
Tony Carducci’s persistence and tenacity often pays off big time. Here, he sets a GIjOE doctor figure inside the garage sale Barbie van he found (just $10) and then customized into an Adventure Team Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV). Outstanding! And cheap. (Photo: Mark Otnes)

Tony said he found this perfect, 1:6 scale “Thor’s Hammer” keychain ($6) at a local grocery store coinciding with the release of The Avengers movie. Wow! (Photo: Mark Otnes)
“He who spends less, can buy MORE!”
At first reading, the quote above may seem contradictory or counter-intuitive. But as many fans of 1:6 scale are finding out, it’s actually true. While Hasbro’s offerings dwindle and higher-end alternatives from Sideshow and Hot Toys continue to climb higher in price, a growing number of collectors have begun looking for inexpensive ways to satisfy their 1:6 appetites. That means spending less on each individual item to get MORE.
And let’s face it. Joeheads love everything in 1:6 scale. It’s almost like an addiction. We’re always on the lookout for new figures, uniforms or accessories. Every so often, we pick up a new vehicle; maybe even an extra one just for customizing. But no matter what the size or scope of a collection, the “thrill of the hunt” for 1:6 scale never seems to go away.
“I would NEVER pay that much!”
Over the years, a 1:6 “sticker shock rebellion” had begun to squeeze its way into the 1:6 hobby. To illustrate the effects of this “rebellion,” we interviewed a leading proponent of the growing “Spend less to get MORE” crowd; big-time Adventure Team fan, Tony Carducci, of Colona, Illinois. After a long day repairing electric guitars and providing music lessons to wannabe rockers, Tony enjoys nothing more than relaxing at home with his extensive 1:6 scale action figure collection.

Each shelf in Tony Carducci’s Joe Room is filled to capacity with a wide variety of 1:6 scale action figures. And dig that Adventure Team Yellow wall paint. Cool! (Photo: Mark Otnes)

Tony found these 1:6 scale refrigerator magnets at his local Jewel-Osco grocery store. Each is a superb miniature sack (made of real paper) full of a variety of items. Get this: They were only $1 each! (Photo: Mark Otnes) Click to enlarge.
But, as with many collectors, adequate display space for his growing collection quickly became a problem. Undeterred, the “hands-on” and cost-conscious Carducci decided to add on to his home. Predictably, he chose to forgo hiring expensive contractors and in little over a year, with the able assistance of his family, he had completed a new master bedroom, bathroom and (best of all) expanded his basement area for an all-new “Joe Room!”
“Guess How Much I Paid For THIS?”
Tony readily admits he doesn’t like spending money. And the “fiscally responsible” (or restrictive) attitude he and other fans share carries over into his GIjOE-collecting hobby as well. According to Carducci:
“I’m always keeping my eyes open for 1:6 scale stuff. And no, I don’t like to spend any more money on it than I have to. That’s why I regularly haunt places like Goodwill and local thrift stores, garage sales and even ebay. Fortunately (for me), for some reason, here in Colona there’s always a lot of great GIjOE-related stuff to be found. You just have to get out and look for it!”

Happily ensconced in his new Joe Room, Tony Carducci enjoys working with a variety of 1:6 scale miniatures to create custom figures for use in his “Bob Diablo” photo-comics. (Photo: Mark Otnes)

Here’s a nice closeup of one of Tony’s “City Survival” backpacks that come filled with chewing gum and are still sold at most supermarkets for just $2. What a great value! (Photo: Mark Otnes) Click to enlarge.
All of that time scrounging for 1:6 deals has clearly paid off for Carducci, who’s become the pride of his local division: The Central Illinois GIjOE Collector’s Club (CIGCC), At each club meeting, Tony simultaneously amazes and inspires with reports of recent low-cost acquisitions, and then advises others how they can do the same. According to one CIGCC member:
“Every…single…time…we see Tony at a GIjOE club meeting, he’ll have a story to tell of some fantastic ‘find’ he picked up at a garage sale or thrift store. 1:6 scale vehicles for $1. A dozen Joes for $10. I mean, the guy hardly spends ANYTHING and yet he has more in his collection than 2 or 3 of us put together. On his days off, Tony’s always out there, looking for Joes and anything else he can find in 1:6 scale. Just look at his amazing collection. The guy is a Class-A, hardcore SCROUNGER!”

Shelves groan under the weight of Carducci’s superb collection. But don’t ask how LITTLE he spent on it all. You wouldn’t believe it if he told you. (Photo: Mark Otnes)
Here are some more “Tips from Tony” regarding recent 1:6 scale bargains:

How about some cool, miniature boxes for your Joe’s “Joe Room?” These 1:6 scale superhero boxes were sold in bulk during Halloween and filled with candy. Dump out the candy and you have some killer props for a diorama. (Photo: Mark Otnes)

How about a 1:6 scale Monopoly game wit 3-D dice, card piles, houses and hotels? Just $2 at Walmart in their scrap-booking section. Superb “bang for the buck!” (Photo: Mark Otnes)

One of Tony’s greatest “on the cheap” achievements is a Barbie van that he customized and converted to a Mobile Adventure Team Satellite Tracking Station Vehicle (or MATSTSV), complete with backlit radar screens, flip down laptop console, computers and professional waterslide decal graphics provided by Patches of Pride. Carducci found the vehicle at a garage sale and traded for the PoP decals, keeping his final total cost for this amazing custom to only about $15. WOW. Fantastic job, Tony! (Photo: Mark Otnes)

Don’t forget to look for these tiny erasers at Target and Walmart ($1). This milk jug is spot-on PERFECT at 1:6 scale. (Photo: Mark Otnes)
Bottom Line: To look at his collection, one would think Tony had spent a fortune amassing it all. But in reality, the truth is quite the opposite. His tenacity and dogged determination to save a buck has clearly paid off for him BIG time as a GIjOE collector and provides a shining example for the rest of us on how to go forward during these tough economic times. Remember: “Collecting on the Cheap” doesn’t mean collecting poor quality items. It means saving on each and every purchase—to buy MORE tomorrow!
(Editor’s Note: Inspired by Tony’s success, we recently discovered even MORE 1:6 scale bargain items which we’ll share with you in an upcoming article soon.)