In 1966, the production of lead-alloy soldiers ceased because use of the potentially poisonous material was banned.Īny toy soldiers made before the 20th Century are referred to as 'ancients'.īoxed sets of nine can be worth anything from £1,000 to £8,000 depending on their condition.

The start of the second Boer War in 1899 saw Britains produce soldiers which were used for propaganda purposes, not just as toys. Although this was relatively affordable, it was still far more than the average daily wage. Thanks to these advanced production techniques, a red box of nine soldiers could be acquired for a shilling. The earliest soldiers produced by Britains were beautifully hand painted and, obviously, reflected the war campaigns of that era. Because the mould featured a small opening to allow excess lead to escape, the finished figurine was hollow – making it far lighter and cheaper to make than previous designs. Their hollow-cast production system saw molten lead poured into a mould, which was turned as the metal cooled. William Britain and his hollow-casting revolutionīritains quickly became the leading producer of toy soldiers after inventing the first hollowed-out, lead-alloy figurine. In 1893, the way toy soldiers were made was transformed forever when a process known as hollow-casting lead was invented by William Britain (pictured above) in the UK. Once cooled, the solid 3D figure was removed, had its head attached and was carefully painted. These were made by pouring molten lead into a mould. In the late 19th century, more realistic figurines were produced in ceremonial dress to resemble various European military movements.

These engraved characters were also depicted in silhouette.

Primarily, they were designed for affluent members of society as they could afford hand-made products with fine detailing.Īt the end of the 18th century, metalworkers crafted two-dimensional soldiers from cheap tin, which were widely known as ‘flats’ and sold unpainted.Įarly in the 19th century, the first mass-produced toy soldiers were produced in Germany by the Heinrichson, Heyde, and Gebrüder Riechewere companies. In the 18th century, advances in production saw toy soldiers made from tin, lead and composite. Initially, these were crafted for generals and monarchs to be used during war-strategy meetings. Mostly standing between 15mm and 105mm tall, toy soldiers is a term which usually refers to any miniature human figure that’s meant to represent a combat character.įound in Egyptian tombs dating back to 2500 BC, these diminutive soldiers were probably made for ritual purposes rather than as toys.Įarly figurines were made from wood, porcelain and silver.

What to consider before buying or selling.

This guide is designed to help anyone with an interest in toy soldier collecting so they can discover: For many collectors, they’re a serious investment that could be worth thousands. Nowadays, they’re far more than just a bit of childhood fun. The appeal of small military figures soared in the late 19th Century, but they’ve even been found in the tombs of ancient pharaohs. The complete guide to vintage toy soldiersįor as long as there have been wars, children have loved to play with toy soldiers.

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