How to Select a G.I. Joe Toy

G.I. Joe started off as a comic strip for the military in 1942, during World War II. In 1964, Hasbro created a line of military action figures and called the line G.I. Joe. The initial release featured four action figures, each one representing a branch of the four armed forces.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Select a G.I. Joe Toy

1. Visit the official G.I. Joe website at Hasbro.com (see Resources below). You can learn more about the brand, look through the available toys and even make your purchase at the Hasbro shop.

2. Decide whether you would like to buy a new toy, a vintage toy or a reissue of a vintage toy. New toys are appropriate for youngsters who just want to play with a G.I. Joe action figure, while vintage and vintage reissues are appropriate for collectors. You can buy new and reissue toys from Hasbro and toy retailers, while vintage toys are often available from private sellers.

3. Be prepared to pay more for true vintage G.I. Joe toys. New G.I. Joe toys are usually quite inexpensive, but vintage toys cost considerably more. You can get a feel for the price range of vintage G.I. Joe toys by checking eBay (see Resources below).

4. Select new toys from among the G.I. Joe product categories: Commandos, Missions, Vehicles and Role Play. Since you will normally purchase these toys for playing (rather than collecting) purposes, you can make your selection based upon the likes of the child you are buying for.

5. Choose a toy from the Real American Hero Collection if you want a vintage-style reissue toy. Use the product checklist on the Hasbro.com GI Real American Hero website to learn more about the products and make a selection (see Resources below). You can also use the product checklist to make a selection that will fill out a collection.

6. Look for a retailer of G.I. Joe toys when you are ready to make your purchase. There is a list of online and neighborhood retailers at the Hasbro.com G.I. Joe website. Hasbro even provides links to the neighborhood retailers that have online stores, like Wal-Mart, so you can find the one that's close to you.

Tips & Warnings

• If possible, leave collectible toys in their original packaging, unopened. Unopened toys in original packaging are more valuable.
• Avoid giving G.I. Joe toys to very young children (children below four years of age) as the small parts and accessories included with action figures can pose a choking hazard. The Hasbro.com website gives a recommended age range for G.I. Joe toys that you can use to help you select age-appropriate toys.

Resources

• G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Toys at Hasbro.com
• Vintage G.I. Joe toys at eBay
• G.I. Joe Real American Hero product checklist at Hasbro.com