People are usually surprised twice here: once by how much a boxed piece is worth, and once by how little the same piece is worth loose.
What moves the number
The box, for anything issued boxed — creases, shelf wear, a crushed corner, a torn window.
Completeness — accessories, instructions, inserts, the inner tray.
Whether it was played with, said honestly.
Original parts, with any reproduction declared.
Why two of the same differ
One listing shows every face of the box and the contents laid out. The other shows the front. Collectors in this category are buying the packaging as much as the piece. Describing toy condition.
How to find out rather than guess
Compare completed sales in the same state — sealed, mint in box, complete loose, played with. A loose figure priced against boxed sales produces a number that will not happen.
Yellowing, sunlight and storage
Plastic yellows and it does not come back. Storage is part of worth in this category, and a piece kept out of the light for twenty years is worth more than the same piece on a sunny shelf.
Questions people ask
Should I open a sealed item to check it?
No. Sealed has its own value and opening it spends that.
Is a crushed box still worth selling?
Yes, described as crushed. Plenty of buyers want the piece and not the packaging.
What about a box of loose toys?
A lot, counted. It sells, and it brings people into the room.