lawlOriginally Posted by Vector Prime
Okay, but it depends on the context of the MIB doesn't it? For example, if a toy has been opened, and someone took it out to inspect the condition of the toy, say to make sure there's no paint defects or missing parts etc, then puts it back in - but has never transformed it or played with it, then surely that toy is in Mint Condition. Imagine say if you bought a piece of jewellery or a collectable Swarovski crystal statue; they're displayed loose, and when you buy them they let you inspect it - and often staff members will handle it with gloves on, but you can touch it... then they pack it carefully in the box and sell it. Now before purchasing that item of jewellery or crystal, you have no idea how many times other people have asked to look at that piece, handled it, then decided not to buy it. But it's never been used before - the jewellery may have been briefly worn, but not extensively, and the crystal would never have been displayed outside of a store.
Or let's say you buy a brand new car... you're not the first one to drive it, unless you purchase it straight off the assembly line. Odds are a lot of people have already taken it for a test drive before you. But until that car is sold and leaves the car yard, it's still considered new; the moment you pay for it and drive it out, it's a used car.
So surely if a Transformer toy that has never really been used, but has been handled - and is still in the same condition as it was before it was taken out of packaging - then it is still in mint condition. The term "mint" was coined (sic) by money collectors because of course, coins are minted; and a coin that is still in the same condition as it was after minting is said to be in mint condition. Thus a toy that is still in the same condition as it was at manufacture is said to be in mint condition. If you haven't worn the toy out, damaged it, scratched it etc, then it's in mint condition. If you transform it reeeaaally carefully back and forth, it could still be in mint condition; this is up to the person inspecting the toy.
Remember that collectors also use the term Loose Mint (LM) and we have LMIB (Loose Mint In Box). So it is absolutely possible for a toy to be loose and mint. We also have a different term called NM (Near Mint) or even NMIB (Near Mint In Box); and that would be if the toy has some minor flaw that degrades it from being considered to be Mint.
As I said before, I guess a lot of collectors are willing to pay extra for a MISB toy because being sealed is like a "guarantee" that the toy is in Mint Condition. But I think it's mostly a psychological thing (maybe a male thing?) - we like to be the first to climb that mountain.
And tbh, I have that mentality to some degree too. I like to be the first to open my toy. It's like a collector's privilege. For me, collecting toys MISB or MOSC isn't much of a problem, because I pretty much collect toys while they're current in stores.I like buying minty sealed toys, then enjoy the feeling of liberating them with my "Transformers Liberation Kit" (some of you have seen it - it's my little metal case with a box cutter and pair of tin snips
). When I buy a toy that's already been opened I'm like... oh... it's pre-liberated. Right.
I don't mind buying loose toys, but I much prefer the feeling of buying new ones.
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. whatever floats your boat I suppose
