To debox or not to debox

[Khema]

When you get a pony, what is the deciding factor in whether or not to remove from the box/card? I have two ponies in boxes and I really want to take them out, but not sure if I should. If the pony is on a card I wouldn't have an issue, since the glue would disintegrate eventually, forcing the pony to be free.

[PinkRosedust]

I take my G4s out of the box. When G3 was still going I'd remove them too, but these days any MIB G3 I get stays MIB. Older ponies stay MIB/MOC as well.

So basically it depends on if they're new from the store or not. Even if I found an older G4 (one of the random characters, not main 6) I'd probably keep them in box as well.

[mlp4me]

I keep g1's mib/mip/moc; they will always have more value in box then out of box.
With my G3's the only thing I did was remove the tape, the yellowing/drying up over time will drive me crazy. I just didn't have the heart to free them. If I hypothetically purchased a G4 I probably wouldn't take it out of the box either... It's your pony, do as you wish. :o)

[Shenanigans]

It depends on if I like the look of them in the box/card or I like them better free But I would never debox/decard a G1! I probably wouldn't debox a G2 either.

[achab1984]

I keep all of my ponies NIB unless they are sold not in there package. I don't like to buy G4 ponies if they have big issues with them. It drives me crazy when I see so many flaws.

[HavACrumpet452]

In box is worth much more. If u want a pony loose u sell the boxed one, buy a loose one, have money left for more, and u didnt make one less mib pony out there. everybody wins. i think in this way its selfish to open an older toy still mib

[thekozmicpig]

I'm a deboxer. Can't brush their hair inside a box now can you;)

With that said anything G3 and older will be bought open as it is, as I can't being myself to open vintage toys. On the upside, it's usually cheaper too!

I figure most G4s will be worth more in their boxes, but it'll be this super negligent more, like a loose Honeybuzz will be I dunno, $17, and a MIB one will be $20. Plenty made, plenty collected, plenty in good shape. Finding a G1 that's survived years of kid play and storage can be difficult.

[Lollipop]

For me I hate seeing ponies in MIB/MOC specially G1's makes me sad  I dont want ponies to turn out like prospector from Toy Story 2  hehe

So I would always de-box even a G1 (hense y i told my bf never to buy me G1's in a box unless he is going to let me de-box hehe)

[prancingstag]

I've only starting collecting during G4 and G4s are the only ones I can bear to debox/decard. If it's part of a line that is no longer running or on shelf, I won't alter it. I would rather buy loose so that I can fiddle with them, and let the MOC/MIB/MIP items go to collectors who would appreciate them in that form.

Although as the years go by I think more and more G1s are stamping their hooves and asking to be freed. If I had a pony with a severely crushed/broken/yellowed bubble, a ripped up or torn card, crushed box, water damaged, etc. I would probably free it. I think the point of having MOC/MIB is so that they look nice and pristine, if the packaging is a complete loss then I say remove it and have a lovely, perfectly mint item, just loose (with complete accessories where applicable).

[Katika]

In box is worth much more. If u want a pony loose u sell the boxed one, buy a loose one, have money left for more, and u didnt make one less mib pony out there. everybody wins. i think in this way its selfish to open an older toy still mib

This is pretty much my take on it, too.  I have passed by several MIB G2s that were really good deals because I know my lack of self control when it comes to opening ponies and I had a moral conundrum about removing a MIB pony from the collector community.  I honestly think I only have three MIP G3s and those are Bay Breeze, TAF Pony Project and Black Pony Project.  Everyone else has been liberated.  I consider myself as doing *really, really* good that those three still remain in their bags, lol!

[aluke]

It's tantalizing for me to keep ponies trapped in plastic prisons. I like ponies as cute toys with hair I can brush and play with when I feel antsy, and I have no sense of considering them an investment or collectible item. I'll leave any older gen MOC/MIB ponies for the in-box collectors.

[Miss Violet]

I like to display my ponies and to touch them! So if i buy something MOC i set the pony free!
I don't care about the value etc, i buy them to enjoy them and not for pony-stocks in future market.
the only thing i purchased and resisted to open i have it for sale!It's driving me nuts!( earth ponies 25th anniversary Boxset) 

[gabumon]

If I can I buy two of the G4s I love ... Sunny Rays!! Diamond Rose, Dewdrop,  so I can keep one MIB.

[LuckyTwirlerina]

Being completely honest here, I have a stash of common G3s MIP that I keep to debox when I'm having an especially crap day. I grew up with G3s so being able to free one I didn't get to as a kid and give her a spa day never fails to make me feel so much better. I know MIP G3s aren't exactly rare so I really don't feel bad at all about it. I come from the school of "it's cool to have at least one left MIP somewhere out there to preserve history, but they're toys, and toys need to be held and played with to be enjoyed to their fullest potential". I know they can also be seen as collectables nowadays, but at the end of the day, they were still made to be toys.

I also take any new from store ponies I buy out of their packages. I need to be able to wash them and style their hair or it really frustrates me.

I've decarded a few G2s because of water damage but I wouldn't make a habit of it, and I would eventually like to have the chance to decard a G1 with a really beat up/falling apart package just so I can finally understand the feeling, but again, I really wouldn't make a habit of that with how old they are now.

[Tulips]

Anything from G1 (or other vintage toys) bought MOC/MIB stays that way, I'll do my best to stop them from degrading and falling apart. I love to display them in their packaging, they're beautiful that way. I don't seek MOC ponies out though, I have my small collection and am content to search for loose ponies.

Most of my G4 stay MIB because again I love how they display. This is not to say I don't have loose ponies (all my small brushables are free to roam my shelves lol), I mostly just keep FS and Funko ponies trapped away. I don't bother buying doubles to open, that's not why I enjoy them.

To me it's not about value, it's about the art and keeping things perfect and beautiful.