Collecting figures

[Kiwi sapper]

A number of questions

Do you keep the figures in their cases

If not do you keep the package and or just the backing card

Buy two figures keep one in package and take other one out

I know there isn't any real reason to think of the newer figures as an investment, but you never know.

Original figures from the 70's there seems to be alot of loose ones out there on E-Bay how can you tell if they are the real thing until you actual have them to hand.

[sienar22]

I keep the backing cards which usually have distinct information about the character of the figure which is why i keep them. The power of the jedi ones dont though. But they do come with force files which i keep.

[farmboynz]

I open 99.9999% of my stuff, as I like to make displays of them
but also keep the backing cards

think each to their own, have noticed that the limited articulation has stopped me buying some figures lately

[Reverend Strone]

I open all my figures and recycle the packaging.

I make my selections of what to buy with diorama displays in mind (those are still a work in progress due to a busy work and family schedule). I'm by no means a completist, but I still have a ridiculously large collection (just ask my wife).

I don't mind limited articulation so long as the figure as at least one decent pose to strike in a display. I haven't bought many figures lately due to the character selection not really offering me much for my displays, but there are a great many I would love Hasbro to do some day.

No interest in 6" - I am already too invested in 3&3/4" to begin a new scale.

[The Kiwi Jedi]

Basically I keep hard to find figures in their packaging. Recently I have been opening everything and keeping the backing card as space now seems to be disappearing. Back in 2007 when I went full throttle in collecting a full set of the TAC line I tried to get 2 of each figure to open and keep in packaging. With figures once opened I've been storing them in containers (1 container per line) until we get the spare room organised with shelving.
On a side note I have started a little project to display some figures in which I will start a new thread for

[MattG]

Regarding modern collectibles, I keep ultra-rare figures on their cards, and try and keep one selected example of each packaging style. Beyond that, it's not feasible, in terms of displaying everything, to keep everything carded. (I do collect carded vintage figures, however).

[MattG]

...Original figures from the 70's there seems to be alot of loose ones out there on E-Bay how can you tell if they are the real thing until you actual have them to hand.

When it comes to loose vintage figures, it's really only the very rare/expensive figures that are faked (double-telescoping sabers, vinyl cape jawas, international rarities, paint touch-ups on Blue Snaggletooth etc). Most figures are still abundantly available loose so there is no profit in faking them. Fake weapons/accessories (and stickers on some figures) are out there in reasonable numbers though. You need to assess purchases on a case-by-case basis, as the "tells" to distinguish fakes are all vary from figure to figure. There are a number of good forums and online resources, such as Rebelscum's vintage section (http://forum.rebelscum.com/f534/) and Imperial Gunnery for accessories (http://www.imperialgunnery.com/).

[Dawfydd]

I don't keep much inside packaging, only a single comic pack (because i have a double of one figure and the other figure doesn't look good in any other pose than the one he is sealed with. - Luke and Mara)
I prefer to army build myself but i also find the new figures aren't as good so i'm still trying to pickup figures from years past.
The 6 inch have their place i think but i think hasbro are making good money on them which may result the 4 inch which is already poorly treated being even worse off.
For me i only buy a hand full for duel scenes, and i really wish the emperor wasn't so bad, a cloth lower cape and a chair and he'd be set.

[Kiwi sapper]

cheers guys all usefully information

one last thing can't remember where I saw it/ which thread, think it may have been Matt,

getting stuff for the States, after a cheaper method,

while Amazon has a good selection of items their shipping cost was almost the same as the purchase price.

[MattG]

...
getting stuff for the States, after a cheaper method, ...

You might want to investigate mail forwarding services, most of which also offer mail consolidation (although at additional cost/subscription levels).

We personally use the consolidation and forwarding services of http://www.MyUS.com, as they have contracts for reduced cost freighting with FedEx and DHL (IIRC). Other options include Bongo (https://bongous.com/), which we've used in the past and been satisfied with (we changed because we got a special deal on MyUS through American Express), and https://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/youshop