Over the many years I have seen many different figures and accessories. You would think I have seen everything. The truth is I am still finding items I have never seen before. Case in point the MPC Red Cross Flag. I have seen the white cots and boxes before as I had the MPC Ski Patrol as a child where they came in. the flag was in a limited number of sets and none of the sets were offered to me.
Another reason that I had not seen the flag before is I having been passing on looking through MPC ring hand figures. For me loose ring hand figures without weapons have no interest. They usually end up in my junk pile. I have tried to sell the ring hand figures without weapons on EBay with no luck. So I because of my belief I passed over MPC figures.
This past week I ran into a different situation. I had seen an ad for auction, which listed plastic army men and pirates. I figured it was MPC and when I got there, I was right. At that point normally I would have left, but I thought I am here. I decided to stick around as there was a bag Timmee Cowboy and the MPC ring hand came with accessories. The auction moved along briskly and they mixed the toys with household items. They finally came to the plastic army men and pirates. I found to my surprise I was the only bidder!
Going through the bags I found the Red Cross flag. Once I verified that it was original, I decided to add it to my collection along with the figure you see in the picture. I will be more attentive in the future on MPC.
Back in The Day my MPC GI’s usually ended up as gun crews or as POW’s of my Marx GI’s especially the Eastbloc looking ones with the stiff collars/greatcoats after I lost their weapons in the back garden.
Brian
My ring hand figures were regulated to the bottom of the toy bin. I used toothpicks to be spears for some of the figures. I only remember using four ring hands regularly two who were painted to be super heroes, another one got white paint over his left eye and became a villain called the Patch and a red coat walking which I place the MPC Thompson Machine Gun in right hand. I know it was historically inaccurate, but I just like how the gun sat in his slotted hand.
Have learned that all “junk” figures are useful, if only for conversions, even just using the ring hands to hold accessories or the heads for different looks, etc..
My guys were also used a lot as gun crews. Now they are pretty much retired among some of my treasured old guys. A lot of good memories for me.
Same here. Gun crews, a German stretcher bearer team when none was to be found, medics, mechanics, etc. Then I got my first Marx WWII set and the WWII weapons sprues got them all they needed, except head gear. Same with the ACW guys. Lots were arty guys or stretcher bearers, but that advancing pose was too BA looking to just get a cannon ram rod. He got a Marx rifle and joined the ranks of the infantry.