Plastic army toys weren’t always the norm. Did you know that military toys in the late 19th century were made of tin, zinc, and lead? These tin soldiers were originally made in Germany, before being followed by production in England and France. The original tin soldiers were 2 to 3 inches tall, but later standardized to 54mm by a British company.

These tin toys were very popular during World War I when American manufacturers began making them. The best sellers were Civil War Soldiers and Cowboys and Indians. In the 1950s, American manufacturers, led by Louis Marx and Company, made the toys out of plastic. This switch to plastic made army toys even more popular because they are now safer toys for children and also cheaper to produce. In the late 1950s, the most popular toy game for army men was the World War II game.

In the 1960s, the popularity of army men’s toys waned. During this time, most of them were manufactured by China as imitations of figurines made by Airfix and Matchbox. Army men toys have never quite regained the same popularity, however they experienced a bit of a revival with the release of the Toy Story movies.

There are still a lot of military toys on the market today. Most of them are now used for decoration rather than play. If you are interested in acquiring some, we recommend that you obtain the most qualified ones, such as:

• The LEGO Toy Story Army Men on Patrol Collection is a great LEGO set taken from the hit Toy Story movie series. The set contains four minifigures: a soldier with a pistol, a doctor with a medical bag, a soldier with a metal detector and a soldier with a handheld transceiver. A buildable army jeep and stretcher are included with the 90-piece playset. The army jeep is very compact and durable and will not break during the game. However, it is very easy to take apart and rebuild if you wish. There are also two radios, two pairs of binoculars, a backpack and an opening briefcase to complete the set. This army toy set is recommended for ages 6-12.
• If you like to collect as well as play, then the Civil War Soldier 102 Piece Set is for you. This set is a 54mm cube of plastic soldiers made at 1:32 scale. Included are 25 Confederate and 25 Union Army figures, 18 horses, 10 cannons, 2 covered wagons, 2 tents, 2 flags, and 6 fences. All of these plastic items are packed in a strong, clear plastic bucket with a handle. This set is ideal for teaching children about the Civil War.