23 1980s Fantasy Playsets Ranked by Rarity

UPDATE 11/21/15  I know of 23 full sized boxed fantasy toy soldier playsets sold in the 1980s.  I just found a Toyco playset called Dragons and Demons that I had never seen before. It is an all English box which I have also never seen before from Toyco, except for the Tower of Terror small playset.  I have installed the new playset as no. 3 on the list.  So, let's say it is 23 and counting.

They are all rare. DFC's Dragonriders of the Styx is the most common and you still only see 5-10 of them on ebay each year. The scale is really from rare to insanely rare. I found the last playset I was searching for recently, ending a 15+ year search.  I did not even know that a few of the playsets on this list existed until they popped up on ebay. Years of experience has given me a good idea about how rare they are in relation to each other, but there is no data or science behind my list. This is based entirely on gut feelings and a few leaked NSA documents.    

I have added my best estimate of a value range for each playset. The fact is that you can still sometimes find this stuff cheap at garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets and the like. If you go looking on ebay and other places that sell to collectors you will have to pay more, particularly for items in very good to mint condition.  My value estimate is mostly based on what I have seen on ebay over the last two decades.  However, if you hunt for this stuff and are patient you can find better prices than what I have estimated.

Here is a list of all 23 1980s fantasy toy soldier playsets in my best guess at rarity order:

23.  DFC: Dragonrider of the Styx. ($75 - $125)

22.  HG Toys: Sword & Sorcery (Medium). ($50-$100)

21.  DFC: The Tower of the Night. ($50 - $150)

20.  DFC:  The Forest of Doom. ($50 - $150)

19.  Marty Toy: Galaxy Warriors Electronic.  ($85 - $125)

18.  DFC:  The Fires of Shandarr.  ($75 -$150)

17.  HG Toys:  Sword & Sorcery (small).  ($35 - $50)

16.  DFC: Giant Castle Playset.  ($90 - $125)

15.  Tara Toys:  Dark Adventure Playset.  ($75 - $150)

14.  Helm Toy:  The Castle of the Three Headed Dragon. ($100 - $175)

13.  Miner:  Dragon Crest.  ($50 - $100)

12.  Helm Toy:  Demon Mountain.  ($75 - $100)

11.  Toyco:  Tower of Terror.  ($100 - $175)

10.  MPC:  Mysterious Castle.  ($150 - $300)

9.  HG Toys:  Sword & Sorcery (Deluxe).  ($175 - $300)

8.  Toyco:  Demons & Dragonriders (store version).  ($150 - $300)

7.  Marty Toy:  Galaxy Warriors Non-electronic.  ($75 - $150)

6.  Toyco:  Demons & Dragonriders (catalog version).  ($150 - $350)

5.  DFC:  The Demons of Castlelon. ($150 - $350) 

4.  DFC:  The Dungeons of Castlelon. ($175 - $350)

3. Toyco: Dragons and Demons (English Box).  ($175 - $350)

2.  Durham Industries:  Fantasy Fortress.  ($350 - $500)





1.  Helm Toy:  The Fortress of the Wizard King.  ($200 - $600)

LARGO TOYS LTD/ARCO: Stingers & Wings

I have updated my post on this crazy rare line each time I have learned something new about them or found a new figure, and now I'm redrafting the whole post. I think these are hands down the rarest fantasy toy soldiers made in the 1980s.  Their story has slowly come together and I can now provide some truly definitive information to go along with my speculations about their origin. I had very little solid information when I started this blog, and really hoped that somebody who knew more than me would see my post and fill me in. That worked out just as I hoped. Meeting people who share my interest in these guys and getting their help in finally finding out what they are called and who made them has been one of the best things about this blog for me.  I don't know if I could have ever learned as much as I have by my myself.  Thanks much Countzackula, Splittyhead, B-36, and Chris.

 I can now say with certainty that this line is called Stingers & Wings and was released by LarGo Toys, Ltd. in 1985. I have  seen one example of a packaged carded set of just the mounted figures and their mounts, called Stingers & Wings Battle Set.  There must be other packaged sets for the other figures.  There are four 55mm figures, two purple and two orange, and two smaller mounted figures that are available in both colors.  The sets came with a scorpion for the purple figures and a spider for the orange figures. 

 I still believe that the figures were actually made by Arco for LarGo just like the Sword & Sorcerer figures were made for Fleetwood by Arco. They use the same glow in the dark weapons as the Arco/Fleetwood Sword & Sorcerer figures, and look like the same style.  I'll make my case below.

I found this picture on the net.

Photo from an ebay auction.

The Orange Spider Guys



 Bampt Bampt Bampt  .  .  .  .  . Everybody dance now!

The Purple Scorpion Guys



WHY I THINK ARCO MADE THEM

I think Arco made these using the same artists and factory as the Sword & Sorcerer figures they made for Fleetwood.  First, I know that Arco made the Sword & Sorcerer figures because of an Italian carded set which lays it all out.  You can see a picture of that set at the bottom of my Sword & Sorcerer post here. 

Now, lets look at the similarities between the two lines:

1. The standing figures look like the same style and use the same glow in the dark weapons.

2. The mounted figures are in the same smaller scale with built in weapons.

3. The packaging art looks like it could have been done by the same artist.



Arco also made a pair of larger rubber bugs in the same style.  The spider looks more like a bee/spider mix and matches the art work better than the version that comes in the Stingers & Wings package.