Boys and Their Toys : GI JOE TRIVIA

* Names originally considered for GI Joe: Salty the Sailor, Ace the Pilot, Rocky the Marine.

* The scar on Joe’s cheek represents more than machismo. It was the only way Hasbro could trademark his face. Similarly, early prototypes featured a misplaced thumbnail that was incorporated into the design as another protection against copyright infringement.

* If Joe were built to human scale, he would stand 5 feet, 9 inches tall.

* Perhaps the most collectable GI Joe is the female version, which was discontinued afer one year. A mint-condition GI Nurse Action Girl sold for almost $5,000 at a toy show last year.

* Last fall, a group of performance artists in the East Village of Manhattan purchased as many as 300 “Talking Duke” GI Joes and “Teen Talk” Barbies and switched their voice mechanisms. They were able to sneak the toys back onto store shelves in at least two states. A number of boys who bought the miniature fighting man home were startled to hear him utter, in a high-pitched voice,”Let’s plan our dream wedding!”

Sources: Hasbro, Inc. and “The Complete Encyclopedia to GI Joe.”