What’s in a Box?
by Christie Morgan
With all collectible lines it is common practice that the boxes
MUST be saved to insure their “mint” quality. Because of this belief,
though, collectors have not only had to find space for their collections
but also their “collection” of boxes.
The box issue has always been a frustrating one for collectors. The major difficulty
is storage space for their boxes, in which there are more boxes. Some collectors
have had to rent storage space for their boxes. This is especially true where boxes are individual to each collectable, such as with the
Walt Disney Classic Collection which contain styrofoam inside to fit the sculpture.
What makes these boxes so important? If the collectable piece is in mint condition, why does the box matter?
Are we collecting the collectible of the box the collectible comes in? Many collectors would like
to do away with the belief that if the box is not available then the secondary market value goes down.
After all the box is only there to ensure that the sculpture arrives safely.
The box issue has gotten a bit out of hand. Some collectors will not purchase a piece
if it does not have the box. While others actually enjoy this controversy since they have
decided the box isn’t too major to them and have been able to find some
great deals on “no box” pieces.
Should you let a piece go if a box is not available, even if it is in perfect condition?
Maybe we should ask, are you going to display the box also?
Many would like to see the box issue become less of one. I fall into this
category. It would please to take all my boxes out of storage and put them into
a recycling bin. Just think of all the trees we could save! If that is not enough, think of all
the extra space to store those items that actually mean something.