Collection questions

[Coleman]

I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions as to how I can remove stickers from boxes / manuals / and labels without damaging the object the label was attached to. I'm sure we have all encountered that great ultra rare game that we want to buy only it is covered in anti theft video rental store stickers that are really difficult to remove. Sometimes it is not directly on the label but other times...

Also I wanted to see how the collectors in general feel about label replacements. If I print out a profesional looking label that is pretty identical to the original would that cause you to be less interested in owning the cart as a part of your collection or would you be more interested in it since the label is in better condition and doesn't look any different than the original except that it is new.

I started considering this when looking at all of my activision games for the 2600 and I was thinking about replacing the labels since the glue spots are pretty bad on some of them, but I don't want to detract from the "collectability" of an item.

[NES_Rules]

I'm not a serious collector so if a game has a sticker on the label, I just leave it on. If I ever sell it, I'll leave it up to the buyer if they want to risk removing it. If its just on the cartridge itself, I just remove it with some rubbing alcohol.

I've found that most of those security stickers are better to just leave on, usually I can never get them off completely no matter what I use to get it off.

[PapaStu]

Label replacing is only going to devalue the game in my opinion. I wouldn't buy a game with a replaced label on it.

People buy things due to their originality. I've seen plenty of 'rare' games with bad labels sell because people want the rare game and are often willing to put up with a bad label to get the game.

[InsaneDavid]

I started considering this when looking at all of my activision games for the 2600 and I was thinking about replacing the labels since the glue spots are pretty bad on some of them, but I don't want to detract from the "collectability" of an item.

Aww.. but we love Actiplaque. ;) I only replace a label on a game if it's missing completely or only like 10% - 15% of it is there.

[qbertandernie]

id pass on a game i knew to have a replaced label.

as for sticker removal? wd-40 works great on gloss labels(nes snes type) just spray it on an old t shirt after peeling the sticker off REALLY SLOWLY, then rub till the sticky comes off. the adhesive will come off like a dream. genesis and game boy labels will be completely rocked by this method, as it removes all of the color for some reason. on plastic this method works remarkably well, though youll have to work hard to get those damn aluminized stickers off.
the great CMOSFM(who once frequented these boards) used to use cologne...cheap flea market cologne i think, and he swore by it.

[MrRoboto19XX]

I might buy a cart with a replacement label, but only if I already owned a copy, and the replacement looked just like the original.

Id do this mainly so it would fit in with all the other nice looking labels on my shelf.

Oh, and the game would have to be cheap.

[Cmosfm]

id pass on a game i knew to have a replaced label.

as for sticker removal? wd-40 works great on gloss labels(nes snes type) just spray it on an old t shirt after peeling the sticker off REALLY SLOWLY, then rub till the sticky comes off. the adhesive will come off like a dream. genesis and game boy labels will be completely rocked by this method, as it removes all of the color for some reason. on plastic this method works remarkably well, though youll have to work hard to get those damn aluminized stickers off.
the great CMOSFM(who once frequented these boards) used to use cologne...cheap flea market cologne i think, and he swore by it.

I still frequent, just too busy with UNO on Xbox Live...I use a 400.00 console to play UNO online. What the hell?

[theshizzle3000]

Stickers are really not that big of a deal compared to ones that end up with masking tape on them. This frequently happens to me when I go to thriftstores to buy games. I find that they love slapping tags on things with tape. I mean what the hell are they thinking. I understand that they really could care less but I do not think they realize the sales they could make if they just found a easier method to label the carts.....I however mind this less than when they slap the price on with permanent markers....God that grinds my gears.

[cyberfluxor]

I still frequent, just too busy with UNO on Xbox Live...I use a 400.00 console to play UNO online. What the hell?
LOL Good stuff.

I stay clear of games with stickers on them unless they are so cheap there's really not much to lose if I screw up one day taking it off. If it's on the cartridge cover or on a disc with that aluminum Block Buster crap I stay clear away for sure, just not worth it period.

[Slate]

Yesterday I removed a LOT of old EB labels (The ones that don't come off easily) From 15 or 20 games I bought from EB. I just used a hair dryer to heat the labels up and they came right off. A couple of them still needed to be taken off from a certain angle, But it's better then using googone.

As long as, Of course, You don't have the hair dryer too close to the game. Midtown madness 3 suffered.

[tholly]

I will also swear by the use of cologne.....it works wonders at taking off sharpie marker writing.

I use Goo Gone and / or lighter fluid to remove stickers....both work great.

Light hair dryer heat will also help with label removal...just don't burn the item below.

Usually you can remove anything without damaging an item....i have gotten off the metal label void stickers and the full cd disc covers without any damage to the item beneith....just take your time....




As for relabels, you couldn't convince me to take one from you for free, let alone buy one.....once the original label is gone, the item is worth nothing.....actually, in the case of a relabel, you might have to pay me to take the item off your hands....

[Cambot]

Most, if not all, of these things have happened to me. I don't mind the thrift store ladies writing on the item with that red grease pencil/crayon stuff, but it will be just my luck to find Stadium Events or a boxed and complete Earthbound with "$2.98" written right on it with broad-tip permanent marker.

[Cambot]

Sorry to double post, but I couldn't find the edit button.

A recent example:

I found this ad in Craigslist for used games at a local consignment shop. I stopped by there and saw a bunch of SNES and Genesis loose carts for, like, five dollars each. I figured unless there's a game I really want to buy, this is probably too much for these older games. And then, as if on cue, I found Aerobiz: Supersonic. I asked to see it and found that it was in pretty good shape, but had that thick, clear tape libraries and video rental places put over the face of the entire CD/cartridge and a small round label stcker with some catalog ID number written on it underneath the clear tape, all completely covering the original cart label. I bought it and took it home and went to work carefully pulling the clear tape. I got it all off without tearing the label, luckily. Unfortunatley, the back lable with the precaution information written on it suffered a small white tear about 2 square centimeters.

Here's the result:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/ckeene/DSCN1206.jpg[/i]