Buried in basements and tucked away in attics are boxes filled with memories of childhood. If you grew up in the 1960s, you probably have a Barbie or a G.I Joe collecting dust somewhere. Maybe you dropped Joe off at a thrift store or gave Barbie to one of your kids.

Most of us take our childhood toys for granted. We play with them and move on to the next popular fad. They end up given away or thrown away if they’re worn out.

Some of us hold on to anything with sentimental value, including our favorite sports figure or superhero toy.

You may not realize it but action figures have a long history going back to the first G.I. Joe. If you still have your Joe or any of the other superhero action figures, you might have a much sought after collectible hanging out in the basement.

But maybe you simply enjoyed playing with them and don’t care anything about collecting or selling your treasure. For you, we put together a brief history of action and toy figures. Go find Captain Action or Jesse “The Body” Ventura and enjoy a short trip back to the past.

The Birth of a Toy Dream

It all started with a pencil. Or at least the brainy idea to start a toy company began with three immigrant brothers from Poland who made a living selling pencil boxes. Eventually, they started manufacturing the pencils and from there decided toys were their destiny.

In the late 1930s, the Hassenfeld brothers branched out from pencils to toys. Their line of junior air-raid warden kits included flashlights and toy gas masks. Certainly, apropos for a generation of WWII children.

Post-WWII children lived a simpler life as far as play was concerned. Children filled their wish lists, with requests for Mr. Potato Head, Matchbox cars, Play-Doh, and pogo sticks. 

At the end of the decade, one of the most popular toys made her debut. Barbie, the 11.5-inch tall doll with a perfectly coiffed blonde ponytail and an outfit for literally, every occasion.

Barbie started out a teenage fashion doll. By 1963, she held a position as a corporate business executive at a time when not many women could work their way out of the kitchen much less up the corporate ladder. She even ran for President five times. 

She might not have been an action figure but she made sure girls believed they could do anything boys could do. In 1961, Barbie’s counterpart, Ken came on the scene.

Suave felt-haired Ken also had a trendy wardrobe, although no one has ever figured out his relationship with Barbie. They never officially announced they were dating, however, Mattel sold wedding attire for both dolls.

At that point in history, boys didn’t play much with Barbie or Ken and there wasn’t anything comparable for little boys. Boys waited three years before they got a similar sized doll made just for them.

Say Hello to G.I. Joe

Say “hello” to G.I. Joe who took the world by storm when Hasbro introduced their nearly 12-inch tall military action figure designed for boys. It was 1964, and the country hadn’t yet developed a disdain for the war in Vietnam.

Stan Weston, who had a fascination with all things military, came up with the idea for G.I. Joe and sold it to Hasbro. Like Barbie and Ken, Joe came with an extensive wardrobe, except instead of a debonair tuxedo or corduroy jacket, his wardrobe consisted of fatigues and rugged attire for special military missions.

G.I. Joe was the first action figure and anyone who owns one of the more sought after editions could be sitting on a miniature gold mine.

The Toy Hall of Fame in inducted G.I. Joe in 2004. Barbie, but not Ken, earned her title in 1998. In 2012, a poll conducted by the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis gave G.I. Joe the honor of the most popular toy of the last century. 

Move Over Joe

Following Joe’s entrance to the toy market, Mattel introduced us to Major Matt Mason. In 1966 The United States and the USSR were battling each other in the space race. Major Matt was part of a toy line, based on astronauts.

Ideal debuted Captain Action and his sidekick, Action Boy, also in 1966. These 12- inch action figures could be any superhero a child wanted them to be. All it took for Captain Action and Action Boy to change personas was a quick change of clothes.

Let’s not forget the girls. Ideal didn’t. They gave girls an entire line of their own with the Super Queens.

The allure of action figures didn’t end with G.I. Joe. If you enjoyed a television show, sports figure, or a band, you could buy an action figure of your favorite character. Batman and Robin, Michael Jackson, and KISS all had action and toy figures created in their images.

One of the most popular and collectible action figure lines started because kids fell in love with Saturday Night’s Main Event.

In the Ring with Action and Toy Figures

If the names Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper ring a bell, you probably grew up in the 1980s. In 1984 Hulk Hogan stole the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Championship title from the Iron Sheik.

If you were a fan in the late 1980s your birthday list may have included The Hulk, Roddy, Macho Man Randy Savage, and maybe even Miss Elizabeth, Macho Man’s significant other. A true fanatic also had the wrestling ring and their own version of the title belt.

In 2002, the WWF changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The WWE toy line is still popular, but you can find adults everywhere who are a different kind of fan—the collector.

For the collector, these action figures are more than just reminders of happy childhoods. Certain WWE toys are worth a small fortune. That’s why many collectors keep one mint condition figure in the box and have a second one they can play with.

Clearly, you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy playing with WWE toys. Whether you’re a John Cena fan, or a wannabe Ronda Rousey, you can shop now for your own WWE action figure.

And it’s okay if you tell everyone you’re adding to your collection when you really plan on dragging your old wrestling ring from under the bed for a little Saturday night action.

Ready to Play?

We hope you enjoyed our mini trip back in time. If you never had a chance to play with G.I. Joe, Major Matt, or your favorite pro-wrestling hero, we feel bad for you. If you still have your action and toy figures, let them out of the boxes, take them down from the closet shelf.

They could be worth something. And that something may be more valuable than money. You’re never too old for a night spent planning Joe’s next Special Ops mission or coming with new moves for your favorite WWE tag team.

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