price sticker removal success stories on MOC figures

[absolutelysuperb]

Hi all,
Sorry if this has already been mentioned before!

Just wondering if there are any tips on removing the price sticker from the card without tearing or damaging the card?
Knowing me i'll probably just leave it alone but just curious if it has been done and the technique used.
Many thanks
Darren

 

[Richard_H]

Do a search on the forum it's been mentioned many times. Goo gone or something like that sounds familiar. TwistedMetal asked this recently so his post should be recent.

 

[x-pack]

Had some success with Mr Sheen polish or similar. It's good for removing crap off bubbles and will get rid of some marks on cardbacks, including sticker residue.

The biggest issue is always going to be pulling the bulk of the sticker off without damaging the card. Also, whatever you use go easy as applying to much moisture to the card will balls it up. The main thing is to do tiny areas at a time. Very important 8)

If the card is valuable then don't bother.

 

[palitoyjunky]

Bit of lighter fluid works v well! Just soak the sticker with it and it should come off like magic! Don't worry as excess fluid evaporates.

If the price sticker is well positioned ie top right or left of card then I'd leave it esp if the MOC is worth a lot. An original price sticker adds a bit of nostalgia; that old local toy shop one remembers running to as a kid or perhaps a grand price sticker from Hamleys or Selfridges

 

[PIGCITY]

Hairdryer and patience

 

[Joe]

I would advise that people only really remove already damaged or grubby stickers that detract from the overall look of the card they are on, anything that's stuck down tightly and is in a decent position (not covering the photo etc) is probably best left alone to avoid ruining a perfectly good carded figure.

I actually really like store stickers, they tell a story and make up a piece of the puzzle as to where figures were sold and how much for etc. Very nostalgic and a part of the figures history IMO!

Having said that, if I were to recommend a method it would probably be either goo gone or polish as has been mentioned, goo gone can go wrong quickly if you use too much and you get it on the racetrack of a card though so be careful.

Paulitoy used to have great success with polish:

Happy Birthday to me. The wife and kids did me proud this year........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28607183@N05/4768849334/sizes/m/

My favourite figure/card combination.

And a bit of before and after......

Imperial Commander 77a back, pre sticker.....

And post sticker.....

You can see I just nicked the card in the 'D' of Jedi, but i'd rather see that than the two stickers.

€7 (that was Alt Gr on my antiquated keyboard) for a Yak Face - steal.

Had this a week or so now - Chewbacca 12c back, and had to decide on what action to take on a price label......

My gamble paid off....

I managed to get my fingernail under one edge and it litterally just fell of. A little of bit of TLC with the furniture polish and you'd never know it existed.

The POP has been unceremoniously removed from the back but it still looks OK.
One thing I noticed is the footer card in the bubble is the orange Ben Kenobi colour, and not the matching yellow of the card. Anybody seen this before?

 

[absolutelysuperb]

Hi all!

Thanks for the great advice and tips!
Excellent write ups here along with good pictures.

cheers
Darren

 

[BlueDog]

Here's a few I did recently using an adhesive cleaner and solvent made by 3M. It works great as it's a solvent it dries very quickly, my advice would be to practice removing a sticker from an old card back that already has significant damage, some sticker will come away easily other are a stubborn as **** and some just need to be left alone. No matter what cleaner, polish or goo remover you use just remember you are only working with a very minor margin for error.

I have a few items that I wouldn't even attempt it on as they are reasonably rare. As Joe said some stickers are actually really cool and add a lot to the history of the item.

Here's some I did recently the cards sticker came away very easily but the Yoda fortune teller took some work, what little damage you can see was from someone trying to remove it without using any product or one that wasn't suitable.

 

[absolutelysuperb]

Here's a few I did recently using an adhesive cleaner and solvent made by 3M. It works great as it's a solvent it dries very quickly, my advice would be to practice removing a sticker from an old card back that already has significant damage, some sticker will come away easily other are a stubborn as **** and some just need to be left alone. No matter what cleaner, polish or goo remover you use just remember you are only working with a very minor margin for error.

I have a few items that I wouldn't even attempt it on as they are reasonably rare. As Joe said some stickers are actually really cool and add a lot to the history of the item.

Here's some I did recently the cards sticker came away very easily but the Yoda fortune teller took some work, what little damage you can see was from someone trying to remove it without using any product or one that wasn't suitable.

Another great read!
Cheers for your advice also! :wink:

 

[slim]

some great success stories and methods guys , almost makes me want to get the polish out and try myself , on second thoughts i think i will just leave them the way they are

 

[TC-14]

some great success stories and methods guys , almost makes me want to get the polish out and try myself , on second thoughts i think i will just leave them the way they are

Hear, hear.
I couldn't agree more, Slim!

Here's my point of view, for what it's worth:

I think any price sticker is worth it's weight in gold, be it from Selfridges, Hamleys or the local toy store back in the day. To have a Palitoy cardback with a 'Youngsters' price sticker is my holy grail (incredibly specific, and very regional; I know). Youngsters was an independent toy shop (remember them?) and only had the one outlet in my local town of Pontefract, on Ropergate. They sold nothing but Palitoy, I had badges that I wore with pride as an 8 year old in 1978 stating 'I get my Star Wars toys from Youngsters!'... all long gone, unfortunately. But can you see where I'm coming from?

As it stands now, these MOCs that we covet are only 35 years old at their earliest... no age, in the big scheme of things. To 'tidy up' a damaged, peeling, flakey price sticker...? To me, it's trying to erase a bit of history. A price sticker is a snapshot in time, showing its value and where it was purchased from; long before every man and his dog had a recording device in his pocket and could communicate anything and everything to a worldwide audience.

Future custodians of our beloved MOCs: 20, 50, 100 years down the line will appreciate our forward thinking at preserving as much original retail information as is humanly possible. Even though these toys were originally made in their millions, there aren't going to be anymore original examples, are there?

Here's a snapshot from Stephane Faucourt's impressive tome: "La French Touch". Just think if these unobtrusive stickers (in French Francs, no less!) had been removed when that initial purchase was made... food for thought.

 

[x-pack]

Agree that price stickers are an interesting addition and unless they are knackered really shouldn't be removed.

Good thread

 

[tiefighterboy]

Goo-Gone.

 

[x-pack]

Goony goo goo..

 

[TC-14]

Goonies?

http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/goonies/goonies-then.jpg

Or goo?

http://www.wolfgnards.com/media/blogs/photos/celebrities/gb-marshmallow.jpg

Make your stance known.

 

[BlueDog]

Completely understand your point Martin as I said some stickers are a very interesting point on the Card. There are also ones that are either completely obtrusive or in a horrible state that detract from the very items we all hold sacred, the actual toy itself.

Most people who collect for the most part care for and look after their items ( Ugraders excluded ) but there are always differing levels of commitment to the cause. Guess it's a bit like a Vegetarian vs a Vegan :lol:

 

[Stargeezer]

I can add if you have never done it try it ok some cardbacks first. Also some price tags come off pretty easy Whilst others, do not tend to come off at all.
I can echo Joe and say if the sticker is in good condition and not distracting or On a distracting point On the Card, better just leave it as is, a Card is pretty quick ruined... I had some great succes in the past, but i ruined 1 or 2 aswell to.

Also as mentioned before a price tag also is part of the history off the moc.
I Didn't used to like them before, but now i don't mind a price tag if it is not distracting the look off the moc.

Shouldn't we also add some "price tag removal went wrong" pictures aswell, so people will be aware off the Flip Side of the coin to?

 

[Bramistuta25]

Hi guys.

Some useful info. My stance is that if they are neat and non obtrusive then they stay. My only problem is the hideous orange toys r us stickers, which are usually a bastard to remove.

If anyone has some ideas on how to get then ones off please let me know. If you get time a step by step with pics guide would be very helpful!

Please...

Bram

 

[poncho]

i like price stickers on moc they add history. though were a sticker has been half removed and made a mess left residue i have removed with good results

bram asked me on toysrus sticker removal via pm a few weeks back and i have tried it with mixed results on my cardback collection i shall post my results on here soon.

the orange toysrus stickers are awful and ruin moc's imo

 

[Kenner76]

Hairdryer and patience

I've used this method several times, it works with most types of price tags. I would avoid doing this with the orange TRUS tags though, those are buggers to get off. I personally like the look of those though. Just make sue to use a magazine or something to keep the heat away from the bubble...