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8 Comments on Public Service Announcement: Don’t Open Your Toys (Step Away From the Box)

  1. Nick Lenihan

    So if you never plan on opening your figures, why even buy them? You aren’t ever going to look inside, so you should just buy the empty Hot Toys boxes on eBay.

    Just think about it. You save money AND you won’t be stressed out having to worry about your figures getting damaged in the box, even though it has never been opened.

    Jokes.

    Seriously though if you are going to spend $250+ on the figure, why not open it up so you can actually enjoy it? The display cases with glass doors aren’t really that expensive. Slightly over $100 should get you a case that displays your entire Hot Toys collection. Pretty cheap investment considering that you have probably spent thousands on those 45 figures.

    I don’t know man. I just can’t get over not opening your figures. They are meant to be opened, even the Hot Toys.

    I can sort of see your points, but would you rather look at a cardboard box with ok artwork/graphics on the front, or would you rather look at a extremely realistic action figure in your favorite pose/scene from the movie? The latter seems far more enjoyable, at least for me.

    • Steven Saldutti

      Thanks for the reply, Nick! You have an exceptionally valid point on the purchasing of the empty boxes!

      Interestingly, in 2013 I bought my buddy and I the Heath Ledger joker (the interrogation scene) and a Dark Knight Returns. He is unable to keep his figures in the box. He, sir, is worse than all of you! He about opened it up right there, and we weren’t even in his house yet (great way to lose accessories). After I stopped hyperventilating, I secretly admired his courage.
      That being said, I can;t get past the process of actually opening.

      Interesting that I could get a case that is glassed for my figures that cheap. That’s good to know. And I have no doubt I could probably get them all in one case if open. I am worried, however, if I was to do that, that would be me opening 45 hot toys, probably in one day, that I could spontaneously combust. This human spontaneous combustion is a myth? Think again, and I am not willing to bust that myth with my figures…..and body!

  2. Floyd Fenris

    For the most part (99%) I open and would advise most to open their figures, for maximum enjoyment. I do have a few that are in the package that I display just because it can be cool to display a few that way. But all the ones I have on display in package, I also own loose, so there is that. Keep in mind I don’t do Hot Toys, Sideshow, etc. because I can’t justify paying hundreds of dollars on a non-vintage figure on my budget. I just do 4″ and 6″. I sure do like drooling over the pics on AFF though. 🙂

    • Steven Saldutti

      Hey Floyd! Thanks for the comment. I would recommend against giving potentially dangerous advice in a forum like this. There could be children reading it, and then what are we going to do? I can’t afford to send them all to the psychiatrist.

      As far as owning a carded figure and an open figure (dupes) I did that for a while. That was the only way I could open the very few opened figures I have (mostly the 1996 superman 4” action figures). I was going to do the same with the hot toys. Buy dupes, and then open/display one. Fortunately, my psychiatrist recommended against that (I think because he was concerned I wouldn’t be able to pay him anymore).

  3. Denny Crane

    We’ll have to agree to disagree. While it makes no logical sense (to me at least), if eBay is any indication, loose toy collectors outnumber boxed–and they pay as much if not more on recent toys. Only the truly vintage figures (70s-80s and of course Star Wars) tend to buck this odd trend. So while your theory is sound in premise, the reality doesn’t match up. I do however agree about the boxes being easier to clean (and store). But as space has become a bit of an issue of late, I’m starting to embrace this “odd trend” and plan to downsize my collection of “paper goods” considerably over the next few months–except for when the packaging makes the toy. Which means there will be a lot of new “loose” figures going up in my shop. We shall see if the test works….

    • Steven Saldutti

      Hey Denny. Thanks for the response. I have never seen loose figures sell more than boxed ones, but I must admit, I haven’t searched that out too much. When I troll e-bay, I typically see the boxed figures worth more than the opened ones, but as they say “all appears yellow to the jaundiced eye”, so, perhaps I haven’t been to objective with my searches.

      LOL on the collection of paper goods. Indeed, space really does become a huge issue after just six months of collecting.

      Do you own any hot toys? If so, you can actually sell the boxes. It’s crazy, but I see empty boxes on e-bay all the time.

      I consider the boxes of most figures a work of art, as typically, they have more explanation on the back of the card, the “lore” if you will, and I hate losing that after I get rid of those paper goods.

      Lastly, DON’T DO IT DENNY. GO AWAY FROM THE LIGHT. Nothing good is going to come from what you are getting ready to do. I will get the government involved if I need to……what is your address again?

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