Just my opinion, if you do plan on selling them as complete series, I would just open them all. I think if buyers are buying the minifigures, they're doing it for collecting purposes, like me, so they're going to be opened anyways. But I think it's really just personal preference.

There are a number of buyers that will pay a premium for 'sealed' MINIFIGURES. Some people just like that 'new figure smell' I guess. (They also want ones that do not smell of cigarette smoke.) You could try at first to sell complete sets. And if those fall through, you can always just sell them individually anyway.

...(They also want ones that do not smell of cigarette smoke.)...

That's good because the only thing I smoke is crack!

Is there anyway other than the feel method to tell what's in each package? I found some things on the Internet about codes, and since everything on the Internet is true I guess it's ok to believe them, right?

Is there anyway other than the feel method to tell what's in each package? I found some things on the Internet about codes, and since everything on the Internet is true I guess it's ok to believe them, right?

The first couple waves had unique barcodes but Lego did away with it, after that people started to use the bump codes which I have read here that in the new waves they no longer work that well. The best way seems to be the smoosh technique.

That's good because the only thing I smoke is crack!

Well I guess you're alright then! Who doesn't love the smell of plastic and crackhouses? HAHAHAHA!

Anyway, the only 'true' way to find specific characters anymore is to 'smoosh'. Having a list of parts to feel for for each character helps. I have a basic parts list printout for Series 9 that I have been taking with me when I go shopping just so I know exactly what to feel for and what is unique to certain characters. Also, taking a good quick look at each one's image on Bricker or Brickset can help give a mental image. Course if you have a smart phone, you can just bring up the webpage for referance while in store.

This sums it up for me to a "T".

I am one of those that prefer "sealed" over "new/complete". I have seen ones that said they were listed as "sealed" on Bricklink, only to read in the description that it technically is considered "new/complete" because the seller had cut open a corner 'slightly' to confirm contents. Um, if the seal is broken in any way, then it is no longer sealed now is it? You can call me nitpicky or whatever, but it is the truth.

I could probably be considered "nitpicky" as well, but with a Lego product in which you don't know what's inside, to me, that's a different ballgame -- and I think some people would be leary of purchasing an unknown item just based on someone's "feeling" prowess. I see sellers on Amazon who just use a holepunch to see what's inside, and I think that's reasonable for someone who is going to open it and just wants to be sure of the contents.

I could probably be considered "nitpicky" as well, but with a Lego product in which you don't know what's inside, to me, that's a different ballgame -- and I think some people would be leary of purchasing an unknown item just based on someone's "feeling" prowess. I see sellers on Amazon who just use a holepunch to see what's inside, and I think that's reasonable for someone who is going to open it and just wants to be sure of the contents.

One thing sellers have to look out for is eBay Buyer scams on these. How easy would it be for a buyer to file a claim that he did not receive what he paid for, and without opening up the contents beforehand, it is pretty difficult to fight against this.

One thing sellers have to look out for is eBay Buyer scams on these. How easy would it be for a buyer to file a claim that he did not receive what he paid for, and without opening up the contents beforehand, it is pretty difficult to fight against this.

That is something I thought about in the case of a sealed MINIFIGURE over an open one. Someone could order something like the "Zombie", and then file a claim that they got a different, perhaps cheaper, one when in fact they did get a "Zombie". Not much to save your butt on this is there? Besides your sellers reputation, maybe.

I was discussing with my wife about the upcoming series 10 and the gold exclusive figure inside. The idea was brought up about people selling sealed packages of 'Mr. Gold'. We talked about how Ebay usually sides with buyers in gray areas so if a person purchased a sealed Mr. Gold and claimed that the sealed figure upon opening it was not the correct figure would the seller even really have a case? It makes me think of the lot of space marines I'm going to sell and if it would be better if I just opened them and sold them off so there can be no claim against me that I was incorrect in my assessment? I know this sounds very negative but I'm sure it's an all too real situation that happens more often than anyone would like to think. How do you sell your minifigures?

Most people open them up, but do NOT play with them. Opening them up and showing pictures gives the buyer confidence that you are sending them the correct thing, as well as give you a little safeguard agains scammers who might claim that they didn't get the correct figure and then send you a figure that they know for sure isn't Mr. Gold. I am hoping that Lego will put another bag over the Mr. Gold bag so that it is more distinctive like the Golden C3PO's. Unfortunately, that probably will not happen. :(

Most people open them up, but do NOT play with them. Opening them up and showing pictures gives the buyer confidence that you are sending them the correct thing, as well as give you a little safeguard agains scammers who might claim that they didn't get the correct figure and then send you a figure that they know for sure isn't Mr. Gold. I am hoping that Lego will put another bag over the Mr. Gold bag so that it is more distinctive like the Golden C3PO's. Unfortunately, that probably will not happen.

Looking back, it is interesting to think that Lego thought to include that little peek hole for the Chrome Gold C3PO's.

I used to sell sealed sets of cmf's and other assorted lone minifigures but I think I'm going to ditch that practice in favor of not getting burned. I can imagine a parent wanting a sealed set to slowly give to their kids and make them happy in having a complete set, but for collectors I don' tthink they care if they are in package, what good is a sealed minifigure if you don't open it? You may as well have a sealed figure and say whatever they want is in it, lol.

I open them, build them and put them in an individual zip lock bag for sale.

I open them, build them and put them in an individual zip lock bag for sale.

I like to open them up, have a tea party with them, read them a story and then sell them. It makes for a well rounded minifig. :)

I like to open them up, have a tea party with them, read them a story and then sell them. It makes for a well rounded minifig.

I must be cruel. Even my kids help with the sorting process but don't get to play with them.

They do get to pick from the leftovers though :D

I have been both a buyer and seller of a few of these. Always taking the option of the open and confirmed figures.

Seems like I'm in the same boat as everyone else here. I more or less know which figure it is, but to be certain I always make a very small incision with an xacto knife on the backside of the package, towards the top, and kinda peer in to make sure I'm correct. I then put a piece of semi-adhesive tape to cover the slice and write which fig is inside on the tape. Great topic sadowsk1! -PB

I like to open them up, have a tea party with them, read them a story and then sell them. It makes for a well rounded minifig.

Lol, that sounds lovely.

I always sell open. Even if I got so good at mauling packages as to be 99% certain of the contents, that's too much risk as a seller for me. Slit 'em open, confirm, tag and bag them - probably faster than feeling them out beyond any doubt anyway, and there's only so much time in a day.

As a buyer and a potential seller, I prefer to have them sealed. When I buy for my own collection, I love to open the bags myself and pour out the contents and build them. I also like to keep the original packages (with scissor cuts) and the checklists, almost like they were authentication certificates, proving that I didn't buy the parts separately on a third party site to create the minifigures. As a seller, I hope this practice would translate into other buyers wanting the same experience. I have been to LEGO store, TRU, Target, etc dozens of times now, and after just a couple weeks of the "touch and feel" method I have become 100% accurate in my readings... for the last 400 or so packages I've examined. I don't label them until I am absolutely positive that what I am feeling is a unique accessory or body type and that it can't be confused with a similar item in the same series. Sometimes this requires confirming 2 or 3 different items in the same bag. I have received minifigures from amazon with a claim of "new" yet they arrived already built and in ziplock bags, much to my dismay. I would have returned them for making false claims, but in the end they were correct and complete and it wasn't worth the hassle for a few bucks. If you can find legitimately honest sellers, I would definitely recommend going with sealed. (and no, I'm not trying to promote my shop or ebay page or anything, as I have not begun to sell yet). -speshy EDIT: As a counter to buyer-scammers, I would recommend photographing the buyer's information right next to a close-up of the bump code of the bag as "proof" of which minifigure(s) you are selling to that person, for your records. Playing devil's advocate, I guess you could argue that the seller switched bags before shipping. Tough call.

So I don't know much about these minifigs, but I am experienced with a lot of "mystery set" items where you don't know what you are getting. Once you open it, it can become more or less valuable depending on who you got. I have done this and sold the rarer ones, etc. to make some money back or a profit even.

 

Do a lot of you do this? Is there a market for them after they are opened thats better than the original price? I thought it might make sense to pick them up when clearanced or on BOGO deals, etc.

Would love to hear on this also.

Are you talking about the CMF series?

Are you talking about the CMF series?

 

Not sure if its the same - but the ones that come in the small individual packages. Like right now they are on MF series 10.

CMF = Collectable Minifigures so yes it is the same