ACTION MAN
Medals
Period: All Periods
Dates: from 1967
Supplied with specific uniforms
Action Man Gallantry Medals:
Medals were issued with a range of sets starting in 1967 - as part of all six 'Soldiers of the Century' (SOTC) and some of the Soldiers of the World (SOTW) uniform cards featuring famous uniforms of 6 nations during WWII. The second wave of 'Soldiers of the World' started seeing medal inclusion being limited - only three sets were to retain the prized medals. Their inclusion with any sets dwindled to just the WWII British Infantryman. They are loose representations of gallantry medals issued to British, Australian, French, Russian, US and German combatants.
Notes:
Most medals are not particularly rare considering the ease that one can be lost. Most common are the VC and Iron cross, less so the Russian Order of Lenin and French Croix de Guerre, and the rarest one is the American Green Beret's Silver Star medal by some degree, which is difficult to source. Other countries produced medals for their Action Man cousins. The 40th anniversary range also included these medals and care should be taken to not inadvertently buy one of the 're-issues' at a vintage premium.
The 50th Action Man British Infantryman has a glue dot holding on the VC as opposed to the ineffective prongs of the originals. The hooped 3rd issue Victoria cross is from the 'Locker-box' style of packaging period and is less common and often mistaken for 'knock- off'. The medals came flat and the fork can be pushed under a jacket pocket flap, either side of the button stitch with some success.
Many owners prefer to bend over the prongs to hook over the uniform pockets rather than pierce the fabrics. Its not recommended to straighten out bent hooks for fear of introducing metal fatigue.
The Iron Cross strangely featured the black and white ribbon associated with WWI, rather than the WWII ribbon of black, red and white. The real life Silver Star was in fact a gold medal with a tiny silver star detail.
VICTORIA CROSS: British Infantryman (WWII versions of only), Australian Jungle Fighter (SOTC only).
IRON CROSS: German Stormtrooper, German Staff Officer.
CROIX DE GUERRE: French Resistance Fighter (SOTC/SOTW).
ORDER OF LENIN: Russian Infantryman (SOTC).
SILVER STAR: American Green Beret (SOTC).
Action Man Victoria Cross Medal
Action Man Croix de Guerre Medal
Action Man Silver Star
Action Man VC Medal - first issue (British Infantryman)
Action Man Croix de Guerre Medal first issue (French Resistance Fighter)
Action Man Order of Lenin Medal (Russian Infantryman)
Action Man Iron Cross (German Stormtrooper / Staff Officer).
Medals can be attached using some matching cotton thread to avoid losing as this one.
Replacement medal ribbon repro decals and stickers available:
Replacement medal ribbon repro decals and stickers available:
Replacement medal ribbon repro decals and stickers available:
Replacement medal ribbon repro decals and stickers available:
Action Man Iron Cross Medal
Action Man Order of Lenin Medal
Tommy Gunn 'Rank and Medals' card. (Best suited to Grenadier Guard figure).
Action Man Iron Cross Medal (German Stormtrooper)
Action Man Silver Star Medal (American Green Beret)
Action Man VC Medal (Australian Jungle Fighter)
Vintage Tommy Gunn Medal cards (one of a set of 50) were given away to stick on a Tommy Gunn Medal Card folding leaflet with 20 spaces for exchange for gifts, much in the same way as the Action Man Star Scheme. The reverse of the cards are blank and there is no mention of Tommy Gunn on them. Here are 4 of the medals that Action Man wore in 1960s period illustration.
Replacement medal ribbon repro decals and stickers available:
Replacement medal ribbon repro decals and stickers available:
