Action Man

In 1966, Palitoy released a new range of toys and Action Man was born! A close relative of G.I. Joe (manufactured by Hasbro in America). The original Action Man range consisted of what became known amongst collectors as “Painted Head” dolls. These were dressed as basic Action Soldiers, Action Pilots, and Action Sailors. It was not long before this initially small range developed, and, in less than three years, the number of outfits and accessories available for these dolls had grown considerably. The doll itself saw few changes until Palitoy ceased production in 1984. The first change to be made was the introduction of ”flock” hair in 1970, this replaced the painted hair of the original figures with ‘realistic hair’ made from fine nylon fibres. Later, in 1973, gripping hands were added, taking the place of the previously hard and impractical hands of earlier dolls. Finally, 1977 saw “Eagle Eye” dolls produced - the introduction of a small lever at the back of the neck could now shift Action Man’s eyes left and right.

Action Man Toys are more sought after the rarer the uniform, the better the condition and, if possible, boxed - however, excellent loose items can do well at auction. If you have a collection of Action Man/GI Joe or merely one item that you wish to have valued, then why not get in touch?