Frequently Asked Questions

Why collect toy soldiers:

People collect toy soldiers for all sorts of reasons.  Some have a love of history and enjoy re-creating it.  Others collect to honor those who have served in the military.

What are toy soldiers made of?

Most of the soldiers that Treefrog Treasures offers are hand painted metal figures.  Military vehicles come in a wider range of materials, from polystone to resin to metal.

How big are these toy soldiers?

Most toy soldiers range from 1:32 (54mm) to 1:30 (60mm) scale, which means that each figure is approximately 2 ½ inches tall. 

What styles are available?

Toy soldiers come in two types of paint styles: gloss finish and matte finish.  The shiny gloss figures have their roots in the earliest days of the toy soldier industry and often have a much simpler sculpt and paint scheme.  The more subdued matte figures are more ‘military miniatures’ and seek to include finer detail in the sculpting and paint schemes.

What are the most popular ranges to collect?

Although we always encourage people to collect what they like there are a few subjects that seem to be the most popular.  World War II, American Civil War and Napoleonic Wars have a strong following among our customers

Who are the major toy soldier manufacturers?

There are many companies that produce toy soldiers.  Some of the major manufactures are:

•  King & Country – Producing matte finish soldiers from a tremendous range of time periods.
•  W. Britain – The oldest name in toy soldiers, producing both matte and glossy figures.
•  First Legion – Producing extremely detailed, museum quality matte figures.
•  John Jenkins Designs - Creates beautiful vehicles and more obscure eras in matte finish.
  
•  JG Miniatures – Producing extremely detailed, museum quality Diorama Accessories and Bases.

What can I do with toy soldiers?

Toy soldier collections range from simple figures displayed on a shelf to full blown dioramas depicting various scenes (think model railroading).   You can give them to a friend or family member in honor of their military service, you can get a child started in collecting and help develop their interest in history and you can collect them yourself in a way that enhances your own interests in history, uniforms, specific regiments or time periods.  These tiny works of art bring much satisfaction to people with a wide variety of interests and reasons for collecting.

Should I buy toy soldiers as an investment?

Although the majority of toy soldiers hold their value or even increase in value over time there is no way to know which ones will or by how much.  Our advice is to collect what you like because you like it and not as an investment for the future.

I want to buy a set of toy soldiers as a gift.  What should I buy?

Our friendly staff is always happy to assist you with choosing gifts appropriate to your friend or family member’s interest.  Give us a call at 1-507-545-2500 and based on the information you give us we can offer suggestions based on their interests, what they already collect and your price range.

Toy soldier collectors are very enthusiastic about their hobby and the number of figures in their collection can reach the hundreds or even thousands, so often friends and family aren’t sure which pieces they might already have.

If the recipient is a Treefrog Treasures customer we can look up their wish list for you and let you know what items they have their eye on.  If not, it is always a safe choice to buy a Treefrog Treasures Gift Certificate and let them choose exactly what they want.