The passion collectors have can range from casual to extreme, depending on the level of fandom an individual has over various IPs like Harry Potter, Disney, and Marvel, or other interests including historical artifacts or music memorabilia.
The value of any collectible is dictated by marketplaces like eBay; however, one guy who recently celebrated a birthday sees things differently.
When his perception of a certain collectible’s worth was challenged, he visited the “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA) subReddit to seek judgment from strangers online.
There, Redditor CommanderT2020 asked:
“AITA for opening and using a 2008 Lego Star Wars set I got for my birthday that cost my friend a couple hundred dollars?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“I had my birthday about a month ago and I was flabbergasted seeing the Lego Star Wars 2008 Republic Gunship, fully boxed.”
“My friend didn’t even mention an exact amount, just that he spent a lot to get one since I’ve always been a Star Wars fan and when he saw someone selling that he knew it was worth it especially since while he’s not rich, he’s a little better off than I am, monetarily.”
The OP continued:
“I really didn’t care about actually getting anything, or at least not something that expensive since I’ve never gotten a gift that expensive before but I really thanked him and hugged him which I usually don’t out of awkwardness but I really appreciated it.”
“Anyway, a couple days ago when he visited, he saw it was now sitting on my shelf with all the minifigures by it and he seemed kinda shocked, almost disappointed.”
“He said stuff like that loses its value if it’s unboxed and you’re not supposed to open rare things, etc. But I find value in actually USING things. I know that thing is over 15 years old now but I’ve never understood that mentality if I could just look at boxes in stores or on the computer.”
“They aren’t worth anything to me if I can’t actually use it and so I open and use everything I get, no matter the price. I guess I just don’t have that collector mentality or whatever, but who is the a**hole here?”
“I know I got it as a gift for my birthday, but he also spent a lot apparently and judging by his reaction I felt bad.”
Anonymous strangers weighed in by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
- NAH – No A**holes Here
Many Redditors thought the OP was not the a**hole (NTA) here.
“NTA. I’m a Lego fan and theirs absolutely two sides to this hobby. Collectors and builders. But something bought as a gift, be it by a builder or collector is then the recipients to do with as they please.” – Difficult-Thought-61
“Absolutely. I’m a bit of a whiskey collector, and my dad likes whiskey too. I’ve bought a handful of very hard to find whiskey, and most of them are unopened unless I can manage to get a second.”
“I like to get my dad rare whiskeys for special events (birthdays, father’s day, etc) , even if I don’t have them in my collection yet, and he always opens them. I will never stop buying them for him and am glad he enjoys them (plus, he always opens them when I’m around so I get to taste it, but still).” – shikiroin
“OP, I would let him know that the reason you opened it is that that it means a lot to you and you would never think of selling it, because of what it represents as a thoughtful gift from a good friend (or something along those lines), so it never occurred to you to keep it boxed.” – shikiroin
“NTA. When you give a gift, you have no control over what the recipient does with it. Also, where is the fun in NOT putting together a LEGO set.” – Bookqueen42
“My husband has rare star wars lego. As long as you’ve kept the box and instructions, it retains decent value. He also builds the set.”
“I also have rare still shrinkwrapped lego swts in my loft that was bought for my son. That is being kept as is, but if I ever have grandkids, they can play with it. But if not, that’s tens of thousands in value.”
“I have rare lego from the 80s where I’ve decimated the value as I no longer have the boxes and it’s all mixed together. But my son never needed to have any bought for him as I had a good amount.”
“Lego is great as an investment, but you still need to be sensible.”
“You can’t dictate how you use a gift. Although that’s one heck of an expensive gift.”
“NTA.”
“Although if you got rid of the box and instructions, you are an idiot.”
“Just looked it up, the black boxed version is £400 upwards new. Resale with box and instructions is £100 upwards. Without box but with instructions, it’s £50. It’s not one of the rarer limited editions.”
“The discontinued white box one adds £200 to those figures. The multicoloured box reduces the figures. This is to give an idea of why collectors will buy 2 sets, one to play with the other as an investment.” – dragonetta123
“NTA, I tell it doll collectors over and over again and apparently it’s not only a problem over there.”
“This is your item. You can do whatever you want. It’s not adding or taking any value from whoever complains. If they have a problem woth it they should buy said item fro themselves and keep it in a box. Even if you decided to burn it, it’s not their place to complain (about the value) since it’s not directly affecting them. All they should care is that thebvalue for unopened items will go up. since there’s one less now.” –
Titariia
“NTA, is your friend taking crazy pills. Some collector’s items shouldn’t be opened sure, like Barbie’s yeah. But there is no value to having a boxed LEGO, the value is in the build/set, and not opening/building a collector’s set like that would be silly. “ – missmondaymourning
“Absolutely NTA, people like this drive me up a wall, Lego never meant for their products to be left in the box unused, they’re meant to be open, built and displayed/played with. If someone wants to leave a ‘collectible’ in the packaging, fine, you do you boo-boo idgaf but that’s not the intended use 99% of the time. Getting mad at someone for using a product is absolute lunacy.”
“Side note: no pictures? C’mon bro 🤣 post in r/Lego and show us the set up.” – CanadianPagan
“NTA. Once a gift has been given, it is up to the recipient to do with it what they will. Personally, I see no point in gifting someone something they cannot use. Your friend really gave you a Lego set to admire in the box? What’s next, cake you don’t eat? “ – Latter-Refuse8442
“NTA. ‘Rare’ things like that are only worth alot if someone is willing to pay alot for them. Like every other collectable they have a shelf life where someone will pay crazy amount for them and then those items go back to useless low dollar items.”
“Enjoy it how you want to enjoy it. Chances are if you sell it to some other lego or stars fanatic years from now, the difference in value won’t be that huge between a full assembled set verses a full still in the package set.” – Just-some-moran
“NTA – If the gift is something you treasure and is going to stay with you for life then it’s monetary worth doesn’t really matter. It’s not a stock whose value is inherently money based. If your friend understands that I think it’ll be an easier pill to swallow.”
“I get that it depreciates when opened but I was never going to sell it in the first place.” – TheMrEM4N
“NTA. I get collecting toys for display in original unopened boxes since they usually have a clear plastic window or are card back with clear plastic that even if unopened; you can see the item. A box of legos doesn’t have a window.”
“You would be displaying a box, not the rare Lego product. I have seen some Lego collectors display finished model and use the carefully opened box as a back drop but I have never seen any just displaying an unopened box. Some may buy 2 of everything, one to open and build for display and another to hold onto for resale years later when value goes up.” – BOOMjafo
“NTA I did something similar to what your friend did and I regret it. I had a vintage remote controlled off road buggy. I wasn’t using it anymore and a relative asked me if he could have it. So I gave it to him.”
“Then sometime later I visited him and he showed me the buggy. He had cut pieces off it, to lighten it, and did a bunch of other mods. Without thinking, I said ‘But that was in original shape and good condition!’ and he went from looking happy to looking like he did something wrong.”
“I spoiled his fun for no good reason. I wish I had just kept my mouth shut. I was just so shocked that he had altered it so drastically. I think your friend might have just been so shocked too. You did nothing wrong. It was a gift and you can enjoy it in the way you think is best.” – Deep-Okra1461
Overall, Redditors thought the OP was not in any violation here for getting maximum enjoyment out of the rare gift ideally meant for assembling.
While many understood the friend’s appreciation for the value of the gift he was giving, they also thought his frustration wasn’t warranted since he gave the Lego set as a gift for the OP to use however he saw fit.