I think box collecting gives people an additional layer of “product history”. Well designed packaging is eye catching and stirs the imagination, of course but it can also tell a story about what’s inside. What set did that odd track piece or usual color of boxcar come in? “Well, I have it still in the box!”
Also “Mint In Box” seems to be revered in some collecting circles because the product inside is “untouched” and in “better than used condition”. (Not really true but....) I should mention that rarity of a box containing otherwise common items can be a significant attraction to some collectors. Back in the days when I collected GI Joe and other 12 inch- 1/6 scale action figures, vintage boxed sets from 1968 were especially desired because, while the contents often remained similar to earlier years, the photo boxes featuring images of real service members and equipment were impressive and unique to that year.
I’m not a deliberate box collector but in my days of “buying plastic crap in stupid quantities”, I often kept stuff in boxes just because it became impractical to unbox it all. I suppose this makes it easier to pair down and sell it, although 20-25 year old soft plastics and rubber band ties often harden and disintegrate. A great example is a couple of GI Joe scuba divers I bought in the early 2000 and HAD to unbox when the rubber scuba suits “melted”’and crumbled, sticking to the figure and damaging any “value” they might’ve once had.
Don’t get me wrong, there are folks like Muddy who have a great, curated collection of boxed items on display. I appreciate that sort of thing and the effort that goes into it but for me, that’s not a goal anymore.
Also “Mint In Box” seems to be revered in some collecting circles because the product inside is “untouched” and in “better than used condition”. (Not really true but....) I should mention that rarity of a box containing otherwise common items can be a significant attraction to some collectors. Back in the days when I collected GI Joe and other 12 inch- 1/6 scale action figures, vintage boxed sets from 1968 were especially desired because, while the contents often remained similar to earlier years, the photo boxes featuring images of real service members and equipment were impressive and unique to that year.
I’m not a deliberate box collector but in my days of “buying plastic crap in stupid quantities”, I often kept stuff in boxes just because it became impractical to unbox it all. I suppose this makes it easier to pair down and sell it, although 20-25 year old soft plastics and rubber band ties often harden and disintegrate. A great example is a couple of GI Joe scuba divers I bought in the early 2000 and HAD to unbox when the rubber scuba suits “melted”’and crumbled, sticking to the figure and damaging any “value” they might’ve once had.
Don’t get me wrong, there are folks like Muddy who have a great, curated collection of boxed items on display. I appreciate that sort of thing and the effort that goes into it but for me, that’s not a goal anymore.
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