What value means to me

Cactusflower

Pied Piper of Ponies
MLPTP Supporter
Joined
Jan 20, 2018
Messages
880
I recently joined a Facebook pony group and I find myself disappointed and frustrated with some of my fellow collectors. This FB group has many new, young collectors that seem to have a vastly different perspective on collecting. (I have absolutely no specific bias against new or young collectors, it's just I've noticed certain attitudes from some in this group) I get tired of people constantly posting about monetary worth or value of specific items. How much is this worth? Does this have value? yadda, yadda

I had to curb my rage with another young collector who had the nerve to try to tell me I shouldn't open my MOC and devalue them and basically that I had a responsibility to other collectors to give up my MOC to someone who would appreciate their value.

A word on this topic of worth and value. Value can have multiple meanings. If you have intentions of selling your collection or if you're in the game to make money, then I can understand why you wouldn't want to open a MOC. It's not my thing, but it's a big deal for many other people.

However, if you are like me, the value of a pony is in the memory of the pure joy you once felt opening a new pony and getting a whiff of that plastic. I see ponies as toys. Objects intended for play and imagination. Any of my opened ponies are still in 100% mint condition, because I'm not now, nor have a I ever been a destructive 6 year old.

I definitely have more friends who aren't into opening MOC and I respect that and understand why a person might want to leave them in a package. I don't usually buy MOC, because I prefer opened ponies with the card from other collectors who feel as I do.

The point here, is that I don't tell others how to manage their ponies or collections and I expect others to do the same.

Maybe I have idealized a pony collector world that doesn't actually exist. I love the ponies. I have no intentions of ever selling my collection. The ponies hold an emotional value for me that I don't put a price tag on.

Who knows, that may change one day, but I'm certainly not into collecting for the monetary value they might now have or one day acquire. If I ever had to sell my collection for any reason, I would feel a terrible loss.

I like the MLPTP because I've found some cool and entertaining pony friends here who share my love and mostly we all respect each other's opinions, even if we don't agree. I appreciate the connection to other long term collectors who share a history with me. I also love many of the newer, younger collectors too who are enthusiastic about G1's and have a love of ponies. It's a much nicer environment when people play nice and leave the haughty and self righteous attitude at the door.
 
I'm a bit of an outlier because I didn't grow up with ponies until the FiM show came out when I was ten. Because of that, I see my herd less as toys and more like collectables...but collectables that were still toys. Not everyone is going to see the same value in them as I do. I'm willing to spend $40 on a cute plastic horse, but my coworkers are going to think I'm crazy.
I can understand where the younger collectors are coming from simply because it's fun to think you've scored some sort of goldmine in your thrift store. I do get a bit of a thrill from finding G1s and the seller going "$1 each" and then checking the average selling prices on ebay. It's fun! It's a nice challenge, if you want to try to spend $5 and then see how much value you could get. But that's not why I collect ponies, so value ultimately means not too much to me. It just means that my bigger wants are more expensive if anything.
If I do sell some or all of my collection in the future, that's about the only time value will be the most important thing. If someone were to ask me how much my collection would be worth, I couldn't give a fair estimate because it's never on my mind. My favorite ponies are sometimes the cheapest ones in my collection, but that still doesn't mean I'd let those burn if I had to choose.
 
I have one foot (awkwardly) in both boats here.

I grew up on G1 (early 80’s baby) and have absolutely loved MLP my whole life that I can recollect. I have a LOT of memories with my ponies (and other beloved toys & franchises) but pony will always be my no. 1.

I have always loved the creativity pony has some how always encouraged in me and fellow MLP lovers. I have always found a beautiful message of acceptance and love in all the generations.

But I do like to keep some of my ponies MOC. It is (currently) only my G4/4.5 collection BUT only if I like the packaging artwork. If I’m not loving the artwork I will rip the packaging open as soon as I’m home and sit and fiddle with mane and tails until I’m happy with how they look. Yes, my family and bf think I’m loco in the coco but that’s totally fine with me.

I get a huge thrill of finding my beloved G1’s in the wilderness. Or when they come in the mail after I’ve spent (probably too much) moolah on them from another collector. I have always been one to care for my toys and treat them with love and respect which is why a lot of my childhood toys are still around.

I don’t care what the value is of my ponies (unless I’m trading/selling/buying) then I will look but otherwise they’re mine and will stay that way.

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I think we all get a thrill finding a pony cheap. Especially when it's a pony that would normally cost us quite a bit. I'd be super stoked to find a Rapunzel or Scribbles or Dabble cheap, because I'm highly unlikely to ever pay the ridiculous amounts for any of these ponies. I'm also attracted to many ponies that aren't costly (thank goodness). I'm always pleased when my extra ponies bring in a nice amount of cash, but that's because I can then buy more ponies I need. I'm also thankful that I bought many of the more costly ponies back in the day when prices were somewhat reasonable.

Another way I see value of ponies is when I can help out a fellow collector obtain a pony they need. I'm thrilled with the Halloween swap, because I have a couple ponies my partner needs and I hope she is pleased with her package. The sense of community and mutual adoration is a big plus for me. Others who understand the obsession and who have those amazing memories with colourful pieces of plastic.
 
@Cactusflower - I totally get that. I love sending ponies off to other collectors who have been looking forward to have her in their own collections for some time. When I thrift I often look for ponies for others as well just to help and put a smile on their face. This community has always been gracious. I love this forum specifically because everyone is friendly and genuinely cares about one another. (Tbh is why I don’t post much at all at the arena - too many people and it makes me anxious. Lol)

:xmashug:‘S FOR EVERYONE OPRAH STYLE!!!
 
I like keeping ponies MOC/MIB because there are fewer and fewer that way, especially from the G1 era. I can understand taking one off the card when they are coming off or if the box has been smashed (still talking G1s here). But I buy MOC/MIB ponies to keep them that way. It has nothing to do with monetary value, it has to do with rarity. Finding them that way anymore just doesn't occur often, and there are a lot of collectors who collect ponies this way.

But Cactusflower also makes a good point: I wouldn't tell anyone else how to manage their collection. I would give someone my opinion if they asked, but I'm not someone who's going to force an opinion and make someone feel bad if they do something that feels good to them with their own collection. Like, I don't collect most accessories or brushes/combs. But I'm not going to tell someone else that it's a waste of time for them to. Because I'm sure most collectors actually do. For me, there are just too many accessories to keep track of. So I stopped long ago.

Just my two cents.
 
I only have a few that I keep mint just for the sake of novelty, but I have no plans to sell my collection so monetary value isn't really an issue for me. Using the 35th anniversary repros as an example: I opened the vast majority of them. I kept Butterscotch mint (looking back, I should've kept Minty mint. Ehehehehe) but I opened everyone else because I wanted that joy of holding them in my hands, creating different hairstyles, doing photoshoots of them coming with me on vacation, etc.

Basically, I collect because it makes me happy. Unboxing makes me happier than keeping things mint, so I'll open them more often than not.

I think everyone should live by that philosophy when it comes to collecting. You should do what makes you feel happy and fulfilled, which is the whole point of collecting to begin with. If you feel better keeping them MIB or MOC, go for it! If you'd rather open them, that's awesome! What other collectors do or your "duty" to them is irrelevant.
 
I'm mostly with @Cactusflower on this. I like playing with my ponies. I do have a few g3 that are still mip. Otherwise, I love brushing, styling, and just talking to my ponies. My daughter and I have fantastical adventures. The few that are fragile, or rather expensive, like nirvana, or customs, I keep safer. You can set a pony in front of my dog and he'll back away because he knows he's not allowed to play with them.
 
I love to groom my ponies. Thats my favorite thing to do. Style their hair. I would love to take pictures of them more someday. I hope to be done with everything I need to do to my room in december. I dont care about value thats not the real reason I collect. I just love ponies and want others to love ponies too.
 
I agree no one should bully someone else about what they do with their stuff. I agree too with bluerose that MOC G1 are getting rarer and it makes sense that if you aren't a MOC collector perhaps sell that pony to someone who is and buy yourself a loose one, this would be the most ideal vs opening it but no matter what it's ultimately yours to do what you want with. I am not a MOC person, I like to be able to hold them, style them and I think they take up less space this way and I have opened packages before but to be honest it was only when it was in such poor condition I was concerned the package would damage the pony itself. Sadly the internet is full of people and they all have opinions, usually I don't want to hear them which is why I stay a virtual recluse and only frequent a few sites. Now, anything G3 to current is totally fair game, I squealed like a little girl when I tore into my retro G1s from Target :D
 
I think what is so wonderful about pony communities is the vast amount of different personalities, collecting styles, opinions and pony likes/dislikes. I have enjoyed the diversity of purest pony collectors right down to the deboxing style collectors that are much more like me. Everyone adds something special to these communities no matter how different we are. Pony collectors can be quite outspoken about what they feel passionate about. One thing I have always tried to do is not take the sometimes overly aggressive approaches to passions and opinions personally. While it doesn't seem right to give such unwanted advice and opinions towards your methods of collecting; this is the pony community. It spans all age groups really. There are some topics with ponies I tend to shy away from discussing because, they cause huge, heated debates lol. With that being said, it is really good to just embrace your own collecting and enjoy what you find makes you the happiest. Just know there will be a host that may not agree with you and won't be afraid to say so. LOL I have been on the receiving end of that at times too. Since I collect antiques, as well as, ponies...I can tell you first hand that this is quite the norm whether you collect a toy or something different. Groups of collectors will agree and disagree on just about everything. Sometimes watching a conversation about one object in an antique store is quite funny when passions hit the floor and someone comes in with a shocking, horror story about deboxing something from the 1930's. Collectors are about value. That will never go away. Toy or not. Value is an important part of the collector culture. Big hugs, enjoy decarding if you so desire. They are yours and that means you can do whatever you want.;) Ponies may be toys to many, but from my perspective they are also pieces of play history that tell a story that needs preserving right down to the advertising. Once things get a certain age it really is a lot more than just a toy you are holding in your hands. That toy represents things that are long gone and may not return again. Oh and not everyone collects just for childhood sentiment. Take me for instance, I have a huge MLP collection but I admit I did not play with them. I did not own them because, I was too old for them. I admired them through the eyes of the littles I babysat. Most of my collections in the house have nothing to do with connection to my childhood but more historical era collecting. I do have plenty of things though I had as a child I wanted to buy back like Liddle Kiddles. Liddle Kiddles are another one of those decade toys that if you speak of de-carding those to LK collectors you will be met with fury for sure. ROFLOL. Even though they made those again in the 90's. Those were nothing like the ones I grew up with. I love deboxing and decarding things. I actually don't have any moc ponies though. I do think most do collect ponies because of the fact they played with them. I happen to collect them as a work of art from a decade that we will not see again. My middle school and high school years. They represent something totally different to me. Almost works of toy art that were one of their kind in an era that is long gone in so many ways. Sigh...
 
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I have no place to put my collection, currently. I'm anxiously awaiting being able to get an apartment or other such place to be able to display my girls. That being said, the majority of the G4's I own are still in boxes. G3 and G4 are ones I prefer to be boxed, but don't care either way. My G1's are valuable to me in the sense that they're what I grew up with (born in '77) and was taken to TRU by my grandma as a kid to pick out ponies, and it's a sentimental value to me more than monetary. If I ever came across G1's on cards or in boxes, I'd keep them there (unless they're like the mini Cabbage Patch dolls I found last month... their boxes were so riddled with dirt and dust. They're still waiting in my trash can to be cleaned up and put back together. The dolls themselves are still waiting to be cleaned up and inserted into my Collection of Christmas items this year... they were 1999 Pointsettia Garden Fairies, in case anyone's wondering) I've found loose G1's several times in thrift stores, and that's thrilling to me because that's my preferred generation to collect. I don't care if I have them or not... ALL G1's are to be rescued and restored (if possible)!

G3 I could collect on my own, especially since I worked at Target at the time they were out, so there's a bit of nostalgia there as well. I don't know if, when I do finally get to display my collection, I will debox all of the G3 and G4 ponies I have. While I don't see myself ever selling my collection, if there is ever a heartbreaking reason why I might, it's helpful to have in the back pocket.

That's what is making me SO excited about these 35th anniversary G1's. The nostalgia of shopping with my grandma....and picking them up at Target. Best of both worlds. And I'm keeping THOSE in their boxes. I did buy an extra Minty and she went with my late best friend's Scottish Goofy to New York and had a lovely time!! :D The Pretty Parlor in this most recent wave was extremely hard NOT to debox, though, because I never had that playset as a kid. I did open it and look at the parts to consider it. I might buy one soon just to put it together and have that joy.

One other reason I keep as many in their boxes right now while I wait for an apartment of my own... we live in a hurricane magnet (south florida) and I personally live in a mobile home that's only 2 years younger than me at 39. The packaging adds one more protective layer to my collection in the event that I have to leave it behind one of these times (I always leave it; it takes up my whole bedroom closet) AND my home is messed up or wrecked. I hate thinking that way, but I had to since moving in this place in 2002. I've had to leave it behind with almost all of our stuff and pray for my house to be standing upon return many times. So packaging is valuable to me in several ways. :-/ Not many people think about this, I guess... I think strangely. I'm just thankful I haven't had to pack things up this year. We've gotten lucky here in the southern part of the state this year....
 
I do not own ONE Pony from the G1 era MIB/MOC! Because I'm not a picky collector who wants her Ponies pristine!
But.....I once bought a MOC just for the sake of decarding a G1 in my adult life! It was a FireFly with an almost brown plastic bubble, but the Pony didn't have any flaw at all! So I only had to lift the bubble a little more to slip her out with her accessories! She still has that smell of a new Pony, I called that smell Pony Perfume!
I made a request for a Pony in a poor Bubble or with other package defect just for decarding and someone on the Arena had FireFly, and was willing to sell her knowing she would be *Released* from her dirty brown Bubble!
I had a couple of G2 MIB/MOC but since I do not like and collect that gen I sold them, for fairly good money. So I was be able to buy FireFly and a couple of other, higher priced Ponies like a Perfume Puff (Lavender Lace) and some MOC Pony Wear and a couple of other things.
I have a good amount of G3 ponies I got from fleamarkets/secondhand shops or bought from Marktplaats, that's the Dutch variant of Craigslist, in small lots for not a lot of money. Last Summer I bought a big lot of MIB G3 for only €36,95 including shipping!!
And I have also a small G4 collection and some I have still MOC/MIB but I have a soft spot for Rarity, and if I buy a variant of Rarity I end up taking her out of her box and keep the box and other package material so I can always put her back!
But I'm the kind of collector who doesn't collect for the money my collection would be worth if I would sell it! I probably NEVER sell my collection!!
 
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