Plastic Toy SoldiersToy soldiers have been around in many forms since the days of the pharaohs in Egypt, but it wasn't until after World War II that some manufacturers decided to make the figures out of plastic as a cheaper and more child-friendly alternative to the lead figures that had been so popular previously. Marketed as bagged sets of twenty or more unpainted plastic figures for less than a dollar, it was easy for kids to buy a whole army in little or no time at all, and their success launched the introduction of painted plastic toy soldiers, which soon became the favorite toy of children and adult history buffs alike. Playsets for toy soldiers were the next to appear on the scene, and using these backdrops and accessories to build an entire battleground became a passion for many boys and some adults, especially those who enjoyed miniatures or train sets. The ever-popular Civil War toy soldiers were perfect for this type of fun. In the late 1980s, interest in the wide world of plastic toy soldiers was growing once more, thanks to "baby boomer" collectors of the 1960s who had since grown up and were now looking to rebuild the collections they once loved and had lost over the years, or whose toy soldiers plastic pieces had become melted or broken as "casualties of war." These days, the world of toy soldiers is no longer thought of as strictly a kids' pastime. In fact, with the advent of video games and the political incorrectness of war games, the majority of the people who play with and collect plastic soldiers now are adults who have a great love for history, miniatures, or both. Well known companies such as Conte Collectibles are still producing wonderful toy soldiers plastic playsets and even coming out with new accessories for the discerning collectors who want to make their battlegrounds as accurate as possible. Modern plastic toy soldiers are also painstakingly molded to make them look more like real people, with paint jobs and details that make the plastic soldiers seem to come alive in a way never dreamed of by the original makers. Unfortunately for those who love the nostalgia factor, finding modern plastic toy soldiers that are decent reproductions of the original, beloved unpainted plastic toy soldiers can be difficult unless you're willing to compromise a little on price. Cheap bags of plastic soldiers can still be purchased at most stores, but they lack the quality of their early predecessors, so if you're looking for more authentic reproductions you're going to have to do a little digging. Thankfully, much like many of the other popular collectible arenas, the Internet has transformed the collecting of toy soldiers plastic and otherwise, allowing groups of enthusiasts to find others who share their interests and best of all, easy access to buying new toy soldiers and playsets! There are literally thousands of toy soldiers available on online auction sites, as well as bringing to attention many of the wonderful stores that specialize in toy soldiers that were previously quite hard for collectors to find. For lovers of old and modern plastic toy soldiers and all the accessories and other fun stuff that goes with them, it can be a little disheartening to hear some of the younger generation say that they've never heard of plastic soldiers. However, more and more people are becoming interested in this age old pastime, so there's no danger of it fading into obscurity any time soon. |