I have an unused copy of 1.0 CE, is there anyway I can still reap the rewards?

So I love Final Fantasy games so I always get the latest when they come out. Collectors Editions if I can. Unfortunately at the time I was not in a position to be able to play 1.0 so the box just sat there. Around mid last year I picked up the box again and decided it was time. Put in the disc, installed the game only to find it was unuseable as 1.0 had been taken down. I eagerly awaited ARR and got it as soon as I could, now I hear that there are benefits to having a 1.0 character and I was wondering if I could reap those benefits on my current account even though it was created after ARR?

If you mean Legacy benefits, it was for paying certain amount of months during 1.0, so if you didn't you won't be able to get those. Also, old unused 1.0 codes are treated as normal ARR ones (you get the 30 days too, if I'm not mistaken). I think that you can get your CE items too, but I'm not sure about that one.

Yeah, the Legacy campaign is finished so you can't attain the bonuses Legacy members got. However, your 1.0 CE would still work like an ARR version, by registering the code it will accept it as an ARR collector's edition, meaning you'll not only have access to the ARR bonus items (Behemoth minion, Helm of Light, Coruel mount, and Behemoth barding for your chocobo), you'll also have the Onion Helm that was the bonus item with the 1.0 CE. I'm not sure if you can use those items with your existing account however.

There is a code in the box for you to obtain the Onion Helm, though I believe registering the 1.0 CE still gives you the 2.0 CE items as well. However, I'm unsure whether or not the Onion Helm code will still work now or if it's reached it's expiration date at this point.