Open Or Sealed? The Debate

[JLSTF]

How many people open their Steelbooks when they buy them or do you just leave them sealed.

So far i have 13 Steelbooks and have opened 3 i opened Angels and Demons,Inglorious Bastards and District 9.

I fear if i open my pirates and nightmare before christmas ones i will have to modify them to be able to put the discs in and not have them in a sleeve

 

[Basil]

well tonight i finally got round to doing it which i have been putting off for a while now due to amount i have to do

i have now unwrapped and full inspected and fitted protective covers to most of my steelbooks 50 of them so far got about another 5 or 10 left to do but run out of protective covers, so going to have to order another load of them.

I did have 1 steelbook with couple of dings on side which i ordered off a reseller on amazon sold in a protective bag so i stupidly thought was ok because reseller had taken care of it answer no, he obviously did to cover up but my trust and lack of stupidity of not fully checking at the time has now been shown up.

my lesson learnt, my advice always fully check your goods as you get them in period.
at least was my only slip up.

now feeling drained last 3 hours doing that and tommorrow i've got to clear of shelves and put these all up in some sort of order, and they call sunday day of rest yer right.

 

[entreri]

I open all of my Steelbooks except for duplicates. I got 3 into darkness Walmart villain ship box sets, target JLW SB, and a zavvi LATT SB sealed mint but all spares copies. I have around 150 opened Steelbooks...

I open all the Steelbooks to confirm the condition. I've opened many a Steelbook and found dings dents and scratches on so many times that I'm paranoid and OCD now

I open them all up, especially love in- store pick ups and I have exchanged them so many times before I'm sorry to say to all the "Sealed" collectors.

"Sealed" collectors can't really admire the SB or know if its truly mint IMO

Sealed = Mint forever!

Only kidding. I used to open my steels but now mostly keep them sealed. But sometimes I feel what seems like a little imperfection (dents/dings) under the Jcard/slip and the internal debate whether to keep it sealed just about kills me.

 

[Horhay]

Yeah but these aren't cars we are talking about, they're collectibles. When comparing them to comic books, you can actually see the condition and make a claim that it's mint. Whereas with a sealed steelbook, you can only sort of see half of it... kind of. Stores don't claim to be selling you mint condition steelbooks, they just claim them to be as new. Sealed/new and mint, are completely different, which is the point I was trying to make.

Also, when you go to a car dealership, you're allowed to inspect what's underneath the hood before buying it. And if something were to happen with the engine, you'd be able to go back and tell them they sold you a faulty car... whereas, a steelbook, you're stuck with whatever damages are underneath... at least in Canada.

When you're dealing with other collectibles that use the term 'mint', they're graded on a scale of 10. http://www.cgccomics.com/grading/grading.asp Saying a steelbook is mint (or perfect, basically) just because it's still sealed and you can't see anything underneath, is using the term 'mint' too loosely...

Basically, my question to you is, how do you grade something you can't see?

I agree that mint it's hard to prove, but it's a gamble. If you open to inspect, it's no longer new. If you sell and someone else opens only to find out is not mint, then who ends up losing the most if said person wants his money back? It's true what you are saying, but it's a gamble, simple as that.

Without being able to truly grade these items, backhanding your own sales is never going to happen. You just need to rely on the honesty of everyone on their descriptions.

Rinse and repeat.

 

[NoDingsNoScratches]

Sealed or Open?

I Open ALL my Steelbooks, except for spare copies.

•I did find spare super-cherry copies of Justice League War Target steel & the epic Thor 2 BB steel, so I Do have a couple SEALED steels for my collection.

Ive even peeled the exclusive stickers off the Front of my sealed copies (and Stuck them on the back) to check for imperfections underneath. To me, the exclusive stickers (& UK rating logos) are ugly!! You can tell its the exclusive without the sticker! I toss most j cards for that reason. if its something so expensive that I cannot but Two, then I open it. Keeping sealed copies is a luxury and Possible (but unlikley) investnent.

Pic...

 

[RAGEatGAME]

I have to open them. I rarely buy "used" or already opened Steelbooks, but I have to open them myself. I look at it as opening a Christmas present. Plus, I love the artwork and Digital codes!

 

[bam777]

I try to keep them sealed as long as I can then I always give in and have to open them. Some of them I still wished were sealed, mainly my Aladdin zavvi steelie.

 

[8bitheart]

I open all of mine. What's the point of buying them if you're not going to open and appreciate them? Then again, I don't buy steels to trade or sell - I buy them for me.

 

[RxStateOfMind]

I only open mine as I watch them. I still have quite a few sealed as I have so many movies to watch and not enough time to watch them all.

 

[BluRayJunkie]

Spent last weekend opening all my UK steelbooks. I didn't hold back. Nothing was left sealed when I was done. It was most enjoyable to check each one out. And only 5 with very minor damage.
196 total in all.

Sent Via BatMail

 

[Jason Bourne]

Spent last weekend opening all my UK steelbooks. I didn't hold back. Nothing was left sealed when I was done. It was most enjoyable to check each one out. And only 5 with very minor damage.
196 total in all.

Sent Via BatMail

BRJ, that would have made for an epic video! I can just envision it... all the sealed collectors crying yelling blasphemy watching that, lol (ok, bad joke).

 

[BluRayJunkie]

BRJ, that would have made for an epic video! I can just envision it... all the sealed collectors crying yelling blasphemy watching that, lol (ok, bad joke).

Ya, I did Captain America, Drive and Thor first. It was easy after that. I can amagine the tears.

Sent Via BatMail

 

[JackRegan]

Spent last weekend opening all my UK steelbooks. I didn't hold back. Nothing was left sealed when I was done. It was most enjoyable to check each one out. And only 5 with very minor damage.
196 total in all.

Sent Via BatMail

Good on you - they're for using after all. Hope you enjoy them.

Weird this sealed steelbook thing - after all, collectors of first edition books (I include myself on a fairly modest scale) actually read them more often than not.

Only reason most of mine are still sealed is because family illness and work commitments mean I have very little time to get set up - I'll get there eventually, and pics to prove it

 

[Postie90]

I'm going to start opening mine as I watch em!! Ordered some polybags so can seal them back up afterwards...

 

[crashkelly]

Been out of the game for a few years now but I am in the never-ever-ever-ever open a steelbook camp.

Funny how the past comes back at you though. Just finished catalog the remnants of my old collection, all sealed, and was searching for information on them and came across the site.

Been years since I have been here ...... but I think I will check things out

Cheers fellow collectors, whether you are still in the game or not
crashkelly

 

[Wreck]

I have not forgot the great CrashKelly! Wow. Nice to hear from you again. Should I dare say welcome back? haha Or see you in 2 years?

 

[blu-steel]

Been out of the game for a few years now but I am in the never-ever-ever-ever open a steelbook camp.

Funny how the past comes back at you though. Just finished catalog the remnants of my old collection, all sealed, and was searching for information on them and came across the site.

Been years since I have been here ...... but I think I will check things out

Cheers fellow collectors, whether you are still in the game or not
crashkelly

Good to see you back!!!

 

[Horhay]

Been out of the game for a few years now but I am in the never-ever-ever-ever open a steelbook camp.

Funny how the past comes back at you though. Just finished catalog the remnants of my old collection, all sealed, and was searching for information on them and came across the site.

Been years since I have been here ...... but I think I will check things out

Cheers fellow collectors, whether you are still in the game or not
crashkelly

Is that really you?

 

[BluRayJunkie]

Hi Crash, great to hear from you!

Sent Via BatMail

 

[crashkelly]

I have not forgot the great CrashKelly! Wow. Nice to hear from you again. Should I dare say welcome back? haha Or see you in 2 years?

Good to see you back!!!

Is that really you?

Hi Crash, great to hear from you!

Sent Via BatMail

Yup it is really me

It is good to see that the collecting bug is still alive and well. I for sure still feel it and have it but thankfully for me I have been able to keep the darkness inside, although I am almost scared to start looking through some of the new steelbook threads

Had a good laugh last night when I saw my old "end of an era" sales thread.

More in a bit

 

[NoDingsNoScratches]

I used to be against collecting Sealed copies. Now, I do collect multiple editions of the same title. Or If I find an extra OCD Mint copy, sometimes I will grab a spare ....