The original 1964 G.I. Joe action figure had a retail price of $4.00.
Hasbro introduced the first G.I. Joe figures in 1964 as 12-inch military figures, years before the smaller characters and elaborate Cobra storyline associated with the 1980s line. The initial release represented four branches of the U.S. armed forces: Action Soldier, Action Sailor, Action Pilot and Action Marine. Each basic figure was sold in a box with a branch-appropriate uniform and basic equipment.
The $4.00 price refers to the basic figure, not every possible uniform, accessory set or later vehicle package. Additional equipment and specialty outfits were sold separately, so collectors sometimes encounter different period prices when comparing boxed products.
The line was developed from Stanley Weston’s idea for a poseable military figure and helped Hasbro popularize the term “action figure” as a boy-oriented alternative to “doll.” The original 12-inch concept eventually inspired Action Man internationally and, in 1982, the smaller 3.75-inch G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero relaunch.