After looking for old train parts for my new-old 7740 Inter-City Passenger Train, I also recently searched for other old minifigures that might be useful in manning the train. Here’s some of what I found… Look familiar?
Fortunately my childhood LEGO collection is still mostly intact, unfortunately it is quite disorganized and spread over several containers and places. For some earlier photos of the mess, see Old parts, old friends, Treasure hunting and The Excavation stories.
Quest for Bricks 
2 Responses to Early minifigures
I always wonder how hold minifigs can look so new. Many of mine have lost the decoration and/or faces. Unfortunately.
Thanks for the comment!
Some of mine have lost faces, too (not pictured).
In my collection there is a clear difference between minifigs that are from mid-1980s and have been mostly in my built-up LEGO Town back then, as opposed to those from late 1970s, early 1980s that have been disassembled longer and brushing against other LEGO for years and years.
Same with bricks: If the part has spent most of its time in a built model, it has fared well. If it has been inside a box full of LEGO and frequent play, it will show in wear and tear. ABS plastic is great that way, if you don’t hurt it physically, time alone won’t hurt it much – if any. White pieces can yellow, though.