Originally Posted by
dwing
And how do you what's in the box is really what's supposed to be in the box if you don't open the box?
Well, it's a bit harder for cycling equipment than classic toys, which is what I have a background in collecting. Usually the figures are on a card and you can physically see the toy through the plastic. Obviously not so with a box, but the same problem applies to larger toys.
Typically if a box that is decades old is truly sealed, it has old tape to match that hasn't been tampered with. A thorough inspection is usually necessary and anyone advertising unopened collectibles should know that photos of sealed areas are critical to valuation.