This guide is aimed to educate a new collector and help them avoid some of the pitfalls associated with collecting.  Although this is geared toward 1/6 Military Action Figures, the general principles apply to any collectible.  There are 1/6 scale figures based on the middle ages, Roman/Greek Empires

Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, up through the modern military units from around the world.  Another popular genre is figures based on military movies

History

  G.I. Joe 1964-1978 Hasbro (Painted Heads, Adventurer, Adventure Team).  G.I. Joe is where it all
  started.
   
  Vintage foreign Issues (Action Man, Geyperman, Takara Combat Joe, etc).

  G.I. Joe 1992 Hall of Fame DUKE. (Based on RAH Cartoon) Desert Storm and first 12” GI Joe in over
  14  years (the Dark Ages) The HOF Era covered figures from the 80’s Cartoon, GI Joe, a Real American
  Hero.

  GI Joe Classic Collection 1996  Modern Military Figure, some WWII based, modern military, police, 
  rescue and adventure series

21st Century Toys – The Ultimate Soldier 1998

Dragon Models Limited 1999

GI Joe Masterpiece Edition, Timeless Edition and then the 40th Anniversary Lines (Replica Figures – remakes of the original figures and accessory sets)

Other Producers:

   Blue Box Toys BBI –(WWII, Modern Military from around the world, character figures, Police/Fire,
   Rescue etc.

   Sideshow Toys- Movie related figures plus untapped military genre’s Civil War, Revolutionary War, 
   WWI, Napoleonic, Monster, Sci-fi and more.

   HOT TOYS- Hi grade/price movie related, some generic figures.  They also sell “Highly detailed model
   kits” which are action figures that have to be put together in some way.  They are movie based and
   highly detailed and accurate.

   Medicom/Takara Japan – Hi price Sci Fi/Action Movie charectors, Japanese Anime

   In the Past Toys WWII German, Japanese figures, War Criminals of the 20th Century (Hitler, Himmler,
   Goring, Wittman, Paulis and more)

   SOTW All genre’s lower grade figures used to be available at retail store

   Power Team current discount figure, good articulation

   Ultra Corp, adventure type figures and vehicles

2.  Before you start – YOU must ask yourself (This is the MOST important information in this guide….)

 Why are you collecting?  Personal Interest/Investment/Nostalgia/Regain lost childhood memories? ?

 What are you’re interests?

   Before you begin to spend your hard earned money on any collectible, you need to know why you’re
   collecting.  Do you have a personal interest in a certain branch of the military?  Does your family have
   a history with the military?  A particular branch, unit or maybe place where they were stationed.

  What era are you interested?  Middle Ages, Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam,
  Modern?

  Are you trying to recapture toys you had when you were a child?

  Do you want toys related to your favorite movie or a historic battle

3.  START SMALL - Start with a narrow focus, it’s easier (and cheaper) to expand than consolidate. 

    One thing I can tell is that it’s easy to fall into the “gotta have it all” craze when you begin 
    collecting.  When I started, I wanted all the toys I had when I was a kid.  I wanted GI Joe, Big Jim,
    Capt Action, Marx Best of the West, Mego’s, Hotwheels Rrrumblers, Star Wars and more.

    When I started collecting.  No company was producing 12” Action figures, so it was Vintage figures
    and uniforms or custom uniforms ($200 plus each!).  This may be one reason I started to buy
    everything I saw when Hasbro started producing the 12” GI Joe again in 1991.

    My experiences have brought me to realize the following; although it’s nice having items that bring 
    back memories, you have to focus or narrow your collection or you’ll have tons of stuff and no money,
    or worse yet, massive debt!

    I have stopped collecting many items I used to actively seek.  When I narrowed my focus, I found
    that I could be more selective in what wanted, had more money to buy the higher quality items.

    Research- Do some research BEFORE you buy.  What are you collecting?  Check out some of the
    many books available on the subject. 

    Most of the collectors I know have been collecting for several years and have nice focused
    collections.   

    Some collect just one era, ie. WWII.  Some even more narrow, WWII German and some even more
    narrow, WWII German Fallschirmjagers (Paratroopers).

     How specific or wide open you make your collection is up to you but think of your purpose.  Why are
     you collecting again?  Sometimes when you see items outside your main collecting area, you get like
     a kid in a candy store and want to buy it all.  Unless you can afford it, keep your cool and focus on
     what you really want.

     I personally collect any figure that I find appealing, Historical figures, Vintage, WWII, Vietnam,
     Modern Military, Movie Characters.  I used to collect small figures too!  For me, this is narrowing the
     collection down!

     Remember, having a small focused collection will allow you to have a more detailed figure.  If you
     have $100 to spend, you might be able to get 10 loose figures, 2 or 3 boxed ones, or one highly
     detailed customized one. 

4. Displaying your figures - Enjoying your figures (keeping them MIB or displaying them?)

   Keeping them in the box or displaying them is a personal choice, I have some figures I keep MIB,
   some I display with the box and still others, I cut them out of the box and display them by
   themselves.  Some I even customize, weather and paint to make them battle tested.

   Again, the main thing to remember is what is your interest.  .  For some, the boxes can serve as
   decorations.  Many of today’s figures have nice box art. If you bought them for an investment, Mint in
   Box (MIB) never opened is the best bet, but let me caution you about “investing” in military action 
   figures.

  Soooooo many folks are keeping items MIB today that these figures probably aren’t going up in value 
  as a general rule.  Many people believe that toys today are going to go up in value like the toys from 
  the 60’s and 70’s.  I can tell you from experience, I see more of today’s items on clearance or at yard
  sales MIB than I do going for top dollar at toy shows.  Again, there are exceptions, but this is the
  general rule at least from what I’ve seen.

  Displaying loose figures.  Stands, Dioramas, With the box, without.  Boxes take up a TON of room. 
  Loose figures do not.   It’s also nice to pose your figure holding the weapon instead of watching him
  stand at attention in the box.

  How/where you display your figures is, like everything else in collecting, your preference.  My
  suggestion is to have fun with your TOYS!