The introduction of PLAYMOBIL collection

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I am a beginner to collect PLAYMOBILs but I have already got more than 100 figures and box sets. I'm going to try to classify them and tell about them.

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Present

They are sold in any toyshops in Germany now and easy to get. But it never means they have less value. Modern cities, early western America, American Indians (Indians are very popular among German children. It sounds funny?), Safari park, farmer house (Of course German style), deep sea, southern island and pirates, space ships, traditional doll house, medieval castle with prince and princess, etc. Even ordinary PLAYMOBIL figures are different from U.S. continent and EU countries.(See both Catarogues in Germany and in U.S.) They, figures has similar face, so you can enjoy mixing different series figures together.

Old

Old, 70's and 80's figures are subtlety different from present ones in shapes and colors. They don't seem to have values as antiques.

As I wrote, PLAYMOBILs once have been sold at most of toyshops in Japan about 10 years before(1985-1988). PLAYMOBIL Japan office was built. But at last, PLAYMOBILs were withdrawn from the market in Japan. I can't understand why. PLAYMOBILs were not popular among Japanese Children? I never think so. Maybe because of exchange rate. At that time, Japanese yen was too strong.

But even now, there are some old PLAYMOBILs at the old toyshops in countryside.

Old American

"Old American series" sounds funny?

Once Schaper Manufacturing Company, a company in Minneapolis, got a license from Geobra and manufactured their original PLAYMOBIL boxes for American children. Maybe from 1976 to 198? I call them Old American. They are different from old German ones. I have gotten some of them through e-bay. The figures were mainly cowboys and police officers. But I have never seen the catalogue of them.So I'd like to know the outline of Old American series.Old American series included not only figures but a picture which children could painting on.

Books

There are some books for children written in English. Figure styled books (which are able to stand by themselves), sticker books, and storybooks with figures. You can get them on amazon com. But I'd love to read a book about PLAYMOBIL history.

Seasonal special items

There are seasonal items in U.S. and Germany. Easter eggs are most popular items. But U.S. eggs(L) are different from German (and other European) eggs. German eggs(R) are changed every year.

Advent calendar is also popular.And like eggs, the U.S. calender is different from German on its package.

In 1999, a special advent calendar and special advent sets were manufactured in Germany. They were made exceptionally for a German toy retailer's group. Maybe it is impossible to get them in U.S. continent.I got them through an import toyshop in Tokyo.

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Halloween boxes are very cute!

I know only 3 type of boxes, and each of them includes 2 costumed kids figures . They are sold in both of Europe and U.S. And I got them at Robot Robot.

And more goods

These big figures are bottles of bath gel for children. They are sold at any drugstore in Germany.

This is a coloring picture book for children. I got it through e-bay.It was printed in Canada, so it has 2 covers (French and English).

And now, I'd love to get this glasses case. I found this picture on the latest catalog in Germany.But could not find real case after all. Can I order it from Japan? I can't understand German language at all, so I have no idea now. Maybe I should ask some German friends to get it for me.

I have already gotten the CD-rom "Laura" but I cannot play at all (because I don't have windows PC.). If I get PC and play, I'll report about it.

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