To Open or Not to Open / MOC (mint on card) Versus Loose

[shadowfall1976]

I just don't get what's so hard, it's simple, not every adult has to touch their toys to enjoy them, I don't get why people don't just accept that as an answer and move on, you don't have to understand it, but no, they have to keep digging at it, and making it seem like MOSCers are stupid, because they don't feel the need to touch and play and fondle something to enjoy it.

[He-Dad]

I just don't get what's so hard, it's simple, not every adult has to touch their toys to enjoy them, I don't get why people don't just accept that as an answer and move on, you don't have to understand it, but no, they have to keep digging at it, and making it seem like MOSCers are stupid, because they don't feel the need to touch and play and fondle something to enjoy it.

I agree. Honestly I enjoy my MOC Star Wars as much as my loose MOTUC. I plan on keeping my Star wars Black collection MOC. It's just how I chose to display with the space I have at the moment.

[Vikor]

Now that is just silly... No it is not the same thing at all.

Why? I'm being perfectly serious. I'm not putting MOC collectors down either, I'm just trying to understand.

I mean honestly I love looking at photos of these guys in their boxes and out. I have a picture of figures as my desktop. What is the difference, other than you can turn it to the side? (But one could always get side photos as well). Would save a lot of money.

Or is it the actual box in your hand that makes it for you? I dunno.

[Romadon]

So I have a question for MOC collectors then...

Why buy them at all, why not just get high res pictures of them in their packages off of the internet? Same thing isn't it?

lmfao, i had to laugh.

on a serious note, i collect both. a part of me,wants to open and check out the figure, pose it, etc etc.

but recently, i've started to lean towards MOC. I saw some collectors MOC collections of SW & GI joe on the internet, and it just looks amazing seeing
all the vintage stuff in its original packaging...even modern stuff looks amazing MOC. I still have my entire 25th gi joe collection MOC in clamshells and i love looking at them in their packaging like i just picked it off the shelf at the store. as to ur question, why not just get high rez pics and look at those, well i do enjoy admiring ppl collections online but there's also the i want to own it factor as well. its like owning a collection of art work, its not enough to see them at an art gallery, i want to physically own them...part of the hobby is the collecting process. just think what we have gone through collecting MOTUC, there's been a lot of ups and downs.

i recently saw a documentary on the Barnes art collection, now in no way can i compare toys to art, but i like the idea of Barnes building a unique art collection and displaying it a certain way so to be admired the way he felt it should be. well i look at my MOTUC MOC collection, and i enjoy and cherish it as a whole, one large work of art and to me the packaging has become part of it.

and with situations surrounding the likes of teela, fisto, and now fangman it adds to story behind the art.

thats just my opinion hope that helps u understand a little more.

[AuraBoyX]

Why? I'm being perfectly serious. I'm not putting MOC collectors down either, I'm just trying to understand.

I mean honestly I love looking at photos of these guys in their boxes and out. I have a picture of figures as my desktop. What is the difference, other than you can turn it to the side? (But one could always get side photos as well). Would save a lot of money.

Or is it the actual box in your hand that makes it for you? I dunno.

It's the fact that you OWN IT. Jeesh.

[shadowfall1976]

It's the fact that you OWN IT. Jeesh.

If the previous was the case, then anyone with a high res pic of a MOSC Fisto could be getting $90+ a pop from MOSC buyers on Ebay now.

[KeldorTheCursed]

I am an opener for sure, but I have extras of my favorites MOC: He-Man, Skeletor, and Keldor.

Different strokes for different folks. No big deal

[Vikor]

It's the fact that you OWN IT. Jeesh.

What I don't understand is the desire to "OWN IT" when it is left in a package that you only look at... hence I ask about photos being a suitable stand-in. Why is that such a difficult question?

[vancak]

What I don't understand is the desire to "OWN IT" when it is left in a package that you only look at... hence I ask about photos being a suitable stand-in. Why is that such a difficult question?

If I could have, for example, the **** Lisa on my wall or just a picture of it, I'd rather have the actual **** Lisa. Not comparing toys to a legendary work of art, but that's the reason most people collect MOC. I look at them as little works of art. What I don't get is GROWN MEN AND WOMEN that play with their toys. I have a couple MotUCs loose on display, but I never really touch them or change their poses or anything. The way that so many loose collectors look down at MOCers is quite disrespectful.

[AuraBoyX]

What I don't understand is the desire to "OWN IT" when it is left in a package that you only look at... hence I ask about photos being a suitable stand-in. Why is that such a difficult question?

It is called collecting. I am a collector of action figures. I collect them. Some people collect coins, some people collect baseball cards, some people collect Barbie dolls (that they don't open), I collect action figures.

I don't collect photos of action figures. I am not a photo collector. I collect action figures.

I don't play with or pose my figures - nor do I feel a need to. I find enjoyment in collecting action figures and leave them in the box. Simple.

[GFunny]

Sounds like your a collector/completest. As am I, and when I'm done (if that ever happens) then ill star a loose collection, but ill never open my MOCs, as a matter of fact, I'd like to also eventually get them all graded as well

[Vikor]

If I could have, for example, the **** Lisa on my wall or just a picture of it, I'd rather have the actual **** Lisa. Not comparing toys to a legendary work of art, but that's the reason most people collect MOC. I look at them as little works of art. What I don't get is GROWN MEN AND WOMEN that play with their toys. I have a couple MotUCs loose on display, but I never really touch them or change their poses or anything. The way that so many loose collectors look down at MOCers is quite disrespectful.

EDIT: Really, he-man.org? **** is flagged as a dirty word? How about M-O-N-A Lisa?

Ok, now THAT makes sense to me.

I open mine, but don't play with them (Well I do with my kids but not by myself ). I do however like to hold them in my hand and move their joints around into new poses and imagine them fighting glorious battles. *shrugs*

[Benedict Judas Hel]

If I could have, for example, the **** Lisa on my wall or just a picture of it, I'd rather have the actual **** Lisa.

"It's tiny, you know."

[facet]

Toys are meant to be played with..... Open

[AuraBoyX]

Toys are meant to be played with..... Open

And stamps are meant to send mail not kept in binders. Coins are meant to be spent not put in little plastic cases. I see the logic.

[shadowfall1976]

When I was 10 I played with my toys yes, in my 30's...not so much. I prefer to display, not play. Since mine have been opened, I posed them once just for visual enjoyment, and none have moved from those poses since they were opened, I still display mine side by side as released, like I did when they were carded, not muddled on a table, in fight scenes, or in need of any play set for them to not fit in....I move them from time to time to make room for more figures or to rearrange my collection. My enjoyment as a once fully MOSC or a now mostly loose collector (that keeps the packages to return them to when I see fit, if ever) is with seeing the physical figures in or out of their packages, and to me touching the packages is the same as touching the toy, it's mine, I own it, it's physically in my collection regardless of if it's sealed or loose.

The packaging is as big a part of the enjoyment as any of the figures inside, especially in a line where every basic figure is packaged exactly alike, unlike Transformers or some other lines that change themes every year and a half. And can't make up their minds if they want to package the figures in robot mode or alt mode from line to line, wave to wave, figure to figure. MOTUC packaging has been the exact same since He-Man in 2008, and that I love.

[Vikor]

To all MOC collectors...

Don't ever invite me to your houses, because I'll just come in and open all your toys for you!!

[shadowfall1976]

Glad that's never going to be anyone's reality.....

[Vikor]

Glad that's never going to be anyone's reality.....

Actually I'm coming over to your house tomorrow night for dinner.

Sharpenning my scissors as I type.

[shadowfall1976]

Actually I'm coming over to your house tomorrow night for dinner.

Sharpenning my scissors as I type.

I only have 4 still MOSC figures (2 are extras, one stinks too bad to keep open, but he has been opened and forearms swapped and painted, the other is Shadow Weaver, and I have a few things in my house that says, she's not being opened by anyone )....the rest are loose....so,

I had to open mine because I thought I had to store them and sadly single figures are easier to store than carded ones, otherwise they'd still be MOSC.

[burgun824]

So, let me get this straight then...

MOC collectors treat MOTUC as an investment, upon which they eventually hope to cash in

Open collectors treat MOTUC as something they enjoy for the simply love of the toys and have no desire to cash in

Seems like MOC collectors have their priorities misaligned. *shrugs*

I get over the temptations quickly anyway when I see how awesome they look all lined up next to each other in their packaging. Some folks don't like the "toy store" display look, but keep in mind that others do.

And who are you to judge ones priorities? Or are you just looking to be argumentative? Besides I already said this...

[SunDevil]

What I don't understand is the desire to "OWN IT" when it is left in a package that you only look at... hence I ask about photos being a suitable stand-in. Why is that such a difficult question?

Fair question, and I thank you for actually trying to understand instead of outright dismissing it.

Again (for me), it is the connection to the toy stores of my youth. As a kid, I'd rush into Toys R Us and marvel at all the amazing toys. That memory is still very sharp and dear to me. A room full of packaged toys recreates that very closely. I have both MOTUC and vintage MOC/MIB and my hobby room looks like the toystores of my youth. I could not get that effect with photos, even very good ones. As a kid, I was surrounded by the toys in those stores and in my room at home so my hobby room now needs actually MIB toys to recreate that. Photos wont do it.

Plus, I absolutely LOVE the vintage packages. Such gorgeous artwork that you never see anymore. MOTUC are not quite as nice but they have touches that I appreciate. With them it is more the store shelf look that I like, especially since we will never see these in stores in any quantity.

Does that help?

[shadowfall1976]

And who are you to judge ones priorities? Or are you just looking to be argumentative? Besides I already said this...

For some odd reason other collectors think they can collect better than others (not referring to individuals, as many loose collectors seem to fit this bill), that is the whole problem. We are all here to enjoy these plastic dudes, we're all on this forum because of them....I don't get why others need to disrespect another just because they choose not to play with their toys and collect them as they see fit. I may be an adult that collects toys, but these are toys with a premium price when you factor in shipping....and sorry, you have to factor in shipping unless you can magically make them appear from your ass or something. So, these things are now $35 figures, and I for one prefer to keep them in as good a shape for as long as possible, and I hate loose joints and other things that can go bad with these things, even at $35 they are not indestructible, and as we know, some even self destruct....so I would prefer to protect my investment of enjoyment for years to come. And one day my son will have all my stuff, so yeah, I'm looking at at least 30+ years down the road for these things, and as they are now, mine are opened, which I regret. What he does with them is up to him, I could hope with how he loves them now, he'll protect them for years after I am gone.

My investment of my toys are for my son to have something to remember me, and enjoy with his possible future son or daughter like I do with him now. I don't care about how much these things will be worth 30 years from now, and even if I still kept them carded, I would still not have cared. But 30 years from now those that have carded figures will still have the most mint figures ever, while sadly even mine since they are loose now, will be worn out and possibly missing parts....investment of money or simple enjoyment, it doesn't matter. No one is a judge of how someone else collects....no one.

You may not like something, like I hate cluttered loose collections that are all clumped together in a mass, I don't enjoy mass battle reenactments, to me it's clutter, if you like it so be it. I don't comment and spread disrespect in the collection thread (like someone in another thread called someone's collection, visual vomit, when nothing needed to be said if they didn't like it) if I don't like someone's collection, I simply don't comment. I may say I don't like certain figures, Mattel policy, or Scott's comments, but saying that affects no one but a corporation that needs no fan based defense. I prefer a cleaner single file approach in the order of release, much as I had them when they were carded.

In the end whichever way you collect is the way you choose, it works for you and if someone else doesn't like it....oh well, you probably won't like their collection either, which I have seen many loose collections, and even though mine is, I am a MOSC collector at heart, and many loose collections I have seen....are not that appealing to me. They can say what they want, but to me, my loose collection is better than theirs, and no one can dispute that in my own opinion, but I'll never disrespect someone's collection like others like to freely do. Same can be said for MOSC collectors, if you like it, that's all that matters, because no one can take your personal opinion.

[Vikor]

And who are you to judge ones priorities? Or are you just looking to be argumentative? Besides I already said this...

Well each one of us judges priorities. Its called being human. Priorities are individual decisions. I say priorities are misaligned because it doesn't work for me. If it works for someone else, whatever, good for them because it doesn't affect my life. Nothing argumentative about that at all.

Have a great day!

- - - Updated - - -

Fair question, and I thank you for actually trying to understand instead of outright dismissing it.

Again (for me), it is the connection to the toy stores of my youth. As a kid, I'd rush into Toys R Us and marvel at all the amazing toys. That memory is still very sharp and dear to me. A room full of packaged toys recreates that very closely. I have both MOTUC and vintage MOC/MIB and my hobby room looks like the toystores of my youth. I could not get that effect with photos, even very good ones. As a kid, I was surrounded by the toys in those stores and in my room at home so my hobby room now needs actually MIB toys to recreate that. Photos wont do it.

Plus, I absolutely LOVE the vintage packages. Such gorgeous artwork that you never see anymore. MOTUC are not quite as nice but they have touches that I appreciate. With them it is more the store shelf look that I like, especially since we will never see these in stores in any quantity.

Does that help?

Yes, this is the best answer to my question I have ever received! Thanks very much for taking the time to actually explain it rather than just dismissing me as being "argumentative" or "disrespectful". The way you describe it makes perfect sense, and I can appreciate that.

Honestly I've only ever come at this from a position of curiosity. I'm not a MOC collector, so I wanted to know what makes MOC collectors tick. No harm, no foul... just me being inquisitive. What has my curiosity raised now is why many MOC collectors are so defensive when questioned about their collecting preference? I mean really, you guys don't have to justify your collecting to anyone other than yourselves (or maybe your wives!), so if someone asks questions about it, why not just give honest answers like SunDevil rather than lashing out at those who ask questions?

Anyway, thanks again SunDevil I understand MOC collecting a whole lot better now and have a great deal of respect for why it means so much to you.

[burgun824]

Well each one of us judges priorities. Its called being human. Priorities are individual decisions. I say priorities are misaligned because it doesn't work for me. If it works for someone else, whatever, good for them because it doesn't affect my life. Nothing argumentative about that at all.

Have a great day!

You are being argumentative and disrespectful regardless of how clever you think you might be in the process. But alas I see this is going nowhere, so I'm fine leaving it at that.

You have a good day as well.