Check it Out: Old School Dungeons and Dragons Figurines

[@jamesparker5688]

the 2003 dwarves box is the stock # not year of production. I still have several of those pieces. early pieces were lead, later ones a pewter alloy. played dnd 1976-1984.

[@cowpercoles1194]

All of the miniatures are made of lead-tin from 1979-1981. This is because the industry started in the 50s with hobbyists sculpting and casting their own figurines from scratch, and lead was cheaper. Lead is not toxic if you handle a painted miniature, but ingesting lead can cause brain damage (which is why lead paints are outlawed). The miniatures carried warnings, but eventually a lawsuit around 1990 caused the industry to switch to tin-pewter alloys. Ral Partha started making fantasy miniatures around 1977, many by the sculptor Tom Meier. They named themselves after one of the company founder's D&D character names. They had a reputation for quality, and a lot of talented sculptors worked for them. Many of the first batch of miniatures (esp. those goblins) are classic Ral Partha sculpts. They went out of business after about 30 years, but still exist as a boutique seller of many of their old figures, under the name "Ironwind Metals". Grenadier miniatures held the official D&D license for "approved" D&D miniatures around 1979-1983, packaged in gold-bordered boxed sets, like the "Dwarves 2003" box in the video. These came out in sets of 10 or 20 miniatures, most of them by sculptor Andrew Chernak. The two guys with the chest are from the "Hirelings" boxed set. The three or four original dwarves "with the big hands" in the video are from the Dwarves box set shown. The rest of the miniatures have and a blocky "S" logo on the bottom. These are from Superior Models -- another manufacturer known for quality. The King and Queen figures are King Arthur and Guinevere from the "Wizards and Lizards" line. The Thor-looking figure is actually a figure of Thor, also Superior models.

[@brianfediuk]

Wow... Very interesting read! Thank you for sharing :) I've pinned this to the top because it has so much good info.

[@cowpercoles1194]

@@brianfediuk Thanks! And thanks for making the video -- brings back some fond memories!

[@googiegress]

Also lead or pewter have characteristics like melting point and softness that make them easier to cast figures out of. These days you can buy lead-free pewter, in fact it's the standard, kinda like how hard it is to find actual iron for blacksmithing because it ends up getting made into steel.

[@InvaderofSpace]

I'm sure you know this now, but for those watching this video like I did a few days ago, many of the figures in the plain brown box with printed text are the Dwarves that go in the other box with the printed cover that says 2003 Dwarves. I have the same set. It's AWESOME!!!

[@brianfediuk]

Yup! I assumed incorrectly in the video haha. Thanks!

[@DeusExAstra]

I still have my 2006 Specialists box from when I was a kid. These look very nice. Someone did a good job of painting them.

[@captcorajus]

As others have pointed out 2003 is the Grenadier model number NOT the year produced. Thosere are from 1980 as well, Not bad paint jobs on those. The other set looks like you've got mixed dwarves from the 2003 set and some Ral Partha figures. Later on the industry would switch to pewter. On ebay you could probably get around $75 for it.

[@brianfediuk]

Ahh good to know!

[@gabehugh343]

My pops has so msny painted figures from this era love them all.... some look like early citadel model miniatures as well as RP

[@googiegress]

Blows my mind when people say they have found gaming stuff at yard sales. I used to go yard sailing all the time and never, NOT ONCE, did I ever find anything related to D&D at any of them.

[@brianfediuk]

Gotta be in the right area. In my region we have a lot of older parents whose kids have moved out and left boxes of "junk" that they haven't claimed in a decade since moving out. Finds it's way to the yard sale, and I swing by and gladly take things off people's hands.

[@Phyrenia]

I don't have this set, but I have a partial 2002 monsters set I got for cheap on ebay and a full orcs lair set i got for less cheap. Oldest minis I've got, but they are freaking terrific!

[@MrSneaksful]

That dwarf set is from 1980, and thats a mix in your box, its not the entire set. Also with a quick google search you can see the year and the entire set and material used for those mini's.

[@overlordgaming4839]

I have over a hundred of these and even a dragon, awesome vid!

[@brianfediuk]

Very cool!

[@overlordgaming4839]

Brian Fediuk thanks!

[@chrisnelson6991]

I'm down to 9 figures... When you sell yours you should give me a cut.🤔 I'm the guy that made all this stuff rare.

[@rustedbeetle]

Ral Partha, a miniature company and one of the popular ones of the era. They look to be hand painted, probably with enamel paint. The figures would have been bare metal when they were originally sold. Yes, the minis are made with lead mix. Don't eat them. ;) I've painted several myself from that time when I played with my parents in the early 80's. I don't know if there is any value in them, but I am sure som someone would buy them if you put them up for sale.

[@brianfediuk]

+rustedbeetle good to know, thanks!

[@strangerrick]

Ral Partha was one of the big ones, but this set is Grenadier. Grenadier made a bunch of these themed sets, all (well, mostly) amazing.

[@krudeddie]

I have a few of these old set they all come unpainted.

[@triciasaurine4211]

The 2003 box set is all from 1980 2003 is the set number not the year

[@carsick6817]

That looks awesome

[@brianfediuk]

It is!

[@marleyboy7732]

I just found the same box of them as your 2003. But they aren't painted. Looked way older pieces. Is there any value to these?

[@brianfediuk]

Not really. Maybe $30 to the right buyer?

[@marleyboy7732]

@@brianfediuk oh ok

[@LITTERBOOTS]

It went “DING” because you said money lol xD

[@LITTERBOOTS]

These may be lead, pewter, or a mixture of both. I may have spelled pewter wrong lol. Oh and if someone says that they are to and not lead, they are confused. Sometimes people call lead tin. But it definitely isn’t tin like a cookie tin.

[@beedwarf]

Almost like an ancient artifact find! 🙂

[@brianfediuk]

Thankfully it wasn't a Mimic

[@mikefranklin70]

Great! This is how I learned my mom sold all my dnd stuff in a garage sale! She said they must have gotten lost.....

[@DisgustedArchive]

This was your stuff?

[@mikefranklin70]

@@DisgustedArchive No, just kidding. My mother probably just threw it out. But I did have that set. Brings back memories.

[@d.ryanallen1557]

The 2003 refers to the model number for the boxed set. Grenadier Models produced a lot of these miniature figures and number of these sets in the early 80's. Here's a link to photos and info on these sets. There is a market for this figures, some are highly collectible. www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=AD%26D_-_Small_Figure_Sets

[@brianfediuk]

Excellent info, thanks!

[@BatBrisco]

I had that EXACT box! I miss those old sets, so great, still have a lot of my painted figures i've been using to teach my son how to play now. Maybe i should post a video of that.. LOL Oh and FYI, Hal Partha was one of the Sculptors for those figures.

[@brianfediuk]

I love hearing nostalgic comments on this stuff. Thank you for sharing!

[@mikemaxwell5765]

It’s actually Ral Partha

[@mikemaxwell5765]

Hand painted by consumer. Worth money on eBay $$$

[@rob16248]

Hey Brian, put them in Nitromors, and get rid of those clumsy, gloopy paint jobs, and start over. You can give them a better finish than whoever owned them before.

[@brianfediuk]

unfortunately they were sold on eBay. would have been a great side project though!

[@machinenoise9622]

RAL .... RAL PARTHA 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@marvinvandenbroeck8589]

It's tin