If what you want is to start collecting military miniatures, the ideal would be to start by acquiring one of the thousands of plastic kits on the market (they are not expensive) and be encouraged to assemble and paint the figures. Don't be discouraged by the result you get on your first figures. You don't have to be an artist to paint figures. They are painted with a series of techniques that little by little are learned. With time, skills will be gained and in not many months you will be able to check the progress in finishing your miniatures. On the internet there are countless tutorials that will guide you in painting figures. In the same way, in the many competitions that are held throughout the national geography, painting workshops are held that, without a doubt, will be very useful.
Where to buy these kits? We will upload to the web a list of stores and web addresses where you can buy figures, paints, tools and all kinds of auxiliary materials.
If what you want to start is a collection of toy soldiers, things are somewhat more complex. In general, the person who wants to start a collection of toy soldiers does so mainly for reasons that we could call nostalgic. Something really dangerous for our pocket. There are many of us who toy soldiers left an indelible mark on. Some advices:
- There are portals such as todocoleccion.net or eBay where you can find tens of thousands of toy soldiers.
- Before bidding on a certain figure, always keep the following in mind:
- Be careful with the price you are going to pay. Don't forget that, ultimately, what you are going to buy is a small toy. See the price guides that these websites have and consult with more experienced collectors.
- Run away from broken figures or with badly damaged paint. As much as they remind him of his childhood. Especially if they are made of polyethylene (soft plastic) their restoration is complex. A broken figure is worthless no matter how well restored it is.
- Keep in mind that hundreds of thousands of copies were made of these figures that we liked so much. Faced with a very deteriorated figure, wait. There will always be one in better condition.
- Be careful with the full boxes. Today, modern boxes (called “repros”) are made with computer reprography and are completed with some of the thousands of loose figures on the market. Some people try to pass them off as original boxes and sell them at prohibitive prices. They are worthless as original boxes.
- If you get an original box of soldiers, especially in the case of polyethylene figures, check that the figures are attached to the box with silicone or rubber bands. That would be ideal. If they are not, carefully check the state of the figures, possible breaks.
- Ideally, specialize in one or two specific brands. Keep in mind that Spain was a toy power and there were many brands of little soldiers both in plastic and rubber as well as in metal. By the way, I have never followed this advice in my collection.
- Ask your friends and family. There are many families that have kept their children's toy soldiers and have them stored away in storage rooms and attics. In that sense, I have had more than one very pleasant surprise. I remember a friend who kept the complete collection of Jecsan clowns in very good condition. I traded them in for a bunch of old vinyl. The barter made us both very happy.
- Do not collect thinking that you are making an important financial investment. For me, on one occasion, and for reasons that are irrelevant, the sale of part of my collection (Spanish plastic from the 60s) saved me from a major calamity but by no means made me rich. If your intention is to invest, do it in the stock market but not in little soldiers.
