The term action figure was coined by Hasbro in 1964 as a way to advertise its new 12-inch poseable line of toys celebrating the various branches of the U.S. military. The line was named G.I. Joe, and it became one of the most successful toy lines in the 1960s. Unfortunately for Hasbro, consumer sentiment would sour on the brand right around the start of the Vietnam War, so Hasbro decided to rebrand G.I. Joe as Adventure Team in 1970. As a result, it would take almost a full decade for Hasbro to take the line back to the proverbial drawing board and add a unique twist to the now iconic toy line. G.I. Joe would be relaunched in 1982 in a new, smaller 3 3/4-inch size and be promoted with a deeply engaging story line. New characters, new vehicles, and a whole new enemy would bring in a new generation of fans. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, as it was now called, would face a ruthless worldwide terrorist organization known as COBRA, which allowed Hasbro to create an incredible (and usually unbelievable) cast of characters and vehicles with names like Serpentor, the Rattler, and the HISS Tank. The toy line would launch with an animated television series that would last two seasons and a comic book published by Marvel Comics that would run for 155 issues. Upon release, the toy line was a massive success and placed Hasbro in striking distance of capturing key market share from Kenner Toys beloved Star Wars line that launched in 1978. This new G.I. Joe toy line would last until 1994, a full 12 years before quietly being phased out, but never quite forgotten by Hasbro or its legion of diehard fans. During that time, the toys would go through some drastic changes and be almost unrecognizable in later years as the company experimented with ridiculous characters decked out in neon colors and other gimmicks to attempt to keep the brand fresh and attract new fans. Today, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is known as one of the most memorable toy lines of the 1980s, ranking up there with other heavyweights such as Transformers, Masters of the Universe, and, of course, the undisputed king of the 1980s toy lines, Star Wars. The G.I. Joe line even gave birth to several live action movies with all-star casts, the first of which was launched in 2009 and titled The Rise of Cobra. Hasbro has not given up on the brand either, as much like Mattels Masters of the Universe, the company has tried relaunching the line several different times with mixed reactions from fans and newcomers alike. Sadly, as I have stated in previous articles about the struggle with vintage toy lines being relaunched in the modern era, it is hard to bring in new fans to some of these franchises, as many of todays children are not as interested in action figures as previous generations. As such, most of the consumers who flock to these relaunches are collectors and enthusiasts who grew up with the original toy line and not new consumers, much like Mattels Masters of Universe and even Hasbros Transformers toy line from the same era. Unfortunately, neither of these toy lines are on par with Star Wars, because Star Wars was able to capture generations of fans and is considered the proverbial blue chip vintage line of toy collecting. Still, prices for vintage and factory-sealed G.I. Joe toys from the 1982 line are trending at close to all-time highs right now compared to what you would have paid for some of these high quality specimens before the pandemic. Both social media, online collecting forums, and even YouTube continue to put a lot of these vintage toy lines front and center, keeping demand from a generation of enthusiasts that grew up with them at an all-time high. That said, Mego Toys were once king of the proverbial block in the 1970s, and today, interest in that brand has started to wane. And while toy collecting is one of the most popular categories in the entire antiques and collectibles trade, it does not mean that what is popular today is always going to be popular. For instance, Lego has dominated the toy market simply by creating a buildable universe set around some of the most popular pop culture licenses ever created. Just look at what certain factory-sealed vintage Lego Star Wars sets are selling for at present time, and you will see what I mean. The current value of the Lego Star Wars 10123: Cloud City that premiered in 2003 is sitting around $4,500 if the set is in factory-sealed and near-mint condition due to the fact that in 2003 very few people were hoarding and attempting to speculate in brand new factory-sealed Lego Star Wars sets. One should use caution if attempting to speculate and invest in toys, especially vintage toys that may cost thousands of dollars. The market for vintage toys, while huge, is also very fickle, and demand can change almost overnight. I assure you there was a time when collectors argued that Lionel toy trains would always be collected, PEZ dispensers would soar to new heights, and Atari video games would always be the dominant force in vintage video games. Unfortunately, all of these predictions turned out to be incorrect, and no one could have predicted the rise of Pokemon and the current speculation bubble surrounding Funko Pop figurines, yet here we are in 2023. Looking forward, G.I. Joe does not appear to be a sustainable toy line for the long term, and as someone who grew up with the brand in the 1980s, I wish that wasnt the case. Yet here I am in my 40s surrounded by Nintendo video games, Playstation, and Lego. Who in the early 1980s could have predicted this? Its a shame the antiques and collectibles trade doesnt come with a crystal ball. Just like the tagline of the G.I. Joe animated series, I guess knowing is half the battle in understanding the long-term validity of these markets. Until then, Go Joe! Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.