darkSpyro

My husband and I are wanting to get a gold figure, but it's unboxed. We plan on using a hair dryer to put it into a new box to make it all 'new' so it can be put in our collection. We got a Boomer (thank you, Frito-Lay) and tried the trick of using the hair dryer to take the plastic off to see if we could make it a clean removal. Sadly, the paint from the cardboard didn't come off cleanly enough...
Is there anything we're missing on how to make this look like it's new again?

Wasn't Boomer a silver variant?

Why would you try to do this unless you are trying to resell it? Just display it and enjoy it.

Quote: Himewad

Wasn't Boomer a silver variant?

Why would you try to do this unless you are trying to resell it? Just display it and enjoy it.

I love it when people answer their own question like that.

Quote: Himewad

Wasn't Boomer a silver variant?

Why would you try to do this unless you are trying to resell it? Just display it and enjoy it.

All of mine are sealed and I never plan on selling any of mine. Personally its added protection if it falls off a self or sucked down to the gates of Hell

I never said the Boomer was silver... I said we had him to practice with. We WANT to purchase an unboxed variant from Ebay, but we want to perfect the hairdryer technique to PUT THEM INTO A BOX. Look at our collection on the forums. Do you honestly think we want to sell it? We collect for our son. Honestly, think before you accuse people of stupid things like that. We aren't scalpers, and we aren't wanting to sell any variants that we get.

We already have a Flocked, Blue, Red, and a GitD Zap. We are collectors!!!

Thank you lucidity.

We've hung them up on our son's wall so he can look at them. We got tired of having the boxes on our headboard... Think long and hard why we wanted to move them.

Actually, many moons ago you and your partner did stipulate in several posts that part of the collection appeal was to be a speculative nest egg for your child. Hence, you do indeed to potentially sell some time in the indeterminate future.

It is easy to imagine that representing the item as being MIB (some time in the future) would provide better remuneration than one which was not MIB.

Hence, Himewad's second paragraph is not an illogical premise to derive.

While that is true, you have to take into account the fact that, during the, oh, say, 20 years between now and when/if it becomes necessary to sell it, they will be on his wall or packed away. That's two decades of it serving what is OBVIOUSLY the main intention for the figure without a guarantee of it ever being sold in the first place, versus what is only a theoretical possibility of its sale on some far-off date.

Not only that, Himewad's second paragraph is entirely illogical, because he thinks we're trying to box and re-sell a silver Boomer, NOW. How you think that logically relates to attempting to box a gold Drill Sergeant to sit on our son's wall or in storage for 20 years before only potentially selling it is baffling. It's not the same intention, it's not the same time period, and it's not even the same figure.

So, here's my question for you. We can either A) get an unboxed Drill Sergeant on the cheap, re-box him, and sit him next to our other variants for a nice display or B ) buy a boxed one for just about triple the price because ???. Would you take option A, or option B?

Actually, his second paragraph does not directly mention the erroneous conclusion about Silver Boomer, simply re-boxing so in that context is logical.

To answer you question, I would (and have) simply buy the MIB one as re-boxing one to simulate MIB is disengenuous to me. But, hey, that's just me...

The bottom line is if you were ever to sell, would you clearly stipulate to the prospective purchasers that one item is actually not MIB but only made to look so?

"Made to look so" is not an accurate term either. Re-boxed is really the only appropriate way of putting it. MIB isn't a fair term, I agree, but "made to look so" implies complete forgery, which this obviously is not. A legit figure inside a legit box is a legit figure inside a legit box, period. While it's important to note that it has at one point been out of the box, there's no reason to use deliberately shady language like "made to look so."

For what it's worth, yes, it would be clearly noted that the figure was re-boxed, but I would have no qualms about also using the term "in perfect condition" to conclude that sentence. Over-stating the figure is disingenuous, I agree, but deliberately understating it is just piling on false guilt for something that there's no need to feel guilty over.

The intention is not to simulate MIB, it's to put a figure in a box. No complex motives, just practicality. Having an unboxed gold Drill Sergeant hanging on a peg on our son's wall next to a bunch of boxed variants would just look silly. It's an aesthetic thing, and really nothing else.

Frankly, I don't have $250 extra for cardboard and plastic I can buy at the store for $10. If we have to take a very slight hit on the price in 20 years because it's been re-boxed, then that's fine. I'm pretty sure whatever hit that is couldn't amount to $250, since the primary factor in a purchasing decision that far down the line will be based more on the condition of the box and the figure than whether or not human hands have ever touched it.

I hate to say it but resealing it in a box makes it look like it is MIB and an undiscerning eye would not be able to tell otherwise. To be frank, if it was simply a matter of putting it in some packaging, then the original question of trying hard to make the box look like it had not been opened would not have been asked (as the fig would be in packaging but the packaging would show signs of the opening/re-closing process).

Whilst I can appreciate if your motives are pure, many who would perform such an operation would not suffer from those pure motives.

As a collector, I would not consider either the fig nor the packaging to be "in perfect condition". The fig would be in near perfect condition but who knows what the oils from fingertips does over time? Of course, the packaging would not be in perfect condition given the opening/resealing process.

That's why we're soliciting tips on how to do it, though. If it's possible to actually achieve perfect condition, there's no reason not to re-box it. If it's always going to look shoddy, then there's a feasible reason to just get the new one. There's no logic in re-boxing it if it's going to look markedly lower in quality than the alternative. Aesthetics are of critical importance when curating a collection like this, and while I wouldn't pay $250 for something that looks exactly the same, I definitely would if the alternative can't measure up to the visual standard I'm searching for.

And yes, I fully agree about the oils. Those would have to be cleansed before any re-boxing took place, because there's no point even trying if it can't maintain itself in the long term. However, there are processes for that, and the average person can execute them, so it doesn't worry me.

This topic isn't about being bound and determined to re-box a figure no matter what, it's to help make our decision over which to purchase a little easier. If there's a method where even a discerning eye can't tell the difference between the two, then the cheaper, unboxed figure will fit right in with the rest of our collection, and is going to be the better option. If that's impossible, well, it's impossible, and the extra cash for the MIB character would be well-spent.

In the end, I would contend that perfect condition is something that exists objectively, and not related in any way to ethics. It's a technical achievement, and if we could, in fact, achieve it, I would have no qualms using that term in any potential sale. Otherwise, it would be easy to disprove, and totally inaccurate.

Quote: Vhraina

I never said the Boomer was silver... I said we had him to practice with. We WANT to purchase an unboxed variant from Ebay, but we want to perfect the hairdryer technique to PUT THEM INTO A BOX. Look at our collection on the forums. Do you honestly think we want to sell it? We collect for our son. Honestly, think before you accuse people of stupid things like that. We aren't scalpers, and we aren't wanting to sell any variants that we get.

We already have a Flocked, Blue, Red, and a GitD Zap. We are collectors!!!

Thank you lucidity.

We've hung them up on our son's wall so he can look at them. We got tired of having the boxes on our headboard... Think long and hard why we wanted to move them.

You're most welcome In addition to collecting why not try the term "restored"? Does that help? Coming from the effort of restoring a Firebird but it pains me to think that most of the parts are being replaced so its not original. Floor pans...ugh... Anyway in my opinion I like restored its a good "working" term

Quote: Vhraina

I never said the Boomer was silver... I said we had him to practice with. We WANT to purchase an unboxed variant from Ebay, but we want to perfect the hairdryer technique to PUT THEM INTO A BOX. Look at our collection on the forums. Do you honestly think we want to sell it? We collect for our son. Honestly, think before you accuse people of stupid things like that. We aren't scalpers, and we aren't wanting to sell any variants that we get.

We already have a Flocked, Blue, Red, and a GitD Zap. We are collectors!!!

Thank you lucidity.

We've hung them up on our son's wall so he can look at them. We got tired of having the boxes on our headboard... Think long and hard why we wanted to move them.

I really don't care why you want them, to be perfectly honest. Read my post again. I never accused you of anything. Just asked a question. Chill out.

It is an interesting coincidence that chaosworrier pointed out previous posts about selling in the future though. Hmmmmmm.

And if you really want a gold boxed fig, just buy it on eBay. Problem solved.

Quote: Tashiji

Quote: Himewad

Wasn't Boomer a silver variant?

Why would you try to do this unless you are trying to resell it? Just display it and enjoy it.

I love it when people answer their own question like that.

Displaying it in no way answers my question. My intent was to just tell you to display in out of the box if you intend to keep it. Or put it in one of hose plastic cases intended for baseballs.

Quote: Himewad

Quote: Vhraina

I never said the Boomer was silver... I said we had him to practice with. We WANT to purchase an unboxed variant from Ebay, but we want to perfect the hairdryer technique to PUT THEM INTO A BOX. Look at our collection on the forums. Do you honestly think we want to sell it? We collect for our son. Honestly, think before you accuse people of stupid things like that. We aren't scalpers, and we aren't wanting to sell any variants that we get.

We already have a Flocked, Blue, Red, and a GitD Zap. We are collectors!!!

Thank you lucidity.

We've hung them up on our son's wall so he can look at them. We got tired of having the boxes on our headboard... Think long and hard why we wanted to move them.

I really don't care why you want them, to be perfectly honest. Read my post again. I never accused you of anything. Just asked a question. Chill out.

It is an interesting coincidence that chaosworrier pointed out previous posts about selling in the future though. Hmmmmmm.

And if you really want a gold boxed fig, just buy it on eBay. Problem solved.

Another gold one might be kind of expensive. Give or take.

Well let's see. You asked why there would be any need to re-box it. You answered yourself by bringing up displaying it. Open and shut case.

That's a great suggestion for displaying baseballs, but we are displaying boxed Skylanders.

Quote: Tashiji

Well let's see. You asked why there would be any need to re-box it. You answered yourself by bringing up displaying it. Open and shut case.

That's a great suggestion for displaying baseballs, but we are displaying boxed Skylanders.

So buy one. Open and shut case.

Since no one can answer the simple question presented earlier, I think it's time to close this. Thank you so VERY much for all the kind words of advise.

Quote: Vhraina

Since no one can answer the simple question presented earlier, I think it's time to close this. Thank you so VERY much for all the kind words of advise.

No problem.