What to Do When You Get Hirono Blind Box Duplicates (Trade, Sell, or Customize?)

Expecting to receive duplicates in every new blind box you’ve purchased is almost a custom for Hirono blind box collectors. Every new box is guaranteed to come with a fun little figure, but that novelty is short lived when you realize you’ve received a figure you already own. Before sad acceptance kicks in, you need to realize that duplicate figures don’t have to sit around collecting dust. You can actually do a few fun things with them.

Trading is usually the most efficient option that collectors engage with, and is actually really enjoyable. There are plenty of Hirono blind box figure collectors that frequent social media trading groups or forum communities. Finding a trading partner often only requires posting a photo of the figure in question, the series name, and a description of the figure’s condition to find a listing that matches the quality of a trade. Keeping the original box and card that comes with the figure usually increases the trade value of a figure.

Selling duplicates represents another way to get some value from figures that don’t hold any meaning to you. In addition to creating funds for more blind boxes, selling duplicates is especially relevant for figures that were once part of early Hirono series but are starting to fall out of circulation. To maximize revenue when selling, you are best served to evaluate the prices other users have recently sold their figures for rather than the ones they are currently listing. While selling duplicates is often only marginally profitable, it can ease the sadness of pulling another duplicate.

Why would someone repaint a figure? Because of the thrill of engaging in D.I.Y. activities. Although some collectors may prefer Hirono figures in original packaging, others view extra figures as an opportunity to create or customize one. Altering a spare Hirono figure complete with paint, new accessories, or by enhancing or changing the theme provides a blank canvas for creators to express new ideas. This like a feeling some collectors obtain from purchasing a lot of figures to counter the anxiety of assuming they would “ruin” a figure by using hacks or paint.

In the blind box collecting experience, duplicates are often viewed as negative. In the Hirono World, duplicates unlock potential each time they are traded, sold, or creatively modified; collecting, especially Hirono figures, is about engaging with the world.