Desirability of steelbook collecting

[creasey275]

The year 2012 has seen a massive surge in steelbook releases, and collectors. Of the 35 pages of threads on HDN steelbook forum, 24 have been started this year. Back catalogue films, new releases and multiple releases in different countries has, I imagine, lead collectors to become more choosy about which to buy and where to buy it. "Limited" releases to 4,000, shop exclusives and steelbook treatment(debossing...) are now crucial deciding factors whether customers buy, and judging by the posts on numerous thread here and elsewhere reporting that a lot are keeping steelbooks sealed, over-riding the film itself.

Now for the statement.

In 2012 the huge increase in steelbook releases has lead to the decline in desirability of steelbooks. Discuss.

 

[Starling]

It's all down to shear weight of releases. Fewer and fewer Steelbooks now go on to reach the kind of prices that only a year or so ago OOS releases would. It's certainly noticable on ebay.

Many collectors comment that given a year, certain recent OOS Steelbooks would be worth "X" amount. Look at The Terminator and The Raid, both still easily picked up for just over £20 but sold out months ago. Not forgetting Oldboy, OOS and selling at cost price.

Collectors would now rather select and buy new (because of shear weight of choice), rather than chase those sold out and pay a premium.

 

[pmwhelan]

In 2012 the huge increase in steelbook releases has lead to the decline in desirability of steelbooks.

What makes a steelbook desirable?

For me it's -

Do I really like the film?
Do I like the steelbook artwork?
(Pans Labyrinth about the only one I've said "Yes" "No" to)

To others desirability is defined in terms of resale value. They may not even like the film or artwork.

I think that the days of getting a high resale value has all but gone but that doesn't make it less desirable for me as I'm not about resale value.

If anything collecting steelbooks is more desirable for me in 2012 because more and more of my favourite films are getting or have got steelbook releases.

NOTE : I've only around 40 steelbooks.

TLDR If you buy to resell then yes (less desirable) If you buy to enjoy them yourself then no (more desirable)

 

[Twizted328i]

I think also the exclusivity of certain titles the thrill of the chase as it were getting those grails is for me a buzz owning something that you know only another possibly 4000 people on the face if the planet own in some cases less....But yes its also a homage to some of everyone's favourite movies that they are getting some well deserved special steelbook treatment although from what I hear steelbook releases are increasing and as popularity increases so I'm sure will the print runs as the industry knows if people will part with their hard earned for something its good to mass produce but I think as a movie lover its a great way to own movies you love and will probably keep for years to come...

---------- Post added at 04:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:22 PM ----------

However I also will add that said grails I would keep sealed looool

 

[Lutzo]

Still desirable or not?

This is a question I also keep asking myself: Is steelbook collecting still as much fun as it was about a year ago?

I started collecting in September 2011 and it was mega exciting. I loved the "rare items" list here on HDN - it was a huge help in orienting myself to see what is rare and what is not. Since there weren't as many new releases coming out back then, I had plenty of time (and money!) to get all the stuff that I missed out on.

If an item came out and was sold out, it was sold out and automatically hard to find (i.e. expensive), because all copies were bought by other collectors who had no intention of selling it again. Nowadays, appr. 50% of all copies of new releases that are sold out (The Raid, Terminator, Watchmen, Battle Royale, Oldboy,...) are stuck with people who want to profit from it - which is fine, but completely ruins the game. Nobody actually has to look for these anymore - they are available on ebay or on here and items that used to be rare and quite hard to find about a year ago (things like Zombieland, Hellboy, Fight Club, Wolverine DE,...) have been rereleased in one form or another.

Many financially independent collectors have now moved to Asian releases to make up for most other releases not having any real value-increase anymore. This seems to me like a desperate attempt to make something attractive that not really is attractive anymore. I mean, the exact same steelbook that you can buy for $12 you now buy for $80 because of a paper-slip? Seriously??

I think people spend too much time wondering about a potential value increase of their steelbooks. Questions like "Steelbooks or stock market?" have even been tossed around here. A steelbook is still a briliant way to store a movie and it just looks way superior to amarays or most other cases, but too many factors in 2012 have ruined the game for me a little bit and these are:

1. Rereleases - Don't call it a limited edition if it is not (Matrix Trilogy!!)
2. Uninspired releases (MM 100th Anniversary series - bad movies released as steelbooks by the dozen, there is no unique-ness anymore
3. Ebay profit hunters snatching hundreds of copies, creating an artificial buzz about allegedly sold-out items and are then stuck with copies that will never increase in value and are selling them for below retail price

I will do what most people say that are doing - only buy movies that I like and nice looking editions - will be a huge help for my bank account - and try and get some stuff in trades until I either lose all interest or the spark comes back for some reason...

 

[Scotty Pro]

I must agree with a lot that has been posted above. I have just started out collecting Steelbooks in the last two month or so. I actually find them very desirable, much better than there plastic counterparts. It is getting to be rather infectious with me at the moment, just added another 4 to my Play.com basket

Have been looking on Ebay UK for a bargain or two and some of the Steelbooks that are on sale as BIN are actually more expensive than they are online from Play/Amazon/HMV

It is beyond me why people pay more on Ebay than if they purchased from Play or other online retailers.

 

[shejon01]

I still love sourcing and picking up more of the rarer steels when I could just buy a re-release. Just got Book of Eli FS today, and although I could've picked up the BB one for a fraction of the price, I still bought this one.

I like that play.com are trying to limit print runs to 4k, and are constantly stepping up to the plate with designs and special finishes. Amazon.de and such companies aren't helping the collectors but are good I suppose for new starters or anyone just wanting an alternative to the amaray.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sigill]

I must agree with a lot that has been posted above. I have just started out collecting Steelbooks in the last two month or so. I actually find them very desirable, much better than there plastic counterparts. It is getting to be rather infectious with me at the moment, just added another 4 to my Play.com basket

Have been looking on Ebay UK for a bargain or two and some of the Steelbooks that are on sale as BIN are actually more expensive than they are online from Play/Amazon/HMV

It is beyond me why people pay more on Ebay than if they purchased from Play or other online retailers.

It can depend where the retailer ships. As Play won't ship to a lot of places that might be the only way to obtain the Steelbook so they may pay more for it.

 

[Top_cat2]

just read some of the previous posts :rolleyes; & have to say that I am 100% in agreement with a lot of what you guys are saying ~

Desirability V's Hobby

you must not delude your selves and think of this as a "hobby" Hobby is fun , this is not fun as it can envelope your Life !!

depends on what you want to achieve out of it though

I know a lot of the guys have gone down the Ebay track now & some just sell Via Forums most/Full time & have a "so Called Revolving Collection"

This is by far the most expensive past time I have ever been involved in , through out my Life !!

I started Collecting on a Small scale DvD steelBooks ~ via amazon, ebay, ect, ect .. had about 35 steelz by 2010 , this was Due to the Fact that I had a motor Cycle accident & watched a Lot of Movies to pass the time

I then went on to Blu-Ray Steetz in late 2010 & bought allmost every steel I could get my hands on , except the G1 & AU Steel Slips ( just hated them both & still do ) ~I will tell you that I used to Open & watch all my Blu-Ray steel Books then !!

I had at 1 stage over 400 steelz & was at a Kinda of cross roads where I wasnt able to keep up with New steelz & allso trying to sourcing Rare steelz any more !!

Due to the Fact that my Finances were depleated by now as I had not worked since 2009 and still dont & allso I didnt want to Double, tripple, quadrouple Dip any more !! , I mean ~ It was becomning a JOKE the bloody Manufactures & Studio's were just rerealesing every thing !!

On the other hand , New Collectors were emerging at an Alarming rate & because of the information available now Via the Forums to (n00b's) & Newbies ~ they were tending to go straight for the Disney ~ Rare & hard to Find/get steelz

this in turn just about retires 80% of your German steel books Collection Now !! as no body wants them any more ~ and they are in Negative equity as far ar Re-Sale goes !! only the Top 20 steelz like JR, IM, 1408, have survided the latest on slaught of New Collectors !! as the shidft towards Asian SteelBooks has grown at a very staedy rate over the last 3 years and is extremely popular now

Some things gotta give !!!

Due to the fact of print runs, quntities produced , ect, ect.. it seems to becoming a **** fight now If you want to get an Asian steelbook some times , because its SOLD out in a matter of minutes some times just on Pre-Order !!

So , this is due partly to the Fact , of the "so called Collectors" who soul purpose is to Profiteer as much as possible by precuring as many steelz on Pre-Order as possible (fine by me) and the amount of steelz available = slim to Zero

Which in turn is only gonna get you a Pre-Order as long as you have cash in the bank !!! as these Asian sellers take payment imediatly , even when the steel is not due for release for like 3 months (smart People !!!!) & in some cases the steel may be worth 3 times as much by release date

Ok, so ~ I have bassically parted out about 35% of my Collection now & only kept any thing of Value & allso any thing that was worth keeping hold of ?? even If I hated it !!

I allso got rid of all my steelz that were displeasing to my eye (the one that works)

I now hold a steady Collection of about 250 steelz & try to only precure some fnacs, most Japan steelz, and a few KR's & TW's depending on availabillity ~ gonna be Brutally honest & say that I am only about 3 steelz away from my Goal ~ so when that happens , God Knows what I will do

I have actually found out that this Hobby can become very frustrating some times & you really have to set some acievable Goals and not Delude your self into thinking you will ever be able to aquire every Rare steel book !! Its not gonna happen , and wont happen even if you were a Millionaire !!

I mean , this is 1 of the Hobbies where I have seen some steelz go for over 1.5K Dollars on 1 steel book , so give it anorther 3 years and thats gonnna be 3 K steelbook , maybe more ?? as Blu-Ray still has about 10 years or so left in it

Happy Hunting fellas

 

[Lollard2002]

I only wish that the steelbook and normal blu-ray would come out at the same. time. I get annoyed when the blu-ray comes out and I purchase it and lo and behold months later we get a steelbook. Annoying or what. I have only 40 steelbooks at the minute but I was a late starter.

 

[farva2]

Same here, I usually pick up my favorite new releases as they come out on blu bt now a steel drops like a month later and i have to double dip

 

[SilverBlade]

I'm kind of late into the Steelbook collecting game, but already I find it sometimes frustrating.

Some people buy like 40+ copies of the same movie to artificially decrease the number of copies out there to pump up the value, but they keep them and horde them. Why? There's no value if you just keep them and they've spent hundreds, or thousands, on a single movie just to keep the value up on the steelbook.

Pointless. 40 more people could have enjoyed the packaging. (Not to mention the kind of space needed for all of that.)

I also do find how all steelbooks are listed as "Limited Quantities", but, sometimes they print off far too much and I can find a steelbook for a movie 3 years after initial release. "Limited, but...not really". It takes the fun out of something that was 'limited', but is still available.

 

[ninth]

^ I kinda doubt an individual would buy 40 copies of a steelbook to keep and sell at a later date unless they were a retailer.
40 copies would be extremely expensive and I would expect pretty risky. Plus 40 copies wouldn't even make a dent in amount manufactures produced to fill demand.

 

[Starling]

^ I kinda doubt an individual would buy 40 copies of a steelbook to keep and sell at a later date unless they were a retailer. 40 copies would be extremely expensive and I would expect pretty risky. Plus 40 copies wouldn't even make a dent in amount manufactures produced to fill demand.

Do you want a bet on that but that's dealing, not collecting. Multiply that by 4 or 5 dealers and it certainly does have an effect when you're talking about only 4,000 copies available.

 

[grospaquet31]

i think if many people are asking this question it's because they keep their steelbook sealed. what's the aim? what is the interest of this collecting way? the eventual resale only.

now i understand Play.com strategy: breaking the speculation on steelbook market with very low price. of course there is a numerous run but i think it's the more clever way to collect, i mean what there is inside steelbook is the more important.

so how i'm collecting: most of my french and uk steelbooks are opened. My fnac, FS and AUS steels are sealed coz i would be very stupid to open them as the difference price of open and sealed steels is significant.

 

[Pickersmadrid]

Steelbook Value Decreasing?

I want to share with you guys what I think is becoming a reality.

The value of the Steelbooks is decreasing every day, except of course for the "Grails" that will never decrease.

I think this is because too many collectors or just regular people are buying to resell keeping the Steelbooks sealed and waiting for the right time. I don´t blame anyone I´m the first one that has done that a couple of times.

The are more sellers than buyers.

Long time ago this would never happened because not a lot of people would keep their Steelbooks sealed ( they never new that the value was going to increase ) and most important people would buy just a copy, no multiple copies to resell them later.

A few examples, that in my opinion, makes my point:

The dark Knight rises Taiwan with notebook not OOP yet but sold for: 23,21 €
The Amazing Spiderman Taiwan: 32,19 €
Prometheus Korea: 40,92 €
Prometheus Taiwan: 56,19 €
Battle royale ( even cheaper than when it was released ) 12,55 €
The girl with the dragon Tattoo Japan: 50,91 €
Alien Anthology Japan: 36,68 €
Real Steel Blufans: 57,64 €
Sucker Punch Comicon: 70 €
..... etc .........

:violent:

 

[sunnyx]

Not being specific in regards to which steels are decreasing, there are too many releases everyday that no one can keep up now. Too many steels floating around, too many versions, they are becoming as standard as aamray cases. Now our options are becoming much more flexible what to choose, steels are becoming less valuable now.

To summarise: too many steelbooks in the market for them to become valuable. Only steelbooks that are valuable will be grails and 'classics' with the original artwork - a prime example is the FS releases such as Inglourious Basterds, Public Enemies, Star Trek (it is different to the UK version - has a clear white look), Watchmen, T4 Iron Pack, etc.

 

[bidou]

Star Trek (it is different to the UK version - has a clear white look)

That point interests me.
COuld you please tell me more about that difference ? I have a Star Trek, and I don't know if it is the Canadian or the UK release...

 

[Pickersmadrid]

Not being specific in regards to which steels are decreasing, there are too many releases everyday that no one can keep up now. Too many steels floating around, too many versions, they are becoming as standard as aamray cases. Now our options are becoming much more flexible what to choose, steels are becoming less valuable now.

To summarise: too many steelbooks in the market for them to become valuable. Only steelbooks that are valuable will be grails and 'classics' with the original artwork - a prime example is the FS releases such as Inglourious Basterds, Public Enemies, Star Trek (it is different to the UK version - has a clear white look), Watchmen, T4 Iron Pack, etc.

You just explained what I tried to say, but in much better words, my english is very limited. ( even more than Terminator Korea bad joke )

THANKS.

I agree 100 % in what you said.

One of the main reasons why I decided to Stop collecting. As you said: Steelbooks are becoming as Standard as amaray cases.

 

[Wreck]

no offence but most the steels you listed are recent releases ... recent releases aren't supposed to be some instantly valuable sought after steelbook. Never has been how it worked. I remember when you could get an Iron Man FutureShop for $60 no problem a year after release. It takes time on all releases ... some are faster than others depending on popularity of title and print run qty.