may I just add that I have not opened the baggies, they are all cased up within their baggies & the mailer box & catalog have been put in a separate case of there own, I asked opinions on here prior to doing so as I was wrestling with my conscience before doing so as was not sure I was doing the right thing even though it felt & still does feel right, to me anyhow, I just can't see the point in staring at a plain cardboard box, not even the ROTJ ones with the stickers on them as they are generic bar the figure line up & I like to see what baggies I have rather than having them hidden from sight, i did have all the baggies done in individual cases as well so they match the rest of my collection like the ones I have from special offer vehicles etc, it enables a multitude of display options rather than being restricted to sets in large cases that for me are hard to display, take up a shed load of room & to me at least look a little odd.

So for example I want to put all my baggied vaders together for a display or photo I can do it, not trying to justify my actions as I feel no justification is required, just showing why I have done it this way & the flip side of the coin's thinking for those who consider these brown/white boxes should remain sealed, the only set's I think I may have a different opinion would be the line art packs, not sure if I'd feel the same about opening one of those as the box artwork is great.

Good to see such a mix of views though without arguments, god I love this forum.