General Boxed question

This question is pertinent to all the releases, the year of release is given as 1970 1973 etc but how and when were they released ie were the soldier sailor etc released together every June or were they released ad hoc over the year ?

Thats the 64 million dollar question Andy ??????

i don't think anyone really knows for sure. The Trade Toy Fairs,Trade Catalogues, Manuals and ALL reference books conflict ??? The catalogue numbers don't relate to the order of release due to certain issues being held back or pushed out quick depending on demand or time of year, so its just the years it spanned.

The Ian Harrison book shows the Judo outfit as being released in 1970 but Alan Hall shows it as a 60's release as does the Kevin King book. The trade catalogue shows it as 1970 but the manuals show it as 1960 and 1970 ????

Id say from all of the evidence it was released at the end of 69 and was also widely available for most of 1970 but no one really knows and if pressed you will just hear peoples opinions but its just peoples opinions even Bob and the team can't remember the release order of figures and uniforms as they were asked at the V&A day.

Which is why its great to discuss these points with collectors that remember christmas, birthday presents etc.............................

Its definitely a thinker

Good question, Andy

Does anyone know when the first silver/grey plastic dog tags become available??

Danthecoat wrote:

Which is why its great to discuss these points with collectors that remember christmas, birthday presents etc.............................    

Very True! For all the studying of catalogue numbers and pouring over equipment manuals we do as adult collectors nothing ties a particular AM set down in time better than someone remembering they got it for their ninth birthday! Of course what was supposedly released, what was in that year's equipment manual and what was actually in your local toy shop were usually three very different things!

I've always envisaged Palitoy releasing a steady stream of items over the year with Toy Fairs and Christmas seen as looming deadlines. Some items might have got tied up in the design phase longer than expected though. Two  items, the Trailer and the Mobile Operation HQ are new to the 1974 Equipment Manual but listed as 'available in 1975'

This also raises the question...when did a new Equipment Manual come out? The Action Man you got for Christmas in 1974 had the '74 manual with it where as if you got an annual that year it was the 1975 edition!

Funny how this world is riddled with questions on about any subject....lol