Mint on Card Ponies
Okay, so this isn’t just an MLP issue. Every toy collector, upon finding a mint on card (MOC) toy, debates about whether to open it. For many My Little Pony collectors, though, this question takes on a new dimension, because they feel like ponies have a sort of character or spirit. After all, these were our best friends when we were little.
Free the
MOC Ponies!
Some people feel that since toys are meant to be played with, it’s simply not natural to keep them in their packages. Some of the more die-hard pony fanatics will even tell you it hurts a pony’s feelings to not be freed from her package. More moderate fans, though, point out that MLPs are unlikely to become serious collector’s items in the future. If that’s true, then keeping a pony on card is pointless, since it won’t really go up in value.
Keep
Ponies on Card!
Many people feel that if a pony has made it fifteen years without being freed from her card, she might as well stay that way. One never knows if a toy will be valuable in the future or not. Besides, they say, it is much easier to dust a blister pack than a loose toy, especially when that toy has hair. That blister also protects the pony, they add, which means the toy will last longer. It’s like granting an MLP with immortality.
I collect several different toys, and I can understand both sides of this argument. In general, I keep toys in their packages, mostly because I hate dusting. There are a few toys that I’ll open, but I always carefully save the packaging back. I even did this when I was little—I have a suitcase full of MLP cards from my childhood. Somehow, I lost many of them, which irritates me to no end. Toy packages are fun to look at, so go ahead and keep your ponies on card if you find them that way.