mint vs. loose

[cannibalism]

the age old question...i want to hear your opinions!
For me, i feel so BAD buying mint ponies from people because.. i KNOW im gonna take her out. i just hate seeing girls all packaged up like that!! They were meant to be played with, meant to be out and on display.. if they're in boxes, they never get to live their full lives : (

what's your opinion? why is mint-ness so important to you?

[EnaRocketQueen]

I am unable to buy online so all my ponies are in their packaging because I buy them new from the shop. (this is why I only have G4s right now). I like my ponies to be in good condition with little to no flaws so it would make sense for me to buy them in box, but like you said I'd feel bad about it because I'm only going to take them out, especially if it was a rare or valuable pony. It's the only way to ensure they're in the condition you want them to be in though.

[Shatyr]

I prefer my ponies loose, but I wouldn't open a MIB pony just for my preferences. I'd leave the pony MIB and trade for a loose one. That way, everyone's happy!

[piinkypiie]

Loose. I even debox new ones coz lack of space and also coz they were meant to be freee

[Carrehz]

Loose! I like my ponies minty but not THAT minty :p It's no fun if you can't play with 'em. Besides, the boxes take up space and I don't have a lot of that

[otocolobus_manul]

Depends! I know very specifically which ponies I want MIB or loose. I open g4s that I get from the store, and I've deboxed 2 g3s that I impulse bought MIB, changed my mind and wanted loose, and then couldn't sell so I just gave up and opened them. I do usually prefer ponies out of their packaging, but I'm not sad when I keep certain ones MIB because I think they look so good in their original packaging. I'd never open a previous gen pony, though - too much opportunity to sell MIP to someone who wants it that way!

I don't really get the appeal of MOC ponies, though. They don't display as nicely as MIB ones imo, and one can't brush their hair like loose ponies.

[rolllerblades]

All of my ponies are loose and running free.  I can't ever resist the temptation of taking them out and messing with them, and since I don't plan on selling them it's like hey! Let em get some fresh air!

(Though I do keep the boxes for many of them for when it comes time to move)

[Leave a Whisper]

Loose. I buy em loose, though it looks like I won't be able to avoid getting Velvet Bow and Pumpkin Tart out of box, but out they'll come! MiB takes up way too much space and what's the point of having a beautiful mlp if I can't brush her?

[cyberunicorn]

Personally I like a good mix my collection is mostly loose with only a few still on card. whilst I would never decard/box a g1 or 2 unless the contents of the packaging was in anyway going to be damaged because of it.

g3 and 4 on the other hand it depends on the actual pony to be honest if it displays better in the box or not.

[Sparkle Pony]

Oh boy, this topic can get a bit virulent sometimes!  I like them loose, but would probably sell any older gen carded stuff instead of opening them.  I did open a box of G3.5 Ponyville ponies once though because reselling that would be a nightmare.

[BethyVic]

I have both MIB and loose. All my MIB G1's will stay in the package, they would lose too much value to de-box.  I haven't been buying G4's for a while, but they ones I have bought recently are still in the box.  I do prefer to buy G1's loose so I can display them and brush their hair.  It is so relaxing

[Duenia]

I prefer loose to boxed. They can't breathe in there! Someone has to keep them from suffocating. Plus they're trapped. It always feels like a rescue mission to debox them and that they're so much happier once they've been freed.

I would never buy a MIB G1 for sure. I can't justify the cost and I feel like I'd be killing the soul of some poor collector who wants it MIB more than I do.

But I do buy MIB/MOC G2s and G4s to open though.

G4s I have some kind of thing where it bothers me if I'm not the one to open it. I've tried loose for some of the harder to find ones. But it's like a little nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I need one that I deboxed.

G2s are my childhood generation and I collect the boxes and back cards as well. The utter joy I get deboxing something from my childhood (whether I had it or not) is unexplainable. I don't mind paying extra for that feeling. I'm also really picky with my G2s as well. Much more than the other generations. The few I do have that I didn't open were in display only condition without much at all for noticable flaws. I tend to buy my playsets that way over sealed.

[Thunderwing]

MOC/MIB for me!  I'm a perfection snob, and new in box are always worth more than loose. They retain their value much better, and I prefer the way a line of MIB ponies looks over loose ones. I also only buy ones with no visible flaws. I'm a long term collector, been around since the first days of the Arena (1996?), I've seen all the generations come and go. I shake my head at people who debox older generations, you might as well just burn money. (And come one people, they are PLASTIC, they don't breathe or suffer.) *headshake*

[Khayman81]

I prefer them loose, they are intended to be played with so for me they would not be kept in their boxes unless I just want to sell them to make money... Which is not the case, since I like deflocking them, or changing their eyes, etc. So for me loose.

[cannibalism]

I'd never detox a MOC that I was planning to sell later.  but if she's a grail,  and I'm just gonna keep her,  shes all mine!!  out the box you go