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Step 1
Collect toy soldiers from different manufacturers. Lineol, a famous German manufacturer of resin figures, depicts soldiers and battles from World War II, the Medieval era and the Western gunfighters. Soldier-Pac, out of England, produces miniature lead soldiers. Plasticunderground reproduces colorful plastic play sets similar to Marx soldier sets of the 1950s-1970s.
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Step 2
Decide what era or eras pique your interest. Collect toy soldiers depicting the Revolutionary War or Civil War, the most popular collectible figurines. Toy soldiers from other eras include Napoleonic soldiers, such as plastic Russian infantryman or French Royal Marines. World War II figurines from many manufacturers all over the world also command the interest of many collectors.
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Step 3
Liaison with other toy-soldier collectors. Contact them through their websites or swap stories at collectible shows and meetings. Whatever your interest, another collector shares it with you. Established collectors specialize in wooden soldiers, medieval and Renaissance figures, play sets or toy knights.
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Step 4
Consult magazines about collectible soldiers for information. "Plastic Warrior" magazine features articles about all kinds of plastic soldiers, from Marx and Timpo toys to interviews with figure designers. "Old Toy Soldier" remains the foremost authority on collecting toy soldiers and covers all makes and models of toy soldiers.
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Step 5
Learn about collectible toy-soldier resources and museums. If you're a world traveler, visit the National Toy Soldier Museum in Bologna, Italy, or frequent the Marx Toy Museum in West Virginia, which features toy soldiers and other toys manufactured by the Marx Company. Relive the toy soldier mail-order ads from the 1960s by visiting online ad archives.
