Would you open 34 years old MISB Lego?

[MaasEffekt]

Hi!

I am very interested in your opinions on this?

First time in my life i purchased some Lego which are sealed in their boxes, and from 1982. Would you open those?

I'm keeping some polybags sealed with minifigs in them (like Martian Manhunter, Lego Universe astronaut... etc.), thinking about their value might increase, but this is a whole different ball game for me. I would like to open these. But i am not sure what to do/ what would be the "right" thing to do; i mean all that history, and the fact someone kept them closed for this long.

[Benylin]

One option is to buy a used version of the set and keep this one sealed, or just treat yourself with that 1982 air when you'll deserve it

[pyro690]

Personally, I would not open them if you want to sell them. If it was a set you always wanted since you were 10 and would never sell, then open it. If you do open it, save the box. It is yours, do what your heart desires. :thumbup:

[terryfay1983]

It's a tough one, but mainly depends on what you want to do with it, as said above .if you want to sell it on then No don't open it. I've also kept some sealed poly bags just incase in the future some maybe offering good money, but then I've also already got the same one opened in my collection

[tkatt]

I would check the prices of sealed sets compared to used sets on Bricklink. Then you can get an idea of how much value your sets may lose once opened. You can also get a feel for how many sealed sets may be availble in the world. If it looks like the sets you have are very rare (in a sealed state) it may benefit you to leave them sealed.

[MaasEffekt]

Thank you!

It is about three Fabuland sets. Just figures, and some accessories for them in the box. The 3707 Clower Cow (four used on BL, and that's it - max. 10 USD), 3708 Rufus Rabbit (i saw one sealed on BL, and maybe half a dozen opened around 15 USD), and the 3709 Henry Horse, Carpenter (this one has like four sealed on BL for no more than 15-20 USD, and a few opened).

I am not planning selling. I love Fabuland. I would have no problem keep Rufus Rabbit sealed, because i already have that charater. But i would like his basket very much! As for the other two, i would like to open them.

As i see the prices on BL, i think i won't make a fortune out of these, so i can open them.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Lazer

[HawkLord]

I used to be a sealed action figure collector, but these days with reports of people finding non-Lego material in their sealed Lego sets, I just can't do that with Lego. There's a thread in the Licensed section that talks about the phenomenon of issues with sealed sets. I've heard of people finding plastic chips, non-Lego pieces (like MegaBloks), or rocks in what they thought were sealed sets. It's far too easy to open a box, switch out stuff, and then make it look sealed. People have been doing that with action figures for ages and those are sealed plastic bubbles on cardboard.

[Covi]

The older boxes are more difficult to reseal them without leaving traces.

On topic: I also do collect some sets which I will keep sealed. That collecting is more like "I keep an eye out for it, and hope to do some kind of deal". This are sets from my childhood, so which I already have but are also just nice to have in the box on display.

Will I spent a fortune on them while collecting? Hell no.

I've just acquired a sealed Wolfpack Renegade set, and I hope one day to stumble upon a Blacktron 1 sealed set.

Why? Just for memories. :-)

[VintageLegoEra]

I like to open and build the new sealed sets cos it brings back memories especially when opening the box and polybags...:-)..

Keeping sealed sets not of my concern...

[Andy D]

If it were something I would like to build/display... Open and build, no question, I am not one to keep sealed sets as a collectable.

If I did not want it I would hope I could find someone who would enjoy building it. In fact to encourage them to build it I would open the box and bags and present them with parts and instructions.

I believe LEGO is meant to be built!

Just MHO, YMMV

Andy D

Edited April 4, 2016 by Andy D

[rodiziorobs]

Probably.

As a kid, my collection was very small. I would, however, spend hours poring over the pirates, castle, and space sets in the S@H catalogs and other booklets. Even though I never owned many of those sets, they still have a pretty strong draw for me. If I happened upon one of those sets, I would not hesitate to open the box and relive a childhood fantasy of actually owning them.

However, if it were things from before that era--say, the yellow castle days (I came into Lego at the very end of the "Legoland" branding)--I would keep it sealed, and look to sell it. I would have no personal connection to it to make me want to keep it as a collector item. Plus, I know someone else could get more enjoyment out of collecting it, and I would get more enjoyment out of their money

Edited April 4, 2016 by rodiziorobs

[dr_spock]

It's like an expensive bottle of fine old wine. Open and enjoy it? Keep it corked for future resale? What's your main goal? Enjoyment of building or seeing a sealed set on the shelf? Financial investmet?

[MaasEffekt]

Thanks for all the answers! As i mentioned, i didn't buy these as some kind of financial investment. I just bought them, because i like Fabuland, but i didn't have many sets, when i was a kid. I've got my first Lego at the end of the Fabuland era, so i only had one set from the theme.

I think you helped me decide, to open the sets. Thanks!

[Hewman]

Open and build. I did this with a few classic space and Fabuland sets and don't regret it at all.

[Nick Barrett]

Open and build as many already said - A lot of the time high prices on sealed sets of that age are largely illusory; the few that are on Bricklink very rarely sell. After all, why pay 5x for something you can't use ? I really enjoyed building my new 8862

[anothergol]

I have opened a Legoland space set from '83, which I believe was the very first Lego set I got when I was a kid. I didn't regret it, it brought back memories.

Now, it was a small set, and I got it for cheap enough because the box had a defect - basically it was meant to be opened anyway.

(& here it is, all shiny next to the one I had 33 years ago)

Edited April 5, 2016 by anothergol

[LAKAbricks]

As others say - it depends on why you bought it. And you write you have no plans selling it, as you love Fabuland. If there are parts inside the boxes you would like to use in your layout, given you have one, you might open it. Or buy the parts used, as has also been suggested. If you think it is fun to have a sealed box - keep it that way.

Personally I would looove to find a set I wanted as a kid, open it, see those old, perforated plastic bags containing the untouched bricks from decades ago. And if it is a big box, opening the front to take a look inside, seeing the special bricks arranged in the plastic tray those were the times

[rodiziorobs]

...those old, perforated plastic bags containing the untouched bricks from decades ago. And if it is a big box, opening the front to take a look inside, seeing the special bricks arranged in the plastic tray those were the times

Woah, I forgot about the old crinkly bags! It's funny how a little thing like that can remind you of so much! And of course the display boxes... well now I'm all nostalgic

[MaasEffekt]

I have opened a Legoland space set from '83, which I believe was the very first Lego set I got when I was a kid. I didn't regret it, it brought back memories.

Now, it was a small set, and I got it for cheap enough because the box had a defect - basically it was meant to be opened anyway.

(& here it is, all shiny next to the one I had 33 years ago)

Very nice! How i wanted that "metal detector" part, and the "jetpack" part of the Blacktron FG astronaut.

I have only one Classic Space, the 6825 "Cosmic Comet" with a white astronaut. Of course his helmet is broken on the chin part.

As others say - it depends on why you bought it. And you write you have no plans selling it, as you love Fabuland. If there are parts inside the boxes you would like to use in your layout, given you have one, you might open it. Or buy the parts used, as has also been suggested. If you think it is fun to have a sealed box - keep it that way.

Personally I would looove to find a set I wanted as a kid, open it, see those old, perforated plastic bags containing the untouched bricks from decades ago. And if it is a big box, opening the front to take a look inside, seeing the special bricks arranged in the plastic tray those were the times

I loved those kind of boxes! And the plastic bags with the little holes. I still have one i think.

Well, i opened the Fabus!

IMG_20160331_124042 by Lazlow Lockhart, on Flickr

In this Flickr link you can see the small clips i've made. It is uncut, and my camera is just my phone, but i wanted to document the act.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Lazer

[LudeBene]

But i am not sure what to do/ what would be the "right" thing to do; i mean all that history, and the fact someone kept them closed for this long.

I know you've opened them now and it's something of a moot point, but this got me thinking. In addition to LEGO I also collect books, and you sometimes get old books that have 'uncut' pages (as until relatively recently multiple pages were printed on single sheets, that were then folded and bound into the book, leaving a fold on the 'outward' edge that the reader would have to cut with a paper knife). Uncut books are usually more valuable, but I must admit I take a real pleasure in 'cutting' a book open. It's a bit poignant to think of something that has never been read in 100+ years of existence, and kind of cool to be the person who reads that particular copy for the first time. For me, books are made to me read, and it seems very sad to me for a book to not get to fulfil its purpose just so you can keep it 'perfect'. Investing aside, the same is true of LEGO - it was made to be built!

[anothergol]

Well, i opened the Fabus!

they're nice

And IMHO they haven't aged at all, they look like something that could be done today. I wouldn't say the same about many of Lego's past stuff.

[grum64]

I'm likely to be faced with this dilemma quite soon. I've a BNISB 5571 Black Cat sitting on a shelf just crying out to be built but do I or don't I. I'd love to build it but I honestly don't know whether I'm brave enough to break that seal.

What would you do? What do I do? Decisions. Decisions.

[9v system]

I say you should open them lego is meant to be played with.

Edited April 7, 2016 by 9v system

[Artanis I]

Was thinking about a similar situation of mine. I found a small pile of unopened sets (not the ones I've bought in recent years and are yet to get to), with 2 Space sets from the 90s. It's not that I don't want to open them, but that once I've done it I can never do it again. I almost feel like I need to have multiple cameras and a news team covering the event for full posterity! You know, memories fade over time. It's far worse than when I look at chocolate and wonder "should I open it now, or wait?.." since unopened chocolate is far more obtainable than MISB vintage space sets.