To Open, or Not to Open: A Most PuZzLing Laserium Dilemma!

[CountFunkula]

A rather remarkable eBay score showed up in my mailbox today: an original still-in-the-shrink-wrap 500 piece LASERIUM jigsaw puzzle!



Before opening the [shipping] box, I was already psyched that the puzzle included all 500 pieces.

...Upon opening, my jaw dropped- it was LITERALLY in perfect condition, save for a few tears in the shrink wrap!

I've never been the type to keep toys in their boxes and believe in enjoying things as their creators intended.
However, considering WHAT this is and the ABSOLUTELY perfect condition it is in...I don't know!

I'd love to "work my mind into a laser frenzy putting this together" but I'm not sure if I should even OPEN it!

Sure, there is something to be said for having something like this still in the shrink wrap, but I think it might be tragic to never see that lush lumia in its full 18"x24" glory!

I'm torn...do I open this and put together this totally RAD puzzle or not?!

Thoughts? Words of wisdom?

notes:
1) I was originally going to photograph the puzzle on the kitchen floor, but I heard a voice coming from inside the box that said "Nooooo! Not here! I belong on that glorious shag rug!"

2) According to an educated estimate informed by a 1975 Sears Catalog, I bought this puzzle for close to what it may have cost in 1976...adjusted for inflation, of course!

3) A similar Lumia , courtesy of Laserium's online gallery

[absolom7691]

I too am not one to leave things in the box. The thing is, what does it mean to you? Collectors have several frames of mind which I don't understand. Some want it for an investment. They will keep it pristine in the box until it appreciates to a value that will be a good sell, this I understand. If there is no intention on selling, then it is YOURS. It becomes monetarily worthless because you will never be selling it. It is yours to enjoy in any way you want to enjoy it. Unless you will be selling it, why keep it in the box to retain its monetary value? If you are going to donate to a museum, then sure, keep it in the box. I don't understand the idea that collectors will keep something in the box but will never sell it because if what it means to them. At that point, it becomes a "look what I have, this is how much it's worth so I will keep it" item. IDK, I guess that's why I don't collect stuff to put behind glass for bragging rights. I understand preserving things and all but if it is yours, it's yours. Besides, unless you plan on destroying it, it will still be what it is.

Just my $.02

P.S. If it is causing too much trouble, I will gladly take it

[CountFunkula]

Thanks for the perspective and ultimately affirming my initial feelings

It's not every day that one is presented with this sort of time capsule...that's probably where a good amount of my personal second-guessing came from.
I DID get this puzzle to build, after all!

The unboxing might end up being the coolest part of this find for me- It's the closest I'll get to time travel in the immediate future

I never thought I'd utter this phrase, but this is a Special Occasion Puzzle!


...the kind of special occasion puzzle that I build when I need to astral-project myself to the 1976 Griffith Park Observatory [gift shop].

[Displaser]

Open it!!!!

[Bradfo69]

I know!!! Keep it sealed and donate it as a doorprize for SELEM next year!


Yeah, I appreciate the dilemma. As some of you can surmise, I can be a pack rat about certain things. Some of those things include items that I've hung on to because they should increase in value and that I could sell them someday in the future. Evil Kenival toys, GI Joe and what not. O Guage Lionel train stuff, etc. and the funny thing is, it's been been a pain dragging from house to house. It doesn't bring "joy". It's only worth what someone will pay. And, chances are I'll be dead before I ever think about actually selling them and leave Matthew or who ever to sort through it all when I'm gone. Knowing him as I do, the final resting place will probably be in a roll off dumpster so... you're probably better off making a special evening of it as you suggested and put the damn thing together. Jon probably has a dusty unsold box of them buried somewhere. Probably covering my Sabre.

[Eidetic]

If you open it and build the puzzle, be sure to frame it properly for preservation. Can't remember why I let that one pass by, but do want one for my collection, built or boxed. I wouldn't place any premium on it being complete in the box. It's not a Barbie. In the box, the box is being displayed and it doesn't matter if it's empty. If you build it, please keep the box in pristine condition too! Just remember, an incomplete reconstruction will be worth much less than one that's complete.

[CountFunkula]

... Just remember, an incomplete reconstruction will be worth much less than one that's complete.

I would NEVER dishonor this puzzle like that!

As I'm going to make an event/occasion out of unboxing and constructing this puzzle, I am considering doing a time-lapse of the "work your mind into a laser-frenzy putting this together" part.

[laserist]

As I recall those puzzles were a bit harder than you might expect due to the number of pieces that are completely black...

[absolom7691]

Did you ever put your puzzle together? The only reason I ask is because I just scored as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=351024822044

Can't wait for these to arrive!

[TechJunkie]

OK, its worth $10. So open it already!!! Have fun and joy tripping back in time. Then you cant dismantle it, and have the fun all over again.