One of the nice things about the Internet is its ability to educate and inform. Though it may not seem that spectacular, the reason you clicked on this page was to learn more about GI Joe and the toys that came with him. Through the years I have dealt with hundreds of people, related to toys, all over the world. Like any collector it is my job to educated myself on the subject, and I want to help you.....

One such topic is the ability to spot fake or reproduction products, or ones that were made to sell as competitors during the same time. My parents (and sometimes myself) like most people, would sometimes buy two "no-name" brand items instead of the originals at a higher price. This was especially prevalent with GI Joe items made by Hasbro and the other vendors selling similar products (typically made in Hong Kong).

Hasbro had the copyright to the GI Joe figure mainly based on the fact that he had a scar and his thumbnail was turned inside. A patent was issued related to drawings 3,277,602 and 3,475,042 based on the design and the movable joints.

The inside thumb	Copyright on the rear	The famous scar on the face	Typical tag in original clothing

Below are some example of original Hasbro GI Joe items and some made by other to look similar....

Reproduction but very nice

Of the items above only a few are true Hasbro...can you tell which ones? Put your mouse over the picture to see a tag telling you....

Try the links to the right to find more information, toys and books or click on the specific guides below....

These are some good reference books for GI Joe

If you have some old Hasbro GI Joe items, especially in the original box, you want to sell please drop me a note @ steve@mysite4u.com .