To encase or not to encase?

[alphaomega1291]

I'm a relatively new collector and wondering what you guys do when it comes to encasing your pops in protectors or just stacking them on top of each other without protection? I've been putting all my pops in a protector regardless if they're "expensive" or common. I can see how that can start to get expensive given that the plastic containers range in cost from $.50-$3. Also do you prefer displaying your pops freely or in their boxes?

Here's my collection so far: https://imgur.com/a/qUp9Kr6

[Kwik_One]

Commons in soft protectors and more valuable ones in hard stacks. Buy them on sale or use hot cash at HT

Yes, it can get pricey but they cost less than replacements.

[runtodere]

I actually put all of mine in soft. I'm not a huge fan of the hard protectors - I always find I have to jam the pop in and I hate that. I'm probably doing it wrong though

[leosalion]

Pretty sweet collection set up!
All of mine are in soft protectors, and only my really valuable ones and signed pops are in hard stacks. Mine are stacked up about 7-9 high so soft protectors help out especially with the bottom ones from warping and getting crushed

[rosevanngo]

I'm a big fan of the hard protectors. I think when you get a bunch of them and then stack them its not only a great way to protect but also enhance your overall look of your collection.

[rosevanngo]

I'm a relatively new collector and wondering what you guys do when it comes to encasing your pops in protectors or just stacking them on top of each other without protection? I've been putting all my pops in a protector regardless if they're "expensive" or common. I can see how that can start to get expensive given that the plastic containers range in cost from $.50-$3. Also do you prefer displaying your pops freely or in their boxes?

Here's my collection so far: https://imgur.com/a/qUp9Kr6

Welcome to the wonderful World of Funko! Enjoy the journey as your collection grows.

[Valde]

I only have a few in Pop protectors and those are some 1/24s. I have a few soft plastic ones I got from Pops I pre order form Fugitive, other than that I let them get air. You should protect everything you want to keep perfect. I do chuckle sometimes when I see a picture of a brand new exlcusive in a hard case though, it might make people cringe to see some of my collection being unprotected.

[wafflemaker222]

I have almost all not in protection (yeah I know) but I have a select few in protectors (soft, but I should get some hard) including my Signed Stan Lee Pop.

[jimma]

OOB for life! I keep my expensive pop's boxes in hard stacks tho

[Geescube]

I display in box and will throw any autographed pop into a pop stack (regardless of value). Soft protectors i just pick and choose, but they mostly go on freddys or older comic con items.

[Mario Wario]

All depends on how a person wants to display their items.

Me? I protect mine with soft & hard protectors. I would recommend protecting yours with the soft protector.

[BestDadEver]

I usually keep them in their box unless I get two or just have that need to see it outside of the box. Sometimes I do take them out display them and then place them back I the box

[Theshowman619]

I have a protector for all my pops and dorbz. To me if it’s a collection of any kind you want to keep it protected

[Nemesis989]

OOB for life! I keep my expensive pop's boxes in hard stacks tho

I'm in the same boat. Free the Pops! They look much better and display much nicer outside of their boxes. Of course there are exceptions, anything extremely rare goes in a hard stack

[akagalar]

I'm a relatively new collector and wondering what you guys do when it comes to encasing your pops in protectors or just stacking them on top of each other without protection? I've been putting all my pops in a protector regardless if they're "expensive" or common. I can see how that can start to get expensive given that the plastic containers range in cost from $.50-$3. Also do you prefer displaying your pops freely or in their boxes?

Here's my collection so far: https://imgur.com/a/qUp9Kr6

Are your pops displayed in an office? What are those black shelves from?

Anyway, I will place my common pops in a soft protector just because I will pick out the best box when I buy, and if I am doing that, I might as well make an effort to protect them. Anything exclusive or signed I will put in a thicker soft protector. And anything super rare will go into a stack.

[Kaljor]

OOB for life! I keep my expensive pop's boxes in hard stacks tho

You can't claim OOB then. We reject you.

[jimma]

OOB for life! I keep my expensive pop's boxes in hard stacks tho

You can't claim OOB then. We reject you.

Im 100% OOB. The box i keep in the pop stack alone

[Kaljor]

OOB for life! I keep my expensive pop's boxes in hard stacks tho

You can't claim OOB then. We reject you.

Im 100% OOB. The box i keep in the pop stack alone

Hmmm, you're on probationary status then.

[jimma]

You can't claim OOB then. We reject you.

Im 100% OOB. The box i keep in the pop stack alone

Hmmm, you're on probationary status then.

[KMFH11]

Go out of box, it's more FUN!

[jristenx]

I have the ones that are worth more than $100 in pop protectors but that's it. I like the look of the bare boxes honestly - or I display them OOB.

[Mizarkie]

I think its all personal preference. My commons dont go in any sort of protector at all, but more valuable stuff like grails go int hard stacks. I like hard stacks just because they offer more protection. Recently I've used some of the stick plastic ones and those awesome too.

[NCDS]

I buy the thick/soft protectors like candy. Everything gets protected no matter the worth. Anything above $100 in a pop stack.

[ryanc_]

I concur with others, anything at a high value I place in a pop stack.

[jristenx]

Let me add one caveat - I do think it's really smart to bring a whole bunch of protectors to SDCC/other cons. Even for commons. While at my house, I'll trust they'll stay on their shelf and not get crushed, SDCC has no such guarantees while you're hauling that huge funko bag around the floor. I remember at SWC, sitting on the floor in the convention center with NCDS and racheva and libertyroxx while all the pops went into their protectors!

[DigsUT]

I am not a huge fan of the stack. Personally, I use the .50mm chalice cases from Amazon. Even with my more pricey pieces, i feel they provide ample protection and they only cost $1.35 a piece.

[evanbeans100]

Let me add one caveat - I do think it's really smart to bring a whole bunch of protectors to SDCC/other cons. Even for commons. While at my house, I'll trust they'll stay on their shelf and not get crushed, SDCC has no such guarantees while you're hauling that huge funko bag around the floor. I remember at SWC, sitting on the floor in the convention center with NCDS and racheva and libertyroxx while all the pops went into their protectors!

I agree with this. Even just to stop the pop from rubbing against something else directly is great

[lavery01]

We use both soft and hard protectors. It just depends on the Pop.

[alphaomega1291]

Commons in soft protectors and more valuable ones in hard stacks. Buy them on sale or use hot cash at HT

Yes, it can get pricey but they cost less than replacements.

The soft protectors are the bendable plastic ones right? Like this?

https://7bucksapop.com/collections/pops ... ld-50-pack

[alphaomega1291]

I think its all personal preference. My commons dont go in any sort of protector at all, but more valuable stuff like grails go int hard stacks. I like hard stacks just because they offer more protection. Recently I've used some of the stick plastic ones and those awesome too.

At what price point do you consider a grail? A few hundred dollars worth?

[comic book guy]

I put most of them in soft protectors and my personal grails in hard ones. Can't be too careful!

[hailmary25]

Only my more "pricier" and signed pops are in any type of protector. With the most expensive being in Hard case. Commons I leave out. All still in box ofcourse

[Kwik_One]

Commons in soft protectors and more valuable ones in hard stacks. Buy them on sale or use hot cash at HT

Yes, it can get pricey but they cost less than replacements.

The soft protectors are the bendable plastic ones right? Like this?

https://7bucksapop.com/collections/pops ... ld-50-pack

Yes. Those are the ones.

[weird888]

Always in soft protectors and hard protectors for the more expensive ones. Much easier to clean the dust off the plastic than the boxes plus peace of mind.

[JJLecaros]

$50 + value get protectors for me.

[weird888]

I actually put all of mine in soft. I'm not a huge fan of the hard protectors - I always find I have to jam the pop in and I hate that. I'm probably doing it wrong though

Some pop boxes aren't folded correctly when shipped and some plastic inserts are out of whack which might make the pop not fit in the hard stacks.

Here's a tip, I find a lot of the problem is that people only remove the top or bottom when inserting the pop. If you remove both the top and bottom (this applies to the official pop stacks which can remove both) and then insert the pop it should be much easier. If the box is big, it will just barely fit and trap air beneath it if only one side is removed. I also find it's usually easier to insert the pop from the bottom.

[monktoast]

Eventually gonna go oUT of box and put the empty boxes in flat protecters..unless super rare then it's hard case all dayvlong...but I have no super rares so no need for that yet

[wash2366]

I've been collecting for over 5 years I can tell you from personal experience the older the pop gets the more easily that cardboard box can get ruined or dinged.

I have all my pops in soft protectors and the more valuable ones in pop stacks.

I'm super picky though so that's just me.

I think of it this way, in a year or two, how p*** off would I be if one of my pops all of a sudden becomes a Grail and I pick it up and drop it on accident and it gets all messed up.

How much money would I pay to go back in time and pay an extra $0.50 for a soft protector?

[TJLAUTERBACH]

All my pops go into soft case and all expensive go into hard stacks. You do also have to be careful how many you stack on top of each other. Max I would say is 8 and ideal would be maybe 5.

[racheva]

I keep my commons in the boxes, though I plan to take them out to display them. The slighter harder to obtain ones, like con exclusives I actually got at cons, I might keep in pop protectors, but only the bendable plastic ones. A lot of the times I've brought back or shipped those pops in the protectors and they just end up staying in them. The actual limited edition pops that are worth over $100 end up in hard plastic protectors. I do have a few Freddys from Fundays that aren't in hard plastic, but mostly because they're expensive to buy.