Starting My Vintage Collection! Plastic Yellowing?

[wav]

Hello Everyone,
Just discovered this forum today and since I recently started collecting vintage Star Wars figures, I decided to join.

I'm new to this and since I've been looking on eBay I see a lot of very nice looking figures with great paint and tight joints, but the plastic has turned a little yellow. Just wondering if I should continue to look for Stormtroopers that are truly white all over, or would that be pointless because even if I find a white Stormtrooper, due to age it will also start to yellow eventually? I realize that figures that don't have any discolouration will probably be harder to find and, of course be more expensive, but I would be willing to be patient and spend more, if it meant I'd have a nicer looking collection. And, of course if it would possibly stay that way. I really wouldn't want to, for example, put all the effort into finding an ANH Leia that is all mint and white, only to have it start to turn a little yellow in a couple of years or so.

I realize that the age of these figures is why the discolouration happens, I just wonder if it's at all preventable with proper care and how they are displayed or should I just get right on eBay and start buying figures that have already started to yellow a bit because that's what's going to happen to any Star Wars figure that has white plastic anyway?

Thanks a lot for any info or tips and I look forward to participating on this forum!

 

[Section 8]

If you look after them and store or display them in the right environment then they will stay white for the foreseeable future. Often the figures are discoloured due to being left i direct sunlight or due to chemical reactions with something they are touching. ie being left in a plastic bag.

Keep them out of sunlight, contact with other reactive materials, heat variation, damp & mould then you should have a nice display for years to come.

There are bound to be more detailed threads about the causes etc so do a quick forum search for yellowing etc and I'm sure a discussion will come up.

 

[JuniorChubb]

Hi Wav welcome to SWFUK...

There are white Stormies out there for you, be wary though as there are a few fake ones about and these are especially white...

See this thread for help http://www.starwarsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14463&hilit=poon

If you want to remove yellowing from your troopers there are ways and means, but that is for you to research and decide upon yourself,

Good luck

 

[wav]

Thanks a lot for the responses. I'll definitely do some searching for info.

I'm very excited to start building a vintage collection!

I've actually been collecting the Hasbro stuff years now. However, when I recently moved into a house with the perfect basement for my mancave and finally displayed my collection, it was rather underwhelming. I even thought to maybe just sell everything. Then I realized that what I really wanted was the nostalgia of the toys I had as kid in the 70s and 80s. The Hasbro stuff, while very nice, just wasn't what I really wanted.

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Welcome to SWFUK Wav. Look forward to your collection growing. Did you get my PM? (Top right hand corner)

 

[Dublinjeff]

Welcome to the forum..... Best of luck with the vintage hunt!

 

[SublevelStudios]

Welcome aboard the boards.

As mentioned, white troopers are available, check out the classified thread, ChazB, Iain and a few of the other guys regularly have great loose figures for sale at the right price.

Keep it vintage and steer clear of repro!

 

[Robstyley]

Hey mate, I wouldn't worry too much about yellowing. I think it is mostly caused by sunlight. I keep my loose collection in a cabinet behind perspex and I've had no probs. If you're putting them in the basement that'll be ideal. Plenty of white figures available too! Loose figure collecting is a great journey to go on and very rewarding. I think you have the right idea, take your time and hold out for the best quality figures, that's what I do :wink:

 

[Clarkspie&chips]

Section 8 is right, I recently went through my childhood collection which had been stored in plastic sandwich bags since the mid 90's and quite a few of them had yellowed. Most are easily replaced but Luke stormy and Han Carbonite are going to hurt.
Much better to have them out on display (out of direct sunlight of course) for their sake and you'll enjoy them immeasurably more.

 

[Michael Sith]

Welcome aboard

Yellowing is part of the hobby, it's down to the individual collector on what is wanted ( minty white trooper, or yellowed for example).

Childhood collections are the thing that most collectors regret not still having, for those lucky to have them or pieces from their childhood collection, yellowing becomes inconsequential as it is THEIR childhood figure ( doesn't get any better than that).

When sourcing on here the FS threads are great, brilliant prices and you know your not getting any repro or dodgy stuff! As has been said Chaz B and Iain have some great figures up FS in their threads and are both top trustworthy sellers on here.

Good luck with the search and welcome again

 

[wav]

Welcome to SWFUK Wav. Look forward to your collection growing. Did you get my PM? (Top right hand corner)

Yep, just saw your pm now.

 

[wav]

Welcome aboard the boards.

As mentioned, white troopers are available, check out the classified thread, ChazB, Iain and a few of the other guys regularly have great loose figures for sale at the right price.

Keep it vintage and steer clear of repro!

Thanks, I'm really happy to hear that there are white figures out there! I've only been checking eBay, but I'll definitely head over to the classified thread now!

I went a little crazy and bought a ton of loose figures on eBay. Some of the Stormtroopers look like they have slightly yellowed limbs, but I thought I'd try the hydrogen peroxide trick I've just read about - see how they come out. If I'm not satisfied, I'll be on the lookout for some all white ones.

I'm also awaiting the arrival of a Kenner Death Star, Vader's Tie Fighter... And a Return of the Jedi Millennium Falcon just arrived in the mail! I can't wait to open this bad boy up !

 

[wav]

Hey mate, I wouldn't worry too much about yellowing. I think it is mostly caused by sunlight. I keep my loose collection in a cabinet behind perspex and I've had no probs. If you're putting them in the basement that'll be ideal. Plenty of white figures available too! Loose figure collecting is a great journey to go on and very rewarding. I think you have the right idea, take your time and hold out for the best quality figures, that's what I do :wink:

I'm just finishing off some Ikea Besta cabinets for the basement. It's a walkout basement, but I'll be getting some blackout blinds soon. Hope that'll be enough.

 

[wav]

Section 8 is right, I recently went through my childhood collection which had been stored in plastic sandwich bags since the mid 90's and quite a few of them had yellowed. Most are easily replaced but Luke stormy and Han Carbonite are going to hurt.
Much better to have them out on display (out of direct sunlight of course) for their sake and you'll enjoy them immeasurably more.

That explains why some of the Super Powers figures I had in plastic zip lock bags have discoloured and are a little sticky feeling. Oh, the irony! I knew I'd have to store them away for a few years, so I thought the safest place for them would be in those air tight bags. I wonder what other surprises I'll find as I unpack my collection for display.

 

[SAVORY100]

I think by luck rather than judgement I had all mine in shoe boxes layered with kitchen roll rather than plastic bags, thankfully they all seemed to have survived ok with minimal to zero yellowing. Glad I've now got them on stands behind glass though, both for their future preservation and so I can enjoy them all!

 

[Clarkspie&chips]

Mine were all sticky as well so the plastic bag explains it - I thought it was some disgusting teenage residue I'd left on them!!!