Discovered Old Lego Set, What should I do?

[Baron Greenbriar]

Hey all. I recently found an old lego pirate set. (not castle so I am posting in this thread here) It is this http://brickset.com/detail/?set=6261-1, 6261 Raft Raiders. The set is in mint condition and still boxed. I believe the manufacturing date of this set is 1992 or 1993 as I saw it in old commercials of those dates. Should I open or hold onto this set? On Bricklink most of them were going for around 62 or so US dollars. The original retail price according to Brickset was $13.25. I'm wondering what people here would do in this situation or whether they have been in this situation before.

Thanks, Baron Greenbriar

[Handar]

What you should do depends on what you would like more. Would you prefer to have $62 or would you prefer to have an old boxed set to display? If you do want to sell it, would you like to sell the set now or hold onto it in the hopes that it will appreciate in value? Only you can really answer those questions.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great find, but what should be done with it is a question that only you can answer. If it were me, I'd store the set in a dark closet, but I have excess closet space.

[Halberd777]

What Handar said was good to help you think through this more you need to answer a couple questions to yourself. Are you someone that likes to collect and save items? I personally am not a collector in that sense. What is the point to have an item in a box held away in a closet (a valid argument is for greater value later) , but that is my personal opinion. Are you into the lego pirates theme, if not you might want to sell it for what lego theme you are into. Myself for instance would sell that for castle legos. Also you should definately check the going rate on ebay although that rate fluctuates that is really the price that you are going to get by selling it to someone.

[Athos]

I'd probably try to sell it, simply because I already have an opened copy.

I might sell it anyway and buy a used copy and pocket the difference.

Though I'm not a collector of MISB sets. I'd much rather play with them.

Steve

[Frank_Lloyd_Knight]

Open it and Play with it!

[Tower of Iron Will]

I would keep it unopenned and safe, but like some of the others have said it depends on your tastes. I found some years ago set number 6103, Castle Mini Figures in a Toys R Us. It was well past the time for this set, and I had bought quite a few when this set was current and being produced. So, I kept it unopenned. It took a good deal of willpower to keep it that way, because I would remember when the Lion, Black Falcon, and Forestmen were such new factions and how much joy having these to build with. I doubt I'd sell it for the money, as the set is worth so much more than the monitary value, which goes with all my other early castle figures. So, if you're the collecting type and have other things safely stored, it wouldn't be too much more additional trouble to keep this set safe. On the other hand, if you never had any early Pirate sets and wanted one or don't usually store "collectibles," then I could see how openning would make sense. Either way, you have a nice LEGO set there.
-Tower

[Halberd777]

Funny enough to add to that, I had that way back when and had trade all of my legos for gi joes, what a mistake . Now that I am back from my dark ages I do not own any of my original sets. The Falcon castle, Forestman crossing a few pirate sets including that one Arrgghhh the pain . Anyways cherish that set because you could have gotten rid of it and never gotten it back.

[kor]

As everyone else has said, you'll need to decide what to do for yourself.

I enjoy collecting older sealed sets because it brings back memories of when I was a kid. I remember walking down the toy isle and trying to talk my parents/grandparents into buying me more Lego sets. Some trips were more successful than others:) I also like to keep a display of sealed sets because I enjoy the artwork on the boxes. I can find most of those of them loose on ebay or bricklink so theres not much temptation to open them. Heck, I felt a little guilty several weeks ago when I opened a stack of 8778 Knights Kingdom sets to get at those hard to find light bluish gray 1x3 arches, lol!

[Baron Greenbriar]

Hey all sorry for a bit of a late reply. Thanks for all the input, people had a lot to say on the matter and it was much appreciated. I have decided that I shall keep the set boxed away for now. Seeing as I don't have many other(if any) older lego sets boxed, I think I would like to keep this one the way it is. Although there is temptation to open it I will keep it protected. Some of the responses here made stronger to me the idea that lego has a value beyond being monetary. It can bring back memories and emotions. I think I can greater increase this value by keeping it hidden away like the pirate treasure it is. Thanks again for helping me with my decision.

[krzyzak]

Open and play with it NOW!!!!1