Opening The Box: Is it OK to open a retro toy?

As an enthusiastic toy collector, I love being able to gaze at my collection. After all, what's the point of having something if you can't see and enjoy it, right? Personally, I prefer buying loose figures because I like my collectibles out of the box or off the card, allowing me to display them in all their glory. However, arranging figures on display shelves means I'm missing out on something: the box art. Many collectors prefer their collection to remain original, in the box, so their display with the logos, art, and details can be appreciated as well. Having just a figure means missing out on reading the back of the card or the nostalgic feeling you had as a kid of pulling a new toy off the peg at Toys 'R' Us and holding the package. Most people feel it's simply a matter of preference, and both approaches are perfectly fine; loose or on card. Yet, there is a third type of collector, one some might say disregards the sanctity of history: the box opener.

I pose the question, is it acceptable to purchase a retro toy still in the box or on card and then open it? Imagine buying that awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Leonardo dressed as Captain Kirk, in decent condition and still on card. You eagerly take it home, admire the art, the logos, read the entertaining description on the back, and enjoy the feelings of nostalgia. You feel the plastic packaging in your hands and then... tear that plastic away from the cardboard backing, freeing Leo from his 22-year prison. On one hand, it's yours to do with as you please, but on the other, there is a limited supply of old toys still in the box, and every box opened is one less for collectors to collect. Now opened, you place Leo on your shelf and store the card away in a filing cabinet or shoe box somewhere.

Some might argue that you just ruined a collectible over 20 years old just to have a loose toy and card. Others might say you now have two collectibles for the price of one (assuming you didn't care about the higher value of the toy still in the box). But why not just buy the loose toy? The answer is likely nostalgia. Remembering the feeling of being a kid, getting a new toy, and opening it was wonderful. Picking out the accessories and trying to force them into your prize's plastic hard. Opening a toy from the era when you were a kid makes it more tangible, more emotional, more satisfying. There's an argument for that. After all, you bought it and it's yours, right?

So, is it okay to buy a retro toy and open it? That's a pretty heated debate. Personally, I believe we have a responsibility to preserve the history of the things we cherish. There are plenty of opened collectibles available, making it unnecessary to open a piece of childhood history. Every opened box is an unopened toy your fellow collectors can't have. If everyone opened toys from the 80s, 90s, etc., eventually there would be nothing left for original on-card collectors to collect. Let's do everyone a favor: buy your collectible in the state you want it, and leave what's left of our childhoods unopened for everyone to enjoy. Open a re-issue instead!

Consider opening this great reissue instead: https://amzn.to/46E1sku

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