MOC Longevity

[ChallengerFox]

Is there a thread on here anywhere that discusses how long MOC's will last before the bubbles start coming away from the cards etc, if it all ?

I'm interested in people's opinions on this because it's one of the things that has always put me off collecting expensive MOC's

Also what are people's opinions on storing/displaying them upright or layed flat ?

Storing them in the AFA cases, any potential problems long term do you think ?

Thanks

 

[robpmarsh]

There's a great discussion about this issue on the latest podcast.... Well worth a listen.

 

[Doomseeker]

Whilst I'm not a MOC collector I do own a fair few. My understanding is that plastic, especially cheap plastic used in toy packaging does have a shelf life, I seem to remember someone saying about 50-60 years. ultimately every MOC out there is going to at some point fall to pieces. That said storage will help prolong the life of these items.

Starcases, Acrylic cases will all assist in this. If you were going to the extreme I would say "yes" storing them flat will help in the long term but then you wouldn't get to fully appreciate them so what's the point?

Keeping them away from UV light will also help slow down the deterioration of the plastic bubbles.

Avoid storing them in a place where you get extreme changes in temperature, lofts/attics are not great places for cardboard based items, the humidity changes will affect the cardboard and can cause it to warp which could then affect the adhesion of the bubble to the card.

It's a sad fact but MOC figures will not last forever, heck even the plastic that the figures are made from will not last forever.

 

[theforceuk]

I display my MOC's leaning back slightly so gravity is pulling the bubbles towards the card back. Think we will all be long one before they start deterioting badly. :wink:

 

[Lom]

Good thread; I've been concerned about the very same thing.

I do wonder if I ought to cash in on my MOCs whilst they're still in one piece!

 

[Fishtalk]

I'm sure my carded figures will outlive me easily, after that it's anyones guess. Stored correctly they could last longer than people think. There are books and historical documents that are hundreds of years old, granted they are very fragile but still intact so the cardbacks at least could have a long shelf life, but cardboard probably degrades faster than paper.
As for the bubbles, seal and figures themselves it's hard to say, I think rather than simply dropping off the bubbles will become very brittle and slowly disintegrate, same with the figures themselves but over a longer time.
Either way, don't let the fact that something will eventually rot away stop you from collecting them. If everyone took that stance then no one would collect anything would they?

 

[Rebel_Runner]

I'm sure my carded figures will outlive me easily, after that it's anyones guess. Stored correctly they could last longer than people think. There are books and historical documents that are hundreds of years old, granted they are very fragile but still intact so the cardbacks at least could have a long shelf life, but cardboard probably degrades faster than paper.
As for the bubbles, seal and figures themselves it's hard to say, I think rather than simply dropping off the bubbles will become very brittle and slowly disintegrate, same with the figures themselves but over a longer time.
Either way, don't let the fact that something will eventually rot away stop you from collecting them. If everyone took that stance then no one would collect anything would they?

We'd all be collecting rocks! :lol:

 

[Lom]

We'd all be collecting rocks! :lol:

Still no good - look what happened to Alderaan!

I'm in a different boat from the vast majority on this forum - I have some vintage Star Wars that I am very pleased to own, but I'm not a collector per se. The last piece of vintage I bought wasn't vintage when I bought it some 30 years ago and I don't plan on adding to it now (although I have been tempted by a couple of items on the 'for sale' thread)!

 

[jedisearcher]

I think this topic gets overdone sometimes and they'll outlast us all.

There's no evidence I've ever seen of even the high risk ones - yellow bubble, heavy figures like amanaman, han carbon and Barada, spontaneously coming off the cards, so I'm not worrying til they do. Remember it's heat and pressure that seals the card to bubble, not glue which might degrade over time. Admittedly, you don't know what the previous owner has done to them, but if carefully looked after they should have a good life.

Most examples of packaging problems come where the post office has decided to play football with them.

20/30 years down the line it might change people's buying/selling habits in that they won't risk putting them through the mail, but that's just common sense.

 

[theforceuk]

I think this topic gets overdone sometimes and they'll outlast us all.

20/30 years down the line it might change people's buying/selling habits in that they won't risk putting them through the mail, but that's just common sense.

I agree, well said. I evan think some collector's are already thinking along these lines.

 

[Lom]

I think this topic gets overdone sometimes and they'll outlast us all.

There's no evidence I've ever seen of even the high risk ones - yellow bubble, heavy figures like amanaman, han carbon and Barada, spontaneously coming off the cards, so I'm not worrying til they do. Remember it's heat and pressure that seals the card to bubble, not glue which might degrade over time. Admittedly, you don't know what the previous owner has done to them, but if carefully looked after they should have a good life.

Most examples of packaging problems come where the post office has decided to play football with them.

20/30 years down the line it might change people's buying/selling habits in that they won't risk putting them through the mail, but that's just common sense.

All valid points especially dubious handling whilst in transit but everything degrades over time whether it be the bond between the bubble and the card or whether it be the bubble turning brittle. I'm the first to admit that the biggest cause of attrition to the MOC will be the people it comes into contact with rather than merely time, but, at some point, time will catch up with it too - hopefully not for a good many years though!

 

[palitoyjunky]

Agreed :!: I think this is a little overkill :roll:

The first issue MOCs were produced 36 years ago and are found in mint perfect condition with no signs of disintegration today 8) It's ironic that the last line of vintage ie POTF is the line with most of the remaining examples having yellow bubbles and they have had yellow/tinged bubbles for many years! Therefore with that line it's not a case of decay or deterioration on the bubbles but some sort of a chemical reaction that occurred with the plastic etc.
As said MOCs with a yellow bubble in great shape generally do not show signs of the bubble falling off the card in the foreseeable future. As said the factory sealing process involves heat, pressure and strong adhesive.

Nothing lasts forever (except our love for SW) but IMO providing these vintage MOCs are kept in a stable environment at room temp with no excessive dryness or moisturiser, out of direct sunlight and protected, I think they will stay intact past our life time I don't think storing them horizontally or vertically will make much diff :roll:
I'd expect the first MOCs to eventually come apart would b the Tri-logos

 

[Lom]

Agreed :!: I think this is a little overkill :roll:

The first issue MOCs were produced 36 years ago and are found in mint perfect condition with no signs of disintegration today 8) It's ironic that the last line of vintage ie POTF is the line with most of the remaining examples having yellow bubbles and they have had yellow/tinged bubbles for many years! Therefore with that line it's not a case of decay or deterioration on the bubbles but some sort of a chemical reaction that occurred with the plastic etc.
As said MOCs with a yellow bubble in great shape generally do not show signs of the bubble falling off the card in the foreseeable future. As said the factory sealing process involves heat, pressure and strong adhesive.

Nothing lasts forever (except our love for SW) but IMO providing these vintage MOCs are kept in a stable environment at room temp with no excessive dryness or moisturiser, out of direct sunlight and protected, I think they will stay intact past our life time I don't think storing them horizontally or vertically will make much diff :roll:
I'd expect the first MOCs to eventually come apart would b the Tri-logos

Why the tri-logos?

 

[JuniorChubb]

I know its a different line and IIRC thinner cardbacks and thinner bubbles but aren't some Action Force figures starting to lose their bubbles?

It could be a case of the sealing method being different/lower quality but these are mostly younger than SW MOC's. The Toy Tonis are vulnerable to this for a similar reason.

As said in this thread though, our MOC's tend to live a pampered life, and asides from postage miss-haps the bubbles will stay attached for a long time to come...

...but one day, a long time from now, the great bubble drop will begin

 

[Stormtrooper37]

Agreed :!: I think this is a little overkill :roll:

The first issue MOCs were produced 36 years ago and are found in mint perfect condition with no signs of disintegration today 8) It's ironic that the last line of vintage ie POTF is the line with most of the remaining examples having yellow bubbles and they have had yellow/tinged bubbles for many years! Therefore with that line it's not a case of decay or deterioration on the bubbles but some sort of a chemical reaction that occurred with the plastic etc.
As said MOCs with a yellow bubble in great shape generally do not show signs of the bubble falling off the card in the foreseeable future. As said the factory sealing process involves heat, pressure and strong adhesive.

Nothing lasts forever (except our love for SW) but IMO providing these vintage MOCs are kept in a stable environment at room temp with no excessive dryness or moisturiser, out of direct sunlight and protected, I think they will stay intact past our life time I don't think storing them horizontally or vertically will make much diff :roll:
I'd expect the first MOCs to eventually come apart would b the Tri-logos

Why the tri-logos?

Most if not all MOC's provided they are stored and displayed correctly will out live us all - FACT.

MOC's likely to perish first? Meccano's very cheap flimsy cardbacks and brittle bubbles.

 

[palitoyjunky]

Agreed :!: I think this is a little overkill :roll:

The first issue MOCs were produced 36 years ago and are found in mint perfect condition with no signs of disintegration today 8) It's ironic that the last line of vintage ie POTF is the line with most of the remaining examples having yellow bubbles and they have had yellow/tinged bubbles for many years! Therefore with that line it's not a case of decay or deterioration on the bubbles but some sort of a chemical reaction that occurred with the plastic etc.
As said MOCs with a yellow bubble in great shape generally do not show signs of the bubble falling off the card in the foreseeable future. As said the factory sealing process involves heat, pressure and strong adhesive.

Nothing lasts forever (except our love for SW) but IMO providing these vintage MOCs are kept in a stable environment at room temp with no excessive dryness or moisturiser, out of direct sunlight and protected, I think they will stay intact past our life time I don't think storing them horizontally or vertically will make much diff :roll:
I'd expect the first MOCs to eventually come apart would b the Tri-logos

Why the tri-logos?

Well the Tri-logos were a much cheaper weaker packaging and the bubble seal on these was not as strong as the waffle pattern seal seen on other mocs.
The other factor is most Tri-logos found have the over sized bubble which therefore means the figure can freely bounce about inside the bubble which can result in damage esp if it is a heavy figure like Anakin :!:

 

[RKW1138]

I sit and patiently wait whilst stroking my cat.

BWAHHHAAHAAHAAAAH!

 

[palitoyjunky]

I sit and patiently wait whilst stroking my cat.

BWAHHHAAHAAHAAAAH!

Thank u Mr Blofeld :lol:

 

[sparkysx]

By the time they do fall apart, the generation that appreciate them for what they are may be gone.

 

[JuniorChubb]

By the time they do fall apart, the generation that appreciate them for what they are may be gone.

Exactly, just after the big price crash :wink: