I know in cars there are specific rules as to what is considered vintage and classic.

I don't believe there is an equivalent definition as far as toys go, but I wonder if there is any kind of consensus.

To me, vintage is anything before the late 80's (say before 1987 to be specific). Why? I don't know. Maybe because Star Wars was over and GIJOE was beginning to wane. Or maybe because that's when I entered high school.

I don't think I'll ever consider any toylines from the 90's vintage. Even 20 years from now.

So is it relative from person to person? What's your definition of a vintage toy? What's the newest a vintage toy can be?

I too like to go with vintage = 80's toys!

I do think that some collectors and especially eBay sellers go with the 20 yr. rule though.

Personally I think its anything that existed in a toy line say pre 85-- but usually I only use it when describing a toy line that has a resurgance-- Such as He Man, Transformers, Star Wars, Joe etc... Just beacause you could describe something regular by saying that toy line if only one existed-- Thundercats for example, that will now get the vintage moniker added to it.. Like I would never say vintage Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors because even though they were in the 80's-- that is the only toy line that has existed...

Im sure that kids today will start to use it soon for other stuff- I mean are there vintage Power Rangers now?

Would you consider the original Simpsons line vintage? Since it was pre playmates and over 20 years old.. Whats the cutoff for vintage Lego (maybe BB Before Bionicle or even BT before Technic)- Flesh vs Yellow figures.. it all gets confusing- I mean you had original castle, viking and pirate lego sets in the 80s-- now their are new versions are those orginals really vintage..

Pre 1988 or so. Anything before toys marked "made in china".

Don't remember where I've read it (one of the action figure mags I think),
any toy at least 20 years old is "vintage". Personally, I think at least half that number and no longer available at retail is vintage to me.

I usually think anything 20 years old or older is vintage.

Yeah I'd say anything before 1990 qualifies as vintage as of now. In a few more years, it will be anything before 1995. It's funny that some younger people are starting to consider the first couple years of POTF2 Star Wars toys as vintage now, but when you consider that there's only a 10 year gap between the end of Kenner's Star Wars line in 1985 and the modern POTF2 line in 1995, it really puts things in perspective given that we're now SIXTEEN years from the point when the modern Star Wars line started. That kind of realization makes me feel old.

I would say anything 20 years old or older is most definitely vintage to me, however I suppose for the younger crowd anything from 1995 would also be vintage for them, in fact it would be their first vintage I suppose (Toys from childhood).

I agree that it is 20 years more or less, though I think that the early 1990's lines (Bucky, Tailspin, early Simpsons) probably qualify. I consider Galoob Star Trek V or Star Trek: The Next Generation and even Playmates Star Trek more or less vintage, simply because Diamond came along and made all their figures. Perhaps vintage has more to do with older construction methods and packaging rather than release date?

I'm more lenient I guess. There are Transformers lines that reached into the 90s I would still call Vinatge. It all depends on the line for myself. Then again there's a new definition/ determination for Golden/ Silver/ Bronze and Modern Age comics... so why not toys?

This is just a general question, and I ask with a specific mindset. When does something become a vintage line? Is there an accepted time since it was actively release? Does it become vintage the minute it stops being made? I'm asking in general, but of course wondering how this will apply to JLU. Just something I'm curious about.

There's another thread about this back a ways. The general rule seems to be 20+ years old. So some early 90's stuff is now vintage.

I still think its more generational-- anything you played with a kid-- becomes vintage when you are an adult.. ALthough in Toy Lines-- its any time there is a new version of the same toy line the original becomes vintage..

My question is what do we call the 2000 He man-- Can't be vintage because of the 1980s line-- Neo Classic, Modern??? and if thats true What do we call the new ones? Generation 3 -- (of course the problem with this is its only the second time around for the POPs and the New Adventures..)

Thanks Shell. I tried searching but probably didn't put in the right terms lol...

Stewbacca makes a valid point though. I played with alot of stuff as a kid that I would consider vintage. But at the same time, the Timm-verse stuff has been going since the 90s... so it's an interesting take.

And it's painful to think about the stuff I had coming out of high school as being vintage now hahaha... ouch.

Don't know that there's a specific reason why, but here cars are considered "vintage" (and qualify for a special plate) at 20 years, seems like that would be a good plan to follow for toys as well...