"Some Thoughts on Hobby Value for Money" Topic

"I received this extract from the 1975 Minifig Catalogue recently from Paul. It shows the price of a single foot figure as 8p! For context this arose from a discussion Paul and I were having last month about the cost of wargames figures and the increasing spread of the Blister pack at the point of sale.

The Bank of England compound interest calculator below shows that the buying power of 8p in 1975 equates to 65p today. So why are we paying over £2.00 GBP on average for a foot figure in 2026? After all, a 16p loaf of bread in 1975 equates to £1.20 GBPish in 2026, which strangely is about right using the Bank's calculator!…"

Tales From GHQ

link

Armand

Ah yes, the ever-rising cost of wargaming figures. Proof, if any were needed, that capitalism clearly does not work.

Under a properly organised Communist system, of course, all this would be solved. You wouldn't buy miniatures—no, no. Your figures would be issued to you by the Central Committee for Historical Accuracy and Acceptable Fun.

You need a Napoleonic French corps? Comrade, you will receive:

17 figures in winter greatcoats
3 cuirassiers (one without a horse, but his spirit is strong)
9 artillery crew (gun not included this quarter)
1 Viking (clerical error, but historically "adjacent")
14 infantry in a pose best described as "existential crouch".

All would be in glorious random scale between 15mm and "approximately 22-ish."

Paints would also be centrally distributed:
You ask for Prussian Blue. You receive a shade best described as "Agricultural Optimism Grey." Use it with pride.

Basing materials? You are allotted one (1) square centimetre of sand. It must cover the entire army. Efficiency is victory.

And of course, every third figure would have:

a missing arm
an extra arm
or, in a triumph of dialectical sculpting, both

Poses would be assigned randomly to encourage "tactical flexibility." Your elite guard unit might all be pointing in different directions, with one chap lying down having what appears to be a quiet think about life.

If you complain, the Ministry reminds you:
"Quantity has a quality all its own. Also, please stop asking for matching uniforms."

On the plus side, no pile of shame. You get exactly what you're given. Whether you wanted it or not. And you'd BETTER want it!

Actually, on reflection, I may just pay the prices and choose my own figures.

Sláinte, comrades

I just received a communique from my Communist Quartermaster

"Comrade, you have been issued 47 random figures. Why are you not using all of them?"

Me: "Because, comrade, 30 of them are barefoot medieval peasants, 12 are missing heads and one is a camel."

CQ: "The camel is politically reliable. It will appear on your wargames' table…."

If I want it enough to pay that price then the price is fair, for me. If I don't think it's fair I don't buy.

Here in Oz we're used to the "Australia Tax", which is short for "Paying high prices because the sellers are allowed to get away with price-gouging". So we have a high tolerance for greedy companies.

Example- in 2019 I could buy a high-quality Australian leg-of-lamb roast from a high street butcher in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, for about 20% less than I could if I was in an Australian supermarket.

Old Glory unit packs @ $41 USD for 30 figures. Still over £0.65 GBP but not as much as £2.00 GBP

Modern figures are not mostly lead but much more expensive alloys and better castings and sculpts.

In 6mm I can remember Leicester microtanks at 4p each (discounted price for our local club) – would I pay £0.32 GBP for those today ? Not a hope. There is a difference between 'proper' businesses and 'hobby' ones like those in the early 70's.

I have an old S&T book 1.

In it was an advertisement for a Minitank Sherman for $.25 USD – at the time 5 or so of us teens would pool our money for gas to ride around all night – gas was $.35 USD a gallon.

Wages were comparable.

When I delivered newspapers in the '70 a weekday paper was US.10 now it's US$2.00. A top of the line Schwinn or Raleigh was US$700.00 now a top of the line Giant is US$13,500.00. In the 90s a 60" flat screen TV was about US$3,000.00 now they're about US$350.00. My 1st computer with about 4MB ram was US$5000.00 now a laptop with 8GM is about US$300.00

I think some items out paced the calculator but are better quality, some have come way down and had an increase in quality.

It seems food items have been stable luxury items and recreational things have increased.

Took a trip to England with friend and visited the Minifig Southampton factory in the glorious year of 1976 (summer).

Upon entrance we looked over the store cabinet shelves and started writing down the miniature codes and quality requested. It was just before lunch hour.

Presented the first of many sheets of codes and miniature numbers. The lady clerk looked and then looked again, then looked at us senior "teenager" faces. I was 18.

First sheet had request for their WotR range in 25mm. My order was for about 600 miniatures, Steve's order for 450 miniatures. At the time the player group had started a Kingmaker based campaign, but well beyond the actual game with three game masters and at its peek 47 players. Each player controlled a lord or two, with lords having forces based upon titles and secondary titles. Simple lord 25 miniatures, Earl 50, a duke 75-100, King 250, Marshal of England 150 and so on. Ships, plagues, disasters, summons across country…. the entire game plus a full marriage, family histories, and economic overlay…plus the International scene too.

Back to Southampton. The lady went in the back and Neville himself came out. We confirmed the orders…and showed the wallets of English pounds and Amex travel cheques.

Neville was totally surprised. We were going to make his month sales number that afternoon it seemed. While the miniatures were being packaged, found, in some cases casted that afternoon, and weighed, we had the factory tour, met the workers and designers. After lunch with Neville across the street, and the sun going down, the happy gamers were driven to the Royal Train station to return back to Bristol. It was a day trip for us. The train porter asked if we were traveling with lead….. yes and a grin.

That afternoon I also purchased my starting 25mm Napoleonic armies and ancient Phil Barker miniatures. All told the miniature count was near 3200 25mm miniatures between the two of us. It may have been higher…. as we lost track towards the end on the total counting.

I still have all my 25mm miniatures, now painted from that purchase day, and even some of Steve's.

Since this post is about the Minifig catalog prices back in 1975…our pricing we figured after exchange rates taken were 22 cents USA for foot and 45-48 cent USA for mounted miniatures. No shipping charges.

Flying home and going through US customs was another funny story… one look at all the small boxes and the custom agent just waved us both through. Two suitcases, two long coats with deep pockets filled, and two boxes. My entire family had miniature boxes stored in every pocket… including my mom's beauty case.

Those were the days of youth and strong arms.

Ps. I still have the store catalog from that trip too.

I have been in business since 1983. I have seen the price of metal miniatures rise and actually fall over the decades. The biggest downward adjustment occurred when Old Glory came out with their 100 casting 15mm pack for between $12 USD and $15 USD depending on distributor.
One must remember that prices per 39 cents per 15mm foot. And the prices per scheduled to go over 40 cents per foot in a few months. I gave cudos to Old Glory because it resulted in most companies lowering prices especially in the 15mm market.
The discussion then became focused on metal composition.

Ochoin – LOL! Comrade Camel WILL lead the charge AND be awarded Hero Status!

I recall back in the 1970s when a box of Airfix soldiers cost .57 USD, well within my weekly allowance funds. When they went up to .75 USD following various oil shocks I was very concerned how I was going to afford them any longer.

Now I have a lead/resin/plastic mountain in the basement that will carry me through to end of life. While prices have obviously gone up in the past 50 years, I can still afford my hobby/vice to levels my wife won't notice.

@ panzerCDR

Thank you very much. I was beginning to think I was the only person who considers me funny.

You may like my "take" on Operation Golden Arches here:
(ignore the politics, the satire is biting!)
TMP link

A couple things should be taken into account.

They used lead back then for a reason: it's cheaper and easier to work with. Now we're using tin. Probably healthier for us, and it gives us a better mini, imho. But it costs more and spinsters are no longer optional.

Second, look at the improvement in quality! People get nostalgic for the blobby minis of the '80s, but they admit it's nostalgia. The sculpting is… well it was great fun back then. But minis today are much, much better to paint and to look at.

Of course, plastic figures are more expensive now, too. I guess it's a question of demand.

Back in 1974, the first Minifigs I bought (at Bonnie Brae Hobbies, in Denver, back when they were on University Blvd.) were 25 cents for infantry and 50 cents for cavalry.

Reading Dal Gavan's post, I'm kind of sorry I threw away the packaging from the figures (Flames of War Aussies and OG explorers) I bought when I was in Sydney in 2005; it would have been fun to see the old prices and compare them to current Australian prices.

Grelber

Just read the article.

look at the improvement in quality! People get nostalgic for the blobby minis of the '80s, but they admit it's nostalgia.

The writer's point is not some economic scaling one. His is that certianly modern minis (many) are far more detailed. But you don't actually use that detail. He contends that figures are to be used in playing wargames, not for close up pictures on webpages.

The argument is akin to most drivers buying a Porsche … where in your daily commute to you actually leverage the power, torque, and handling of a Porsche?

Interesting point. I know a lot of people who *really* paint. Not paint like I do. Not "wargame paint". But hours-per-figure paint. They do use the detail. Everyone else wants that detail even though, yeah, they're not going to use it… much. Dry brushing and washing will show it, so they use it somewhat.

Thanks!

Armand

"The camel is politically reliable" made my day.

2nd Tacitus.

(smile)

Armand

By embracing maodern technology figures like mine are far better value maybe 8p each in modern world at most. So far better value than the old metal figures of 1975. Yes I bought metal figures back then but they were poor even then, heavy, brittle and pooly shaped and don't even menshion flash. 3D prints are cheaper, better, hold paint better and lighter and dammage resistant. Will they last millenia who knows? I d0 know they will outlast me and that is effectively infinite life. So yes wargames is an ever incteasing value hobby with improved quality.
I have already decided for me, that currrent metal and some detailed 3D prints are detailed to standards far beyond that required for play. My own figures have moved back to a better more "detail" reduced standard which to me is a vast improvement, so better value.