Submitted for your consideration,
Hasbro GI Joe 12" - 1999-2000
WW II E.T.O. Military Policeman
Rare African American (AA) Version
Classic Collection - Delta Assortment
Brand New In Excellent Sealed Box
GI Joe is the iconic American toy line of articulated 12" action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering was produced in the years from 1964 to 1969 and represented four of the branches of the US Armed Forces, the Action Soldier (Army), Action Sailor (Navy), Action Pilot (Air Force), and Action Marine (Marine Corp). It may best be remembered for its original tagline, "America's Movable Fighting Man. The name is derived from the usage of "GI Joe" for the generic U.S. soldier. The development of the GI Joe toy line led to the coining of the term "action figure" (not a doll!). GI Joe's appeal to boys has made it an American classic among toys, having been named Toy of the Century by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis in 2012, when over 24,000 folks, young and old, voted for their favorite toy of the last century. By 1968-69, however, sales had dropped drastically as America was embroiled in the Vietnam War. Hasbro had to reconsider the toy lines focus. Since its original release, Hasbro has introduced and reintroduced several different versions of this iconic hero in order to keep this wonderful toy relevant to satisfy consumer needs.
One of these re-launches was the Classic Collection (1996-2005) a remarkable line of action figures. In 1996, on the heels of their fairly successful 12" Hall of Fame line, Hasbro, under the Kenner brand, reintroduced a series of figures closer in spirit to the original GI Joe 12" lineup. They were inspired by the original GI Joe products of the 1960s, and featured a variety of military characters and outfits. They were meticulously crafted with attention to detail, and they captured the essence of their real-life counterparts. The figures had a higher level of articulation and detail than the previous Hall of Fame line. The release of the Classic Collection line set off one of the greatest "explosions" of 1:6 action figure releases, which in my humble opinion, could be called the Golden Age of 12" action figures. Hasbro hugely expanded the subject matter and characters, paying tribute to Five Star Generals, Soldiers from the Revolutionary War through the Gulf War, and much more. The Classic Collection provided hours of imaginative play time for kids (of all ages), and are still highly sought after by children and collectors, even to this day!
One of my favorite releases was the 1999-2000 GI Joe WWII ETO Military Policeman. A WWII ETO Military Policeman was a member of the European Theater of Operations (ETO), which directed US Army operations in Europe from 1942 to 1945. The ETO commanded operations north of Italy and the Mediterranean coast, including Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces.
The set includes a Classic Collection fully articulated 12-inch GI Joe AA ethnic action figure with built in talking mechanism. Also included is an MP helmet, a scarf, a removable arm band, an M-1 rifle, a web belt, boots, pants, cartridge pouches, a jacket, and dog tags.
Item is brand new and has never been removed from a beautiful factory sealed box. Box is in mint / near mint condition with no noticeable shelf wear. Please note that the talking mechanism is not currently working. It is battery operated, and although the three batteries are included, they most definitely will have to be replaced (battery size is A76 button cells). As such. this item is being sold as New Old Stock (NOS), with no guarantee that mechanism will work. This will make the perfect gift for any kid aged 5 years and older. Please refer to pics and ask any questions before bidding, as there are no returns on opened items:-(
Flat rate of $12.50 for shipping and handling to Continental USA. All others shall use the eBay International Shipping Program.