For preservation should I leave minifig hands in torso or remove them for long term storage?

[Mistresspaige7120]

I have a few older figs I’m looking to store away and preserve and was wondering what’s the best method to store them? I’ve disassembled the head, torso and legs but should I also remove the hands too? Or am I doing more harm than good since they arnt supposed to be removed due to how they’re designed. Ie. Like you shouldn’t remove the arms since it can damage figs overtime. 
 

Im assuming leave them in since all torsos are manufactured with them in and really old sealed sets would still have them in the arms of the Minifigs anyway and they’re usually fine.

[Murdoch17]

I'd say leave them in unless you actively need to swap them out. Otherwise your run the risk of loosening the joint, or (if it's old enough) shattering parts as stuff from 2008 to 2019 in reddish brown, dark red, dark brown, dark blue, and blue (among other colors) can be VERY brittle. For example: My brother's dark red Frodo Baggins torso from 'Riddles for the Ring' shattered the arm and arm socket while swapping hands for the first time! I hope this info helps you @Mistresspaige7120!

Edited October 27, 2025 by Murdoch17

[MAB]

Leave them in.

If you want to preserve them, it might be best to place them in a dark box with padding so they don't rub against other parts, then keep that in a place where the temperature does not fluctuate. But that is not much fun. Personally, I prefer minifigures to be displayed and enjoyed rather than sealed away. There is little point in preserving them if they are never going to be enjoyed. Of course, there is a big difference between assembling and displaying them to actually playing with them. Playing is more likely to damage them, but if that is what they were bought for, then they should be played with too.

[Kit Figsto]

On 10/27/2025 at 6:47 AM, MAB said:

Leave them in.

If you want to preserve them, it might be best to place them in a dark box with padding so they don't rub against other parts, then keep that in a place where the temperature does not fluctuate. But that is not much fun. Personally, I prefer minifigures to be displayed and enjoyed rather than sealed away. There is little point in preserving them if they are never going to be enjoyed. Of course, there is a big difference between assembling and displaying them to actually playing with them. Playing is more likely to damage them, but if that is what they were bought for, then they should be played with too.

I would agree.  I've noticed a lot of people on Instagram/YouTube/Reddit (especially LSW collectors) have started to not fully attach the torsos to the legs to prevent cracking.  I just think the idea of using this toy as an investment that you have to preserve is, well, a bit silly.  Why not enjoy it as it's meant to be enjoyed?  I've been collecting LEGO for about 20 years now and I've only come across two torsos that have cracked - one was from a set from 2005 that I've owned for 20 years, and the other was a late 90s Arctic set that I bought sealed last year on eBay and was probably stored in a hot attic/garage, because the tires were very goopy, one of the minifigures' arms basically exploded when I tried to move it, and one of the 1x2 grill tiles also had the middle bar piece snap.  It's unfortunate when that happens, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.

[MAB]

13 hours ago, Kit Figsto said:

I would agree.  I've noticed a lot of people on Instagram/YouTube/Reddit (especially LSW collectors) have started to not fully attach the torsos to the legs to prevent cracking.  I just think the idea of using this toy as an investment that you have to preserve is, well, a bit silly.  Why not enjoy it as it's meant to be enjoyed? 

I think there is a difference between a collector and an investor,  even if both roles are the same person. I do both. Sets / minifigures / parts in my collection,  I build and display. Sets and minifigures bought for investment,  I don't assemble. There is no need to assemble investment minifigures. I keep them as new and let the buyer do it.

[DonQuixote]

12 hours ago, MAB said:

I think there is a difference between a collector and an investor,  even if both roles are the same person. I do both. Sets / minifigures / parts in my collection,  I build and display. Sets and minifigures bought for investment,  I don't assemble. There is no need to assemble investment minifigures. I keep them as new and let the buyer do it.

I'm a collector.  Everything I buy,  will be build and displayed. Or dismanteled or sold when I get tired of it.

And if I sell, I'll be always the half of what Lego asks. I have had may buyers buying my second Lego saying : 'wow, you're one of the few that sells for a fair price and isn't greedy '. I thank them for the compliment. 

This year I sold all my modulars because I am not interested in collecting Lego modulars anymore. (space probem)I just keep it with classic themes.Don't care about Lego investing. 

[MAB]

5 minutes ago, DonQuixote said:

I'm a collector.  Everything I buy,  will be build and displayed. Or dismanteled or sold when I get tired of it.

And if I sell, I'll be always the half of what Lego asks. I have had may buyers buying my second Lego saying : 'wow, you're one of the few that sells for a fair price and isn't greedy '. I thank them for the compliment. 

This year I sold all my modulars because I am not interested in collecting Lego modulars anymore. (space probem)I just keep it with classic themes.Don't care about Lego investing. 

That's fine. If you buy them to enjoy and enjoy them, and are then happy with the price you get when you sell them, then it does what you wanted it to do. Whereas if someone invests in LEGO and keeps new sets new to sell, or buys up old sets at 50% of retail price and then flips them for instant profit, it does what they want to do.