Citadel Official AD&D Miniatures
In 1985, for a short 18 months, Citadel produced a fantastic line of AD&D Miniatures. Approximately 100 blisters, 2 boxed sets and 2 boxed dragons were produced. A lot of miniatures to produce in about a year of sculpting time, especially in consideration of there being many variations of many of the figures. Citadel raised the bar for Dungeon and Dragon's Miniatures and for the first time all miniatures were high quality sculpts. For the first time D&D miniatures were supplied with slotted plastic bases. While many gamers did not like, and still do not like, the plastic bases which need to be glued on, it allowed the more artistic natured to more easily play around with creating interesting bases. Perhaps the best thing, and certainly the most unique thing about the Citadel line of AD&D miniatures was the creation of 3-stage characters - the same figure cast in different poses and with different clothes, haircut, armor and gear to show the growth from a humble adventurer to a prosperous and successful hero. For those who play 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, these are perfect minis to use as in 4th Edition there are three tiers of player characters: Heroic 1st- 10th level, Paragon 11-20th level and Epic 21st level and up. Ral Partha later copied this idea of 3- stage characters. Some player character miniatures instead of coming as 3-stage characters came as "adventure packs" with a standing figure, mounted figure and steed.
Since these minis were only in production for a short 18 months, they are hard to find these days and thus often pricey, though not astronomically pricey like the Ral Parthas. Characters in blisters tend to go for 15.00- 20.00 for a single character, while a blister with all three of a 3-stage character run about 30 or so. The better individual monsters I have seen go for over 40-00 out of blister, while the common monsters such as orcs and kobolds as well as humans tend to go for just 2.00-6.00 each when out of blister. The Citadel line was not as popular as it deserved to be, not as popular as the Grenadier or Ral Partha lines, and so there are not many collectors, which has kept the price down. Additionally, no one really knows what these look like, if they even have heard of them. Recently however, Richard Scott has (finally!) completed his Citadel AD&D website and so people now have a place to go to whet their appetite for the Citadel AD&D line of miniatures, so it is quite possible that these miniatures will become more valuable.
Citadel AD&D miniatures are easily identifiable by the TSR logo stamped on the base strip. Most miniatures also have the name of the miniature stamped on the base strip as well.
Citadel/Games Workshop can boast to be the only miniature producer to have produced a D&D line and still be in business today, as well as being the longest lived miniature producer. Games Workshop began producing miniatures in the 70's and are one of the most successful, miniature producers today thanks to their Warhammer game. (Wizards of the Coast is still producing miniatures, but only plastic prepainted, so we are going to consider them out of the business of producing paintable miniatures.)
Pictures of Minis
| BDD | D&D Boxed Sets |
| ADD1-ADD48 | AD&D Player Characters |
| ADD51-ADD96 | AD&D Monsters |
I am still building up my Citadel line and so as yet I do not have pictures of all the models. Until then I would recommend you to Richard Scott's site, Otherworld Miniatures, where he has photos of very nicely painted miniatures of all but a few of the figures. Richard Scott also produces his own miniature line, Otherworld Miniatures.