Scale
Toy soldiers can be as small as 1/2" or as large as
12". The most popular scale for toy soldier collectors
is about 2 1/4" high. This scale is known as 54mm or
1/32nd. 54mm scale soldiers are big enough to have a good
deal of detail, yet small enough to allow you to play with
lots of them in a small space. This is the scale that most
people visualize when they see a toy soldier in their mind's
eye. We specialize in this scale. There are more metal and
plastic figures produced in this scale than any other. While
we carry plastic soldiers in many different scales, we stock
only 54mm metal figures.
The 2nd most popular scale is about 3/4" high. This is
known as HO (pronounced as 2 letters: H - O), and
incorporates 1/72nd, 1/76th and 1/87th scales. HO scale is
popular with wargamers (see below), as the small size allows
for a great many figures in a small space. Detail is limited
and HO figures are not well suited to display. Although
there are HO metal figures made, we stock only plastic HO
figures.
Some plastic lines like Marx Warriors of the World and
many European figures, are in 60mm scale (about 2 1/2 inches
tall). There are far fewer figures cast in 60mm than 54mm.
Most collectors mix the two scales, as a 60mm figure is only
10% larger than a 54mm guy is. Others wouldn't consider
mixing scales, so it's a matter of personal preference. The
largest scale we carry is 70mm (about 3 inches tall), and,
again, some mix them with 54mm, some mix them with 60mm and
some are purists and don't mix at all. If you're looking for
figures that are smaller than 1" or larger than
3", you'll need to look elsewhere.
View Scale
Demo Photograph
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There are a great many materials that have been used to
make toy soldiers, but we specialize in plastic and metal.
We say 'metal' rather than 'lead' because, since 1966, lead
has been banned from use in toys. The metal, often tin, used
in soldiers since then is considered non-toxic.
Nevertheless, METAL TOY SOLDIERS MAY NOT BE SOLD TO CHILDREN
UNDER THE AGE OF 14. Metal figures are generally more
expensive per figure and more fragile. They are suited to
display. Plastic figures, whether painted or unpainted, are
considerably cheaper and generally more rugged.
The quality of plastic varies depending on the
manufacturer and the vintage of the figure. Hard plastic,
which is more brittle, has rarely been used for figures but
is often used for accessories like houses and artillery
pieces. Most of our figures are cast in soft plastic, which
is less breakable and by far the first choice of collectors.
UNLESS OTHERWISE MENTIONED, ALL figures we describe as
plastic are soft plastic.
If you seek figures made of wood or rubber, you'll need
to look elsewhere. The figures we carry are always fully
rounded, that is, three-dimensional. If you are looking for
flats, semi-flats or semi-rounded figures, you'll need to
look elsewhere.
Eras
As you start to use our search function to find soldiers,
you'll see many eras listed. Soldiers have been cast for
eras ranging from ancient Greece and Rome, and figures from
'pre-history', right through to the 20th Century. Very few
figures have been devoted to military conflicts since World
War II. The most popular era for soldier collectors is the
American Civil War, followed closely by World War II, The
Middle Ages, The Napoleonic Era and the American Revolution.
Manufacturers
Collectors often have a special fondness for particular
soldier makers. Of these, Marx tops the list. In both metal
and plastic, soldiers of different manufacturers can be
mixed together. By using the search function you can see
lines that work well together from the same era.
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Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Carthage, Troy, the Gallic Tribes,
Saxons, Normans, Vikings, the Crusades, Robin Hood, the Age of
Chivalry, The Renaissance, The English Civil War, The Age of Piracy,
The Highland Rebellions, The 7 Years’ War (and its related American
sub-drama The French and Indian War), the American Revolution, The
French Revolution, The War of 1812, The Barbary Pirates, The Alamo,
The Mexican/American War, The Civil War, The American West, The Era of
Colonial Expansion (including the British in India, Africa, China and
Afghanistan, and the French in Mexico, Morocco, Africa and Indo
China), The Spanish/American War, The First World War, The Second
World War, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Cold War and the Space
Age.
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Ever since the first child threw a pencil at a group of toy
soldiers, people have been wargaming. Whether you plink at
your guys with a rubber band gun, shoot matchsticks out of a
toy cannon or use organized rules and dice to determine
combat, you are practicing some form of war gaming. Jamie
has been a devoted gamer since the age of 10, first with
pencils and matchsticks, then with more traditional rule
systems. He will be happy to advise you on what rules you
might find interesting, including his own, "Harold's
Rangers" rulebook, which allows you to use your own toy
soldiers to fight skirmishes on a tabletop. You'll find
these and other wargame rules and supplies (dice, rubber
band guns, movement boards, etc) in the "Paints,
Books & More" section of this site.
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Although most of our customers are adults, in the past
few years more parents have been calling, seeking toy
soldiers for their children. For some, this is a throwback
to their own youths, as most of our customers are either
continuing the collections they began as children or are
rebuilding the ones their mothers threw out or gave away.
These parents wish to share the joy and adventure of toy
soldiers which they had (and still have) with their kids.
For others, giving soldiers to children is a calculated
reaction to the ultra-violent world of contemporary action
figures. Others give their kids soldiers as an outgrowth of
the children's interest in history, incorporating the
figures into setups related to books or school projects.
Even nicer still, parents who find their way to us report
that their children are just "into" toy soldiers!
And, they can find no resources since most of the toy and
hobby stores don't carry any soldiers beyond a bucket of
poorly cast G.I's.
Safety Issues
We strongly recommend the purchase of plastic figures for
children. Plastic is better suited to play than metal,
plastic figures are generally much cheaper than metal, and
most of all, for safety reasons, METAL TOY SOLDIERS MAY NOT
BE SOLD TO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14.
What to choose
The best place to start, for most children, is a Toy Soldier
Company playset. This is a boxed "instant
collection," containing unpainted plastic figures from
two opposing sides in a conflict, plus accessories like
artillery and buildings. On the other hand, many relatives
and godparents have the tradition of buying metals as a
long-term investment for children. To these gift-givers we
suggest Limited Edition metal sets. Britains, Conte,
Imperial and Tradition all produce these.
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Making Choices
Especially at Christmas time, we are constantly helping
relatives and friends to choose soldiers as gifts.
Unfortunately, we don't yet have a database to track each
customer's purchases, so we can't tell you what the
recipient already owns. If you don't have access to a wish
list (and we do suggest strongly to our customers that they
either present them to you or casually "leave them
lying around!"), you'd do well to get as much
information from the recipient as possible. Please feel free
to call us if you are stumped.
Time and financial considerations
Please read through our shipping policy pages. We do our
best to fill our orders speedily, and to give realistic time
frames for delivery. If time is short, you will need to pay
for UPS Next Day or 2nd Day Air Delivery, which requires an
additional shipping charge. To avoid these fees, please
place your order as early as possible. We also encourage you
to read our comprehensive return policy.
Call for help
You might do well to call and speak to Jamie, the owner,
during regular phone hours: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm
E.S.T., Tuesdays late until 10pm E.S.T. He can help you
decide what sort of soldiers you might be interested in,
especially if you're looking to buy a gift and are working
on a budget.
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We are often contacted about school projects, usually by
parents. Economy and speed are almost always the highest
priorities. Since most projects involve a display of a
battle, we strongly recommend the purchase of two sets of
unpainted 54mm plastic soldiers, one for each side. Browse
through accessories if you'd like to purchase cannon or
trees, but remember that lots of different scenic effects
can be made at home that will be perfectly satisfactory for
the purpose. If your budget will allow, playsets are well
suited to an impressive set up. We welcome direct phone
inquires about your children's forthcoming projects, and are
glad to offer concrete advice based on 40 years' experience
of quick and easy ways to prepare and present your dioramas.
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Home Schooling
Quite a few parents contact us each year about providing materials for home schooling their children. Unlike school projects, home schooling materials are intended not to illustrate a moment in time, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill or Pickett's Charge, but to give the student the opportunity of seeing what people looked like in certain time periods, and being able to learn through playing with our products. We urge home schooling parents to call Jamie and discuss your plans for the "school year." He's a history buff to the core, and will be glad to spend some time with you in order to help your kids.
Time and financial considerations
Please familiarize yourself with our shipping schedule. We
do ship speedily, generally within 3-5 days on charge and
money orders, but if there is a last-minute concern, you
will have to pay for UPS Air service. Please place your
order as soon as possible to avoid these fees.
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