A few weeks ago I posted about a handful of projects I have planned for my set of Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Miniatures. Before I embark on these, however, I need to fill a few gaps in my collection. While I have a great selection of diverse characters, there are a few glaring omissions - including core characters like Han, Chewie, and the dynamic droid duo. Back when these miniatures were in stores I restricted myself to purchasing four blind-bagged blister packs from each new wave, but I now wished I'd picked up more - especially from the original Rebel Storm wave (containing a comprehensive range of characters from the Original Trilogy). Recently, however, I stumbled across TrollandToad.com - a curated marketplace of loose Star Wars Miniatures. After a few solid hours of research and browsing, I bit the bullet and placed an order - and was incredibly pleased with the outcome!
TrollandToad.com essentially works as a middleman between Miniatures collectors: buying loose miniatures from individuals, then on-selling these on their marketplace. The cost of most miniatures typically ranges from $2.00 - $5.00USD (around $3.00 - $8.00NZ) with certain rarer figures fetching a little more. These prices are pretty fair, given that at the time of their release the seven-miniature blind-bags retailed for $25.00NZ (or around $3.60 per miniature). Purchasing miniatures in this way also guarantees that you'll get the characters you're after, as opposed to paying for endless fillers or duplicates you have no real use for.
My one big issue with the Miniatures line has always been the card stock used for the character cards. It may sound like a minor gripe, but these cards form an integral part of the game and therefore need to be able to withstand an enormous amount of handling. Unfortunately the thin, matte stock used by Wizards simply isn't up to the task, and is prone to scuffs, creases, and delamination. It's a problem I've solved via the liberal use of card protectors, but it had me somewhat apprehensive about the condition of the cards I'd receive from TrollandToad. Fortunately, I needn't have worried. The cards accompanying the miniatures all arrived in phenomenal condition.
For now, the gaps in my collection have been nicely filled. But if at some point point in the future I want to expand my forces, I'll definitely be using TrollandToad.com again. If there's something missing from your Miniatures collection, I strongly recommend checking out their selection!
