Help!?! MIB question - resolved, with pics

[sabathamk]

So... I recently acquired a MIB set of baby twins.  I'm not really a MIB collector, but I thought I'd give it a shot... thing is... I really want to debox them!  The box isn't in the best shape (I suppose I could tape it up and make it look better) but I didn't realize how big the box really was.  My daughter was devastated when I put them on the highest shelf as she so wanted to take them out, haha. 
Here's the thing... I already have these babies loose.  I specifically got this set MIB because I have them loose and figured that would mean less temptation to open.  But you have NO IDEA how tempted I am.  The box is staring at me, begging me to be opened.  GAH!  What do I do?  What would you do?  I mean, I already have them loose, so why am I so tempted to free these little guys?
 
I guess I'm just not meant to be a MIB mommy.    I so love looking at those lovely boxes everyone has on here, too.  Plus, Im now feeling guilty for not letting the second or third place winner take these beauties if they would have been more of a MIB type themselves.  I actually debated for a long time (does that sound silly?  I thought it was silly...).
 
If this post belongs elsewhere, feel free to move it.  It is pony related so I figured I'd post it here. 
 
EDIT NOTE:  This is now more of an 'I need advice on fixing vs not fixing the box' question.     The more I look at the box, the more I love it... and I could never actually debox them.  I still feel they need 'to be free', but I can't actually bring myself to ever debox them.  I think I just 'feel bad' for the ponies because I've never had MIB ponies besides G4's which I promptly removed from their prisons... and I don't normally keep anything in it's box.  Ever.  And every G1 I've gotten needed a lot of cleaning and work in general.  So... I feel weird having a G1 item that I don't have anything to do to make it display worthy!!!  How weird is that?

[mercynova]

G1 twins? please please sell them to me rather than de-boxing them No seriously!

I could trade you for some other loose twins also if you'd like.

[sabathamk]

Sell?  I'd feel really bad selling though, since I just got them as a prize.    Although, you make a good point.  Deboxing is probably not the best idea, huh?  Would fixing up the box devalue it at all?  It has a few rips...

[mercynova]

I probably wouldn't use tape to fix it as that would just ruin the car further when it would need to be removed at a later date. Yeah probably best to leave it as it is...

[hathorcat]

I have known people to debox if the box/bubble is so beyond repair its not really "holding" the ponies in but I would guess from your description this set hasnt gone that far. If you post pics I am sure people will advise you on the best, if any, way to fix it without devaluing the set.

For financial reasons deboxing is normally completely pointless for g1 and g2, and if you are not comfortable selling then you are in a tough situation! All I can say is be strong ...perhaps sit the actual loose twins beside the boxed ones on the shelf so that you can see what you already have maybe that will be enough. And if you are still worried, I honestly would suggest that you sell or even trade them on for something of equal value. Depending which twins they are - if they are G1 - then those are expensive little cuties and even the G2s run to reasonable MOC prices. So maybe you ll be able to get yourself something amazing with the trade!


Edit for speeling mistook!

[sabathamk]

They are G1.  Actually, they are newborn twins Noodles and Doodles.  I'm thinking of setting my loose ones next to the box (along with some of the accessories I now realize I already had from a seperate lot of stuff I bought off kijiji... go figure, haha).  Maybe if I create a cute little scene with them, I wont be as tempted.  If I just can't bear it after awhile, I'll have to sell I suppose, but I really want to have MIB.  And I ADORE the newborn twins.  I have duplicate loose ponies of Snookums and Sniffles and I couldn't bear to part with them and their adorableness (plus, since they are loose, each is different due to fading and whatnot, haha).

I'll have to post some pics for help with fixing the box.  I really want to fix it.  The plastic 'bubble' inside looks great, nice and clear with the blue/green behind it... not yellow.  The back of the card looks good too.  It's the sides in front of the bubble that have rips in a few places.  I'm even thinking of putting a sturdier cardboard behind the 'box' portion between the box and the bubble (only if I don't have to 'debox' anything to do so) to stabilize it a bit more.  I'm at a total loss when it comes to MIB.  Would tape behind the box on the cardboard section (not on the printed sides of the card) be ok?  I know tape is a 'no-no' on the card itself, but I don't see glue as an option either.  Oh, I should just see if I can find that camera (it's around here somewhere).

Post Merge: June 07, 2012, 08:19:31 PM

Well, Here are the promised photos.  This prize was from the wonderful Psyknife!  She also sent other things with them (which I was not expecting!!)!  The pic of everything is in the brag arena under the pounds for ponies brag.
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They really are adorable... I put my loose ones next to the box on a shelf all by themselves, and I'm actually liking this idea of MIB more and more... I just need more shelves, haha.  I think I just felt so guilty having something like this and even thinking of wanting to debox... yes... guilty.  My husband says I go though spurts.  One week I want to buy buy buy.  Then I'll have a week of guilt guilt guilt (oh no, do I really need all of them?  Does my husband hate that they are taking so much room?  What am I teaching my children?  I never had this many toys as a kid!  What about all those other people who would love to have them, and here I have so many... should I sell?  Gift?), then a week of 'No, I'm glad I don't sell, I like them, look how cute they are', and later a week of 'oh they are soooo cute, I'm glad I'm collecting, let's WASH THEM ALL AT ONCE and have a pony party and play with ponies'!!  I'm crazy.
 
Oh, and any suggestions on the box are greatly appreciated!  I'm thinking of adding pieces of cardboard 'behind' the ripped sections?  The box bends a lot and I'm so afraid of it ripping further if it were to drop or something!

[kittybethy]

Wow!! They look great to me!

[xeevee]

please please please don't debox them.  There are few enough g1s in their box around, that box looks perfectly fine.  For starters you would be reducing the value from what $150-$165 to only $30.  Secondly, you would be denying a mib collector more by deboxing them so they can never own them, than by taking the prize in the first place.

If you don't want to sell trade.  But honestly it was a prize, not a gift.  No one is going to begrudge you selling it.  But please don't debox.

[little.fox]

Congrats on your prize! That box looks fine, they can't be pristine after 30-ish years!

On a side note, those are my favourite twins, If you ever decide you will sell, PM me!

[sabathamk]

Oh, don't worry, I won't debox them.  I don't think I could ever actually debox a precious G1 pony!  That doesn't mean I wouldn't want to free them from the plastic, but I couldn't actually ever do it.  G4's on the other hand... not a problem. 

So, don't do anything to the box then?  Ok... I will try try try not to let my OCD make me need to 'fix' it, haha.  you are right... it is over 20 years old.  I need to remember that.  (goes back to scrubbing and fixing old loose G1's that can only be improved anyway... which is the bulk of my collection, haha)

[Baby Sugarberry]

Please don't use tape.  Tape is the absolute BANE of archivists and conservationists.  It's generally acidic, unstable, and causes irreversible damage over time.  It becomes brittle and flakes, leaves behind residue, and yellows the material it was applied to. 


If you absolutely must fix up the box, use archival safe glue and acid-free (non-buffered) cardstock as a backer.  Be aware though that these types of alterations are likely to decrease the value of the set somewhat.

[hathorcat]

I actually think the box looks fine! As long as its carefully stored on the shelf it will not get worse and its in nicer condition than many I have seen!

They are so cute...congrats if you decide to keep them!

[sabathamk]

Thank you!  I think I will leave it.  I don't notice the rips so much when they are up on the shelf with the loose ponies in front (instead, I just wanna play with the loose ones, haha).  I will not use tape.  I am a scrapbooker, so I know how bad that stuff can be.  I do have a lot of awesome scrapbooking supplies I could perhaps use if I see the need, but right now I will focus on washing G3's and on a few G1 restorations I still have to do.  Thanks again, everyone, for all your input!  I love the arena!