[1] General Information
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1.1. What does PEZ stand for?
PEZ comes from the first, middle, and last letters of the German word for peppermint, pfefferminz: P E Z
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1.2.Who invented PEZ?
Eduard
Haas III, a baker and confectioner, invented PEZ. Haas was avidly
anti-smoking and reportedly invented and marketed the mints as an
alternative to cigarettes. As David Welch puts it in
Collecting Pez (see [
7-3]):
"Ed. Haas III has been described by several interviewees as a health
nut. His marketing strategy defined PEZ Candy as an alternative to
smoking as well as a way to overcome the unpleasant after effects of
smoking and of certain foods."
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1.3.How long has PEZ been around?
PEZ
candy was created in 1927 in Vienna, Austria. It was first sold in
small metal tins and was available only in Peppermint flavor. The PEZ
dispenser was invented in 1948 and initially resembled a modern-day
plastic disposable cigarette lighter. PEZ candies and dispensers have
been marketed in America since 1952.
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1.4.Tell me more about the history of PEZ.
PEZ
was first marketed as a compressed peppermint breath mint in Austria.
It was initially targeted for adult smokers. Perhaps because of this,
conventional wisdom has it that the first Pez dispenser (1948) was
designed to look like a disposable cigarette lighter. Such lighters,
however, were not introduced until the early 1970's. More likely, as
pointed out by David Welch (see section [
7-3]), the design of the first Pez dispenser was driven by the physical characteristics of a Pez tablet:
I interviewed people who were around in the early days and no one EVER
mentioned this (association with cigarette lighters). Where this came from---who knows? Likely someone made
the jump from current day collector observations (regulars look like
BIC lighters) to injecting it into past history. Read the Allina
interview in my second book. The dispenser was made as a dispenser for
a candy that already existed---size was set. There was no effort to
imitate a lighter or pacify smokers into thinking it was one.
After being introduced to America in 1952 to disappointing sales
figures, market research with children led to the introduction of fruit
flavors and character heads featuring licensed characters. Today, Pez
dispensers topped with novel heads are sold worldwide.
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1.5.In what countries are PEZ available?
Pez Intl's site (
http://www.pez.at/pezat/)
mentions that Pez is sold in over 80 countries. They list 79 countries
along with the primary distributors for each country. The list includes
countries from Europe (40), Asia (26), America (6), Africa (6) and
Australia (1). Here's a partial - but growing - list of confirmed
countries:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
Israel, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Thailand, USA.
Special Reference Note: A listing of some countries that you can find
PEZ in, along with some of the specific stores and chains that carry
them, can be found at Jason Oesterly's World of PEZ site:
http://pez.oesterly.com/wop/
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1.6.What is a "PEZHead"?
It was once thought that a PEZHead was simply "one who collects PEZ". This is not entirely accurate...
You start out with a few dispensers, gathered from holiday gifts,
birthday packages, or a quick sugar fix while you're in the grocery
store checkout lane. A PEZ here...a PEZ there... before long you
realize that you have several, line them up on a shelf, and wonder if
there are others to be had. You find yourself seeking them out during
your weekly errands. On a Saturday, you drive to a store some distance
from your house because a friend comments that they 'saw something like
a dinosaur dispenser' and you have to see it for yourself.
While at the store hunting down this elusive 'dinosaur', you
meet someone else at the display rack. They invite you to a gathering
where you can meet other people who have shelves of PEZ dispensers.
Others. There are more of your kind. You've found them.
You discover the PEZHeads e-mail list. Your life has changed.
You may not have realized it completely yet, but it has. You are now
mainlining PEZ information directly into your head.
You complete your collection of domestically available
dispensers and start on the ones available in other countries by
trading with complete strangers you meet over the Internet.
You discover flea markets and antique shops. Your eyes quickly
learn to discern the shape of a PEZ from an entire box of happy meal
toys. Your average price per PEZ increases from $1 to $15 to $30 as you
start to purchase older PEZ.
You find that you have two versions of the Pezzy Dance O'Joy
in your repertoire; one that is restrained, low-impact, and only
slightly noticeable by other shoppers, for performing in public places,
and the full-blown leaping, spinning, frenzied arm gesturing, version
for when you are completely out of sight of the antique shop where you
just found a Snow White dispenser for under fifty dollars.
You talk to people and let everyone you've ever met know you
collect PEZ (hoping to score that shoe box that someone's Mom has in a
closet somewhere). You now dream of PEZ dispensers and hope to one day
ride in a car you saw pictured in a magazine that has 1400 PEZ
dispensers adhered to it.
You no longer care who sees you dance.
Your family and friends begin to think about an intervention
because you're flying to Minneapolis, Cleveland, St. Louis, California,
or Connecticut to meet others that call themselves PEZHeads.
One day you find yourself answering more questions about PEZ
than you ask. Other collectors begin to seek you out for information.
They consider you a "crusty old collector" and give you a nickname that
has "PEZ" in it.
Newbies look upon your collection with wild eyes and wonder how you did it.
You look and wonder the same thing.
You are a PEZHead.
Composed by: [Amy, PezQueen of the Universe, Criff the PezDawg and Brian, PEZGandi]
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1.7.What do MIB, MOC and MOMC mean?
These are standard acronyms used to refer to the condition of a collectible:
- MIB = Mint in Bag
- MOC = Mint on Card
- MOMC = Mint on Mint Card
Note that MOC does not mean that the card is perfect, but only that the dispenser is still on the card (unopened).
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1.8.What are some other commonly used acronyms?
- AA - African American [ referring to the characters such as Bride, Groom, etc that have recently become available ]
- DBP - Deutsche Bundes Patent
- F - Footed
- FEB - Fat Eared Bunny
- FBS - Full Body Santa
- FBST - Full Body Space Trooper
- FS - For Sale
- FT - For Trade
- GITD - Glow in the Dark
- JITB - Jack In The Box
- JL - Johnny Lightning
- MAF - Make A Face
- MMM - Merry Melody Maker / Merry Music Maker
- NF - No Feet
- NGG - Non-Glowing Ghosts
- NPC - No Pez Content [ used to indicate an off-topic mailing list message ]
- NRFP - Never Removed From Package
- ObPEZ - Obligatory PEZ related comment in a PEZheads e-mail post
- OSS - Old Store Stock
- PDOJ - PEZzy Dance O'Joy [ a celebratory dance of acquisition ]
- SW - Star Wars
- TRU - Toys 'R' Us [ retail store chain ]
- TMNT - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- WF - With Feet
A listing of other commonly encountered (non-PEZ) email acronyms may be found at
http://www.spam-site.com/email-acronyms.shtml
[2] The Company - PEZ Candy, Inc.
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2.1.Can I buy products directly from the PEZ factory?
Not
currently. PEZ discontinued direct sales through their website in
February 2006. The store is expected to reopen in April 2006. From late
in 1996 until the closure, PEZ Candy sold dispensers direct to the
consumer or collector through phone and web sales. The first mail-order
inserts started appearing packaged with current dispensers in 1996. The
online store launched in 1998.
If you wish to find out the name of the PEZ distributor in your
area, call PEZ Candy, Inc. at (203) 795-0531. You may be able to
purchase PEZ in bulk from your local distributor. This may require a
resale tax number or other qualifications, depending on local laws.
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2.2.Does PEZ sell any reproductions of original dispensers?
Yes.
In 1998, PEZ issued the first reproduction item: The Psychedelic Eye.
It was available in both the white and black versions, on four
different stem colors. This was followed up soon after by the
Psychedelic Flower. Pez has since brought out a number of other
reproductions, including a Bride and Groom, a 50th anniversary Golden
Glow, and a series of "Retro Classic" regulars. See [
2-8] for where to obtain order forms on-line.
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2.3.Can I have a tour of the PEZ Candy factory?
The
company's response is that since they are an FDA regulated food plant,
they are not permitted to give tours. However, it has been pointed out
that the FDA also regulates wineries, breweries, jelly bean factories,
etc, many of which will happily give tours. Regardless of the reason,
PEZ Candy does not give tours.
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2.4.Who owns PEZ Candy, Inc.?
The owner's name is private. As of 2005 Joseph Vittoria is the president and chief executive officer of PEZ Candy, Inc.
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2.5.Can I buy stock in PEZ?
PEZ Candy is a privately held company. No stock is sold.
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2.6.Where is the company located?
The
first U.S. PEZ factory was located in New York and imported the candy
from Europe. The United States division of PEZ Candy moved to Orange,
Connecticut in 1972. They have remained there since, and in 2005 began
work on a significant expansion of the facility.
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2.7.Tell more about the history of the company.
PEZ
Candy, Inc. was originally Haas Food Mfg. Corp. This didn't change
until the 1970's. Their motto used to be "A Treat to Eat in a Puppet
That's Neat!"
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2.8.Is PEZ Candy, Inc. on the Internet?
PEZ Candy, Inc.'s official website was launched in Fall 1998. It can be found at:
http://www.pez.com.
There you will find a welcome from the company, legal copyright
information, information about licensed PEZ products, and a partial
listing of dispensers that the company produced. [Note: A complete (As
far as we are able to determine at this writing) list of dispensers can
be found in
this document] Online sales of dispensers from their website were suspended in February 2006, they are expected to resume in April 2006.
The European Counterpart to PEZ, Inc. is PEZ, Intl. Their website can be found at
http://www.pez.at/pezat/
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2.9.Why does PEZ Candy, Inc. charge so much for shipping and handling?
While
PEZ does not currently sell directly to the consumer, when they did
high shipping charges were a frequent complaint. PEZ Candy, Inc. used
an off-site fulfillment house to fill orders placed using either their
800# or the web site. This company charged PEZ, Inc. a fixed rate
($3.95) per offer to compensate for the customer service department,
their employees' time to receive the order, process the order, pack the
order, and ship the order. PEZ, Inc. passed that cost on to the
consumer. PEZ was unable to combine shipping on orders because the
fulfillment house did not combine shipping costs charged to PEZ, Inc.
[3] PEZ Candy
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3.1.Where can I buy Cherry flavor PEZ?
Cherry
flavor PEZ was discontinued in the US several years ago and was
replaced by Grape flavor PEZ. However, Cherry PEZ is readily available
in Canada, Europe and elsewhere. It was discontinued in the US because
PEZ Candy thought that children would not want a candy that tasted
similar to cough medicine. However, Cherry will soon be making a
comeback in the US, see the next question.
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3.2.What new flavors are coming out next?
It
is not the policy of PEZ Candy to discuss current or future marketing
plans. The company has reissued the Peppermint flavor packaged with the
new Regulars. In 1999, Cola PEZ was introduced in Japan and Europe
followed by the US in 2003. Four new Sour flavors were introduced
worldwide in 2004. Late in 2005 new inserts started appearing
announcing the planned 2006 (re)release of Cherry and Raspberry flavors.
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3.3.What's in PEZ Candy?
As listed on the wrapper of the standard flavors, the ingredients are:
Sugar, Corn Syrup, Adipic Acid, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel & Palm
Oils And Soybean Oil, Mono & Diglycerides, Natural & Artificial
Flavors, Artificial Colors (including FD&C Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow
6, Blue 2 - depending on which flavor). Cola also contains Sodium
Bicarb., Color.
The Sourz Candy has the following ingredients:
Sugar, Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid,
Hydrogenated Cottonseed , Palm Kernel, Palm & Soybean Oil, Mono
& Diglycerides, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Artificial
Colors, FD & C Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40, Green3.
The sugar-free candy has the following ingredients:
Sorbitol, Coated Citric Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Natural &
Artificial Flavors, Ascorbic Acid, Artificial Colors (including F&C
Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake - depending on which flavor).
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3.4.Is PEZ Candy good for you?
The nutritional info is:
Serving size: 1 roll (9 g)
Calories: 35
% Daily Values per Serving (based on a 2,000 calorie diet):
Total Fat (0 g): 0%
Sodium (0 mg): 0%
Total Carbohydrates (9 g): 3%
Sugars 9 g
Protein: 0 g
The sugar-free candy has the following nutritional info:
Serving size: 1 roll (8 g)
Calories: 30
% Daily Values per Serving (based on a 2,000 calorie diet):
Total Fat (0 g): 0%
Sodium (0 mg): 0%
Total Carbohydrates (9 g): 3%
Sugars 0 g
Sorbitol 8 g
Protein (0 g): 0%
Vitamin C: 35%
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3.5.What flavors are available?
In
the US - Assorted Fruit, Grape, Lemon, Orange, Strawberry, Sour
Pineapple, Sour Raspberry, Sour Watermelon, Sour Apple, Cola and
Peppermint. Cherry and Raspberry will be available in the US starting
with the Valentine 2006 release. Other parts of the world may offer
different flavors -- for example, some parts of Europe offer
Apple-Cinnamon and Japan has a stronger Peppermint flavor.
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3.6.Are there any sugar-free flavors?
Yes, PEZ Candy makes sugar-free Orange, Lemon, and Strawberry flavors.
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3.7.Where is PEZ Candy made?
All
flavors available in the US are made in Orange, Connecticut where the
candy is also packaged with the dispensers. Candy available to most
other parts of the world is made and packaged in Austria.
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3.8.What flavors have been discontinued?
There have been many flavors over the years. Many of these were never available in the United States:
- Anise (tastes like black licorice)
- Chlorophyll
- Coffee
- Eucalyptus
- Flower
- Hot Cinnamon
- Licorice
- Lime
- Menthol
- Yoghurt
- Wild Cherry
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3.9.What are Kosher PEZ?
Some common dispensers have cards marked "Kosher". It signifies that
the candy inside the package was prepared in accordance with Jewish
dietary laws. They are always the assorted flavor packs. The Kosher
carded PEZ are made by PEZ Candy, Inc. especially for Paskesz Candy
Company.
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3.10.Are there really PEZ vitamins?
In some Eastern European countries like Hungary, PEZ manufactures four
different flavors of vitamins. They are shaped like the familiar PEZ
bricks but sold in small cardboard boxes instead of in a roll. The
flavors are Izo PEZ, Tutti-Fruity, Lemon Vitamin-C, and Fruit. They
taste similar to "Flintstone" vitamins.
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3.11.Is there a Comprehensive PEZ Candy Pack Listing?
Yes.
Brad Emalfarb and Dave Hood worked many months to bring us the
identification guide for PEZ candy packs. It includes a detailed
listing of known candy packs along with a numbering system, checklist
and approximate values. It's available for download as a .pdf file
which requires Adobe Acrobat reader to view. It can be found here:
http://www.mcpez.com/candy.htm
[4] PEZ Dispensers - Covered in three sections.
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4.1.1Where can I find PEZ dispensers and Candy refills?
PEZ
Candy products (both dispensers and refills) are sold nationally by
K-Mart, Walmart, Walgreen's, Target Stores, Eckerd Drug, Family Dollar
Stores, and Dollar General Stores, amongst many others. Also try your
local supermarket, drugstore, and gift and novelty stores. Popular
places to find PEZ in Canada include The Bay, Sears, Eaton's, Zellers,
Walmart, K-Mart, Toys R Us, major drug stores and supermarkets. You can
also purchase directly from PEZ through their website (see question [
2-8]), as well as a number of other online dealers and websites.
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4.1.2I
saw an Elvis Presley PEZ dispenser in the movie "The Client", Where can
I buy one? How about Pee Wee Herman, Spock, Michael Jackson, KISS,
Barbie, and the Stay-Puft marshmallow man?
The
Elvis dispenser was a model used for the movie, not an actual
dispenser. PEZ Candy has not manufactured an Elvis dispenser. The other
dispensers mentioned above are all fakes as well. Many people have
created their own PEZ by hand sculpting clay, or using the heads from
small dolls, and mounting them on an ordinary dispenser base. These are
all commonly referred to as "Fantasy PEZ". Often they do not actually
dispense candy, but are used purely for display. Some are even complete
with professional-looking packaging. Drew Becker rumpusroom@csi.com is
well known for his Elvis dispenser and other Fantasy PEZ. Several other
PEZ collectors are also very creative artists. By visiting the web
pages listed in [
7-5] you will find some PEZHeads who create custom "Fantasy" PEZ.
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4.1.3What new dispensers are coming out next?
It
is not the policy of PEZ Candy to discuss their current or future
marketing plans. However, several rumors and pre-release announcements
of things to come are circulating. The best way to find out about all
things to come is to subscribe to the newsletter (question [
7-9]), Internet mailing list, or Web Bulletin Board (question [
7-6]). For a summary of upcoming releases that have been announced but not yet released, see
http://droflet.net/pezrelease. For a timeline of past release dates from 1949-2002, see
http://www.pezlist.com/mcpez/timeline.htm.
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4.1.4How many PEZ dispensers are currently available?
The
number varies at different times of the year. Holiday collections are
only available at certain times, and different dispensers are available
in the US, Canada and Europe. See question [
4-1-5] for a list of dispensers currently being offered.
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4.1.5Is there a complete list of PEZ dispensers?
Yes, there is - or at least an attempt at it. The list is now maintained on its
own page.
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4.1.6Where are PEZ Candy dispensers made?
The dispensers are manufactured and imported from Austria, Czech
Republic, China, and Hungary. For US distribution, the dispensers are
packaged with the candy in Orange, Connecticut. The Slovenia packaging
plant closed in the fall of 1996.
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4.1.7Can anybody explain the PEZ-a-Saurs?
PEZ-a-Saurs
were marketed as dinosaurs in Canada. They are often referred to by
different names than their American counterparts.
American Names | Description | Canadian Names |
Fly-Saur | purple and red face | Brutus (son) |
He-Saur | purple with yellow mouth | Chaos (baby) |
I-Saur | red and yellow face | Titus (dad) |
She-Saur | light blue face | Venezia (mom) |
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4.1.8What are the different trucks?
Twenty-five
different trucks have been made. There are five series - A, B, C, D and
E. The A and B series have three trucks each, the C series has ten
trucks, the D series has four trucks, and the E series has five.
The A series trucks have four wheels.
The B series trucks have 6 wheels, the rear fenders dip between the wheels, and the wheels turn.
The C series trucks have six wheels, the rear fenders are straight, and the wheels turn.
The D series have six wheels, the rear fenders are straight, and the
wheels do not turn. There are also different truck cab styles. The D
series trucks are marked with either R1, R2, R3, or R4 on the cab. They
can also be differentiated by the length of the cab roof. In order of
shortest cab roof to longest cab roof, they are R1, R2, R3, and R4. For
the D series, there are 36 different trucks if you are collecting color
combinations. Four cabs, three stem colors (red, green, blue), and four
cab colors (red, green, blue, and yellow). They never put the same
color cab and stem together on the D series trucks. A, B, and C series
trucks are found on 3.9 patent stems. D series trucks can be found on
3.9 or 4.9 patent stems.
The E series trucks or "Rigs" are available in 5 different
styles, with two different color schemes each for a total of ten
trucks. Two of these styles were also available with a "Walgreen's"
logo and color scheme and were available in 2005 exclusively through
the Walgreen's chain of pharmacies in the US.
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4.1.9 Which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is which?
The
turtles can be distinguished by the color of their bandana. There are
two versions of each of the four turtles. One has an angry face and the
other has a happy face.
TMNT | bandana color |
---|
Donatello | purple |
Leonardo | teal |
Michaelangelo | orange |
Raphael | red |
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4.1.10What are the names of the Nintendo dispensers?
Mario - The man
Koopa Troopa - Is orange
Diddy Kong - The monkey
Yoshi - The green dinosaur
Pokemon Series:
Pikachu - Yellow with long ears
Meowth - Beige cat
Koffing - Purple, round head
Psyduck - Orangish platypus-looking
Mew - Pink rodent
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4.1.11What is a Power PEZ Dispenser?
The Power PEZ Dispenser is made by Cap Toys. It is a circular dispenser
that is 4 inches in diameter and motorized. The candies are loaded
singularly and then dispensed by pressing a button which causes the PEZ
to rotate toward a gate where they are ejected. There are three
different colors available: orange, green, and purple. A variation was
later released which has a belt clip on the back of the dispenser.
These were released in 1996 primarily through Toys R Us stores, but are
no longer available.
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4.1.12How old is a particular dispenser?
You can get a vague idea of the age of a dispenser by looking at the patent number:
- Box Patent, pre-1950's
- DBP Patent 818.829, issued in 1950
- Patent 2.620.061 1st series issued in 1952
- Patent 3.410.455 2nd series issued in 1968
- Patent 3.845.882 3rd series issued in 1974
- Patent 3.942.683 4th series issued in 1976
- Patent 4.966.305 5th series issued in 1990
- Patent 5.984.285 6th series issued in 1999
Patent numbers are commonly referred to by only the first two digits, so a 4.9 dispenser is one from the 5th series.
Dispensers changed from "footless" to "footed" in 1987, but the
recent re-release of the "Regulars" are without feet. In general, if
you have a 3.9 dispenser with feet, it was made after 1987. If a 3.9
dispenser is without feet, it was made before 1987. (Of course some of
these were made
during 1987, but that's difficult to determine.)
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4.1.13 Which one's Jerry and which one's Tuffy?
Jerry has a brown face (the mouse from Tom & Jerry). Tuffy has a
gray face. Both Jerry and Tuffy come in a painted face version and a
multiple-piece version. The painted face version has a solid head with
the features painted on, while the multiple-piece face has the facial
features as separate pieces.
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4.1.14How many different Coach Whistles are there?
The
Coach Whistle B, released in 2005 is available in six colors: light
blue, dark blue, dark pink, yellow, orange and lime green. A limited
number of Coach Whistles B's were also made in gold, silver, crystal
green and crystal red.
There are seven varieties of the previous style Coach Whistle A:
Stem Color | Whistle Colors (loop half/non-loop half) |
Blue | White Loop/Red |
Green | Yellow Loop/Red |
Green | Red Loop/Yellow |
Lavender | Yellow Loop/Orange |
Lavender | Orange Loop/Yellow |
Red | Yellow Loop/Green |
Red | Green Loop/Yellow |
When discussing the various color combinations of the whistles,
"loop color" refers to the color of the loop at the top of the whistle.
The other color is for the non-loop half. This is much easier than
trying to use "red/white" and describe which is the "right" and "left"
color.
For other color combination questions, refer to question [
4-1-17].
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4.1.15How can I get a BubbleMan dispenser?
While
the Bubbleman was originally an extremely limited test-piece, it is now
available directly from PEZ Candy, Inc. See section [
2-1] for more information on ordering from PEZ Candy.
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4.1.16What is the tallest dispenser? Widest?
Bugs Bunny with cap and Asterix were fighting it out as to which was
the tallest, but as of March 2000, the tallest dispenser is Marge
Simpson measuring in at 5-1/8". Thor is the widest at about 2 3/8 inches
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4.1.17What are all the color combinations of xxxxx?
The
most complete resource would be The Master PEZ Guide, originally
compiled by James Day, and later maintained by Bob and Faye Tipton. It
can be found at
http://www.pezworld.com/guide/. Unfortunately, there have not been any updates to it since 2003.
You might also try searching on
http://www.mypezql.com, which is kept up to date, but is also incomplete for some dispensers.
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4.1.18What is a Mono-Regular?
A Mono-Regular is a revised Regular dispenser that, instead of having a
white inner sleeve, has an inner sleeve that matches the stem color.
Cliff Lee brought this variation to the attention of the PEZHead e-mail
list during 1998 and coined the name, "Monochromatic Regular", which
has been casually abbreviated to Mono-Regular.
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4.1.19What is a Candy Hander?
The
Candy Handers developed by CAP toys are motorized dispensers for
various candies. The two Candy Handers released in 1998 featured Warner
Brothers' Wile E. Coyote and Marvin the Martian. When a button is
pushed, the character, who holds a shovel-shaped implement, turns to an
opening in the dispenser to retrieve the waiting candy brick. In Wile's
case, the opening is in a mountain tunnel; in Marvin's case, the
opening is in his space ship. A third PEZ Candy Hander, Jar-Jar Binks
(from the Star Wars movie Episode I) was released in late 1999.
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4.1.20Why are some PEZ called "Glew Variations"?
There
was once a very enterprising PEZhead known as Steve Glew. He was a
member of the PEZheads community and realized that the community was
very discouraged that the PEZ companies weren't readily releasing new
dispensers to expand their collections. He realized that he would have
a good thing if he could get new dispensers to the community. He set up
a contact inside the PEZ, Intl. factories and had color variations made
of currently available PEZ dispensers such as the C-Series Trucks,
Santa, Witch, Snowman, and Psychedelic Eye. He outlayed tons of cash to
have these made per his color specifications. He then got them to the
States and sold them to the PEZ community. Some time later he
discovered that PEZ, Inc. wanted in on the custom-color market when
PEZ, Inc. took the similar color variations and sold them to collectors
via the PEZ, Inc. website labeled "Misfits".
You can tell if your custom-color variation is a legitimate GLEW
variation by checking the inner sleeve for Steve's signature. Further
authentication can be found on the stems of the Santa, Witch, Snowman
and Lion. The stems on these Glew variations will not have a "Made in
xxxxxx" country. The Neon Psychedelic Eye PEZ will have "Made in
Hungary" on the stems.
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4.2.1Where can I buy a "Bride" and "Groom" dispenser?
The Bride and Groom dispenser were discontinued during the late 70's. A
few hundred were imported from Austria for a specific wedding in 1978,
and occasionally surface for sale. In 2001, PEZ, Inc. reissued these to
be made available in the new mail order form. They are revised molds
and are on 4.9 stems.
(edit)
4.2.2Where can I buy or see old PEZ dispensers?
There
are several collectors and antique/collectible dealers who sell PEZ
dispensers that are out of production. Some of the older models sell
for hundreds - even thousands - of dollars.
To buy vintage PEZ, we recommend two sources:
The best place to see vintage and rare dispensers is at a PEZ
convention. There is almost always a special display case containing
PEZ that you've "only heard about in myths and legends".
There is also a PEZ exhibit sponsored by Computer Spectrum. It is
viewable on the World-Wide-Web, but you can also visit in person.
Burlingame is in the San Francisco Bay area, admission is free and they
also have PEZ and PEZ related items for sale.
Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia
214 California Drive
Burlingame, California 94010 USA
Gary & Nancy Yarbrough Doss
http://www.burlingamepezmuseum.com/
pez@spectrumnet.com
Also many fellow PEZHeads also have extras to sell or trade. Consult this list of PEZ related websites at
http://pezlist.com/pezheads/links.htm to find people with dispensers for sale.
If you are looking for a particular dispenser, you can also subscribe to the mailing list on the Internet (see section [
7-6]) and ask if anyone has one they are willing to sell or trade.
(edit)
4.2.3Should I open the packages or leave them in the bag/on the card?
The answer to this question is completely up to you. If you want to
retain the highest resale value, then don't open them (but also keep
them locked away in a humidity controlled environment away from UV
radiation...). If you collect them just for fun then it's your own
decision. I have all the current dispensers open and on display. I also
have one of each card style intact and on display. If you plan on
selling your dispensers in the future, I recommend that you keep them
in the original packaging. Special issued dispensers, such as the Stand
By Me movie promotional item, *must* be in the bag).
(edit)
4.2.4What is the highest price ever paid for a single PEZ dispenser?
A
transparent 1950s Space Gun sold on eBay in December 2005 for
$11,211.11. Many other dispensers have been sold for over $1000.
(edit)
4.2.5How will I ever collect all these variations?
How many PEZ to collect is completely up to the individual. Trying to
collect all the variations of every dispenser is quite a task. For
example there are 56 US release TMNT!! (4 Turtles x 2 faces each {smile
or grimace} x 7 body colors {yellow, orange, black, purple, green, red,
and teal blue}). For this reason, many collectors only collect
dispensers that vary from the neck up. A different color base is not
generally considered a "variation", but a Smurf with a different color
hat or a Charlie Brown with a different mouth is a variation. Again,
it's up to you how many to collect, but the "from the neck up" rule is
generally accepted.
(edit)
4.2.6Is my black Batman worth $75-125 as listed in Richard Geary's book?
At
the time of Geary's first book, the black Batman was not in production
and were thus highly prized. The blue Batman has remained in
production. Then in 1995, PEZ began making the black Batman dispenser
again. Older black Batman dispensers are still worth more than the 1995
issues. To determine if your black Batman is an older version, check
the patent numbers. The older version has a 3.9 patent number (see
question [
4-1-12]) and came on yellow, black, or
blue stems. The new one has a 4.9 patent number and was issued on a
black stem only. Both the blue and black issues have recently been
discontinued and replaced by a revised dark blue batman with a larger
head.
(edit)
4.2.7I have a defective dispenser (from the factory). Is it worth anything?
Maybe. It depends on the defect and who you're trying to sell it to.
Many people have found packaging defects (missing face pieces, missing
candy, dispensers without the painted faces, even two dispensers in one
cellophane bag) but they are not really "worth" more because they are
most likely unique and NOT the result of a production run flaw.
Dispensers turned around backwards on cards are not defects. This
sometimes happens during shipping. Some people are interested in
collecting defects and might pay more, others might not even want it in
their collection. Factory defects that are inherent to a run of PEZ are
a different matter. So if you like it, keep it.
(edit)
4.2.8 What is the best way to clean my PEZ dispensers?
[ WARNING: Try these methods at your own risk. They have been
recommended by fellow PEZHeads, but be careful with those collection
treasures! ] A toothbrush and warm water with a mild dish washing
detergent works well. Others have also used toothpaste, rubbing
alcohol, and WD-40 on unpainted areas. To get rid of sticky residue,
try vegetable oil and a paper towel then use soap and water to get rid
of the oil residue. Cotton q-tips are good for scrubbing small areas.
If you plan to take the dispenser apart, be sure to practice on a
common dispenser until you can disassemble and reassemble a dispenser
without breakage. Also be sure to dry the dispenser completely after
cleaning to prevent the spring and pin from rusting.
(edit)
4.2.9How should I display my dispensers?
Be
creative. Some people make nice display racks from hardwood or acrylic,
others make bleachers that fit in a cardboard PEZ counter display box.
People have also acquired toothbrush and watch displays from drugstores
that work nicely. You can use pegboard and hooks for carded dispensers
or just use push pins on a wall. Many like the idea of nailing straight
pins into the wall and placing opened dispensers on them so the pin
goes through the back of the neck. The pin is nearly invisible and the
dispenser appears to be floating in air. Some folks use the white
plastic expando-shelves that are for spice racks, readily available at
your local Wal-Mart. Some other professionally made display sources
are:
Showtime Displays!
Phone (800) 842-7026
Fax (708) 442-6507
E-mail Dick Melanson bigcitypro@aol.com
http://www.itsshowtimedisplays.com
John Thompson's Acrylic Display Racks
4122 Irving Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55412
(612) 588-0406
JThomp3511@aol.com
http://hometown.aol.com/jthomp3511/myhomepage/business.html
Gene Schenberg's PEZ & Silly Putty et al.
http://webpages.charter.net/gschenberg/displayc.htm
When it comes to displaying candy packs, many collectors have
found that small plastic cases made to hold 25 baseball cards work very
well. Each one will hold 5 standard-size packs of candy. You can
purchase these from many baseball/collectibles stores as well as online.
(edit)
4.2.10Where can I buy feet to help my older dispensers stand up better?
Sherrill
Hondorf owns the molds and sells plastic "shoes" that attach to the
bottom of non-footed dispensers to help them stand up better. Various
colors are available.
Write to:
4490 Hartman Lane
Batavia, OH 45103
Phone or fax:
(513) 732-6098
Or e-Mail:
shondorf@earthlink.net for colors and pricing on packages.
John & Linda Gliha sell a slightly different style of shoe.
They have shoes which will accommodate any non-footed dispenser ever
made. Contact them at glidog@aol.com.
Some of the PEZ sources mentioned in [
4-2-2] also sell feet.
(edit)
4.2.11Should I insure my PEZ collection?
The
decision is a personal one. How much have you invested in your
collection? You need to decide if you would be able to easily replace
your collection if you were to somehow lose it to theft, fire or
flooding. The first step to insuring your PEZ collections, and any
other collections you may have, would be to contact your insurance
agent, assuming that you, or your family, already have homeowners, or
renters insurance. Your collection may already be covered under these
coverages, but you don't want to ask this question after you've already
suffered a loss. You may not be happy with the answer.
Some prefer to have their PEZ insured as collectibles under their
homeowner's or renter's insurance to a specific value they have
estimated. If they were to request additional insurance (above and
beyond that coverage) on the toys in their collection, it would cost an
additional one-dollar per one hundred dollars in value. Insurance cost
varies for different types of collectibles. You need to check with your
insurance company for their specific costs.
It is vital to have a complete inventory of your collection in case
you have an insurance claim for their loss. Record the type of
dispenser, patent number, condition and your receipts of purchase. A
photographic or video record of your dispensers would be very helpful
to document your possessions. Close-up shots and full display shots
should be taken. Keep in mind that a paper inventory and/or photograph
records may not be enough to prove loss of valuable items. You must
discuss with your agent their proof of loss requirements.
Current value at the time of your loss will need to be provided if
you have a claim. Discuss with your insurance coverage how best to
prove the items value. Copies of a recent price guide, auction prices
and appraisals from an experienced dealer or collectors will be useful
in determining the current market value.
Once you have your coverage and complete inventory, keep these
records at a location away from where you keep your collection. Give a
copy of your inventory to your insurance agent for their files. Put a
copy in a safety deposit box if you have one. You may want to consider
giving a copy to your attorney too.
Keep your inventory up-to-date. How often you update it will depend on how often you add new items to your collection.
Insurance coverage varies greatly state to state, so this advice is
a general guideline to get you started. Speak with your insurance agent
and ask them to assist you in insuring and documenting your
collections.
One source for specialty insurance is Collectible Insurance Agency
based in Westminster, MD. They can be reached by phone at (410)
876-8833 or on-line at
http://www.collectinsure.com.
They are a specialty insurance agency dealing with Collectibles only.
This is a separate policy from your personal property coverage and
requires additional premiums.
(edit)
4.2.12The packaging for the "Madagascar" series shows a penguin dispenser, but I can't find this one anywhere. Does it exist?
No. A prototype dispenser of "Skipper" the peguin was made, but it never entered production.
(edit)
4.3.1What does it mean for a dispenser to be "with feet" or "without feet"?
Most post-1987 dispensers have "feet" on the bottom of the stem. There
is a small plastic lip around the bottom of the stem that has two
"feet" in the front. These were added to aid the dispensers in standing
up. Dispensers without feet are generally older than the versions with
feet. A word of caution: Some recent releases (most notably the
reissued Regulars) do not have feet, so do not use this to judge the
age of a dispenser. Switching stems on a dispenser is quite easy to do.
(edit)
4.3.2What is the most popular dispenser?
Santa and Mickey Mouse are the two biggest sellers of all time.
(edit)
4.3.3 What does the "DBP" mark mean on some dispensers?
DBP stands for Deutsche Bundes Patent (German Council Patent, in
English), which is the German equivalent of the American Patent number.
This mark is found on some of the German/Austrian dispensers and
usually comes with the patent number 818.829.
(edit)
4.3.4My dispenser says "Made in Jugoslavia". Is that a misprint?
No. Jugoslavia is just an alternate spelling for Yugoslavia.
(edit)
4.3.5What does "Club Med Face" mean?
This term is used often when describing variations of a particular
dispenser. It means that the face is darker or "tanner" than the
original. This is quite noticeable when looking at them side by side.
(edit)
4.3.6What does it mean to say "with plastic/metal spring"?
The spring that is being referred to is the spring in the head not the
one in the stem. This spring returns the head to the upright position
after it has been tilted to remove a PEZ candy. Older dispensers used
metal springs, but the newer ones have plastic head springs.
(edit)
4.3.7What does it mean to say "with plastic/metal hinge pin"?
This refers to the pin that attaches the head to the stem. Older
dispensers used a metal hinge pin, but newer ones use plastic hinge
pins or two plastic nubs to keep the head attached.
(edit)
4.3.8What does it mean to say "without pin"?
This refers to the pin that attaches the head to the stem. Sometimes
"with pin" is used to indicate that the hinge pin is visible from the
outside. Similarly, "without pin" indicates that the hinge pin is not
visible from the outside (but it's still there).
(edit)
4.3.9I've noticed some of my dispensers have this tab protruding from the back of the neck. What is it?
These tabs are often called "thumb tabs" on the PEZHeads mailing list
because they were first thought to be a place for the thumb to assist
in opening tall or oddly shaped heads. Actually, the factory added this
tab to newer molds so the dispenser will lie down on its "back" without
rolling over on its side when traveling on conveyor belts. The feet at
the bottom and this new tab on the head keep the dispenser from rolling
over on its side.
(edit)
4.3.10What does it mean to say a dispenser is "die-cut"?
Die-cut dispensers have a design cut in the side(s) of the stem instead
of the usual raised PEZ logo. The cut-out section reveals the inner
sleeve which is typically a different color than the stem. Dispensers
are also referred to as having a die-cut face if the die-cutting
process was used to create the holes in the dispenser head (ex. for the
eyes or the mouth of a Snow White or Mickey Mouse).
(edit)
4.3.11What does the digit on the side of the dispenser mean? What are IMC's?
These
are IMC's (injection mold codes). The numbers correspond to a
particular country. Multiple countries per code are listed in
chronological order. Note that some older dispensers may not have an
IMC.
- 1 - Austria/Hungary/China
- 2 - Austria/Hong Kong
- 3 - Austria/Hungary
- 4 - Austria
- 5 - Yugoslavia/Slovenia
- 6 - Hong Kong/China
- 7 - Hong Kong/Austria
- 8 - Austria
- 9 - USA/Spain
- V - Yugoslavia
(edit)
4.3.12What's the story with this "Hecho en Mexico" stem? What about other countries?
Besides
the usual China, Hungary, etc. stems there are several unusual country
of origin markings that are quite rare. "Made in the USA" stems are
somewhat common, but still quite collectible. More unusual are the
"Hecho in Mexico" (with or with without an accent on the second "e")
which is Spanish for "Made in Mexico". "Made in Spain", "INDUSTRIA
BRASILEIRA" (or just "IND. BRASILEIRA") from Brazil, and "BREV. ITAL."
from Italy are even more rare and will often command a significant
price premium. A list of all known dispensers found on these stems has
been assembled by Brian Trauman and the members of the PEZHeads email
list, and is available from
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PEZheads/files/Lists, guides etc./.
[5] Other PEZ Collectibles
(edit)
5.1.Are there any other PEZ items that I can buy?
Yes indeed. Items that are no longer in production and difficult to find:
- FAO Schwartz limited edition "PEZ To Go" Briefcase ($29.99), which
includes PEZ watch, clip-on, necklace, key ring, and bracelet. Also
Bracelet available separately.
- PEZ Coin Banks (Peter PEZ, Cockatoo, Duck w/Flower, Pineapple)
- Change Dish (depicts Peter PEZ holding a Speedy Gonzales)
- Candy Shooter Target
- Clickers
- Clip-on
- Costumes (fit over the dispenser)
- Delivery Truck (steel Die-Cast scale model; a bank)
- Glasses
- Greeting Cards (Ambassador brand, Nostalgia Line, #175L0S950L)
- Holiday Dish
- Johnny Lightning Cars
- Masks
- Pentagon Stand (displays 6 dispensers)
- PEZ Trading Cards
- Puzzles (by Hallmark or Ceaco)
- Santa Ornament (from Hallmark, 1995)
- Secret Code Flasher
- Shopping Bags (picture of PEZ Stewardess on sides)
- Shelcore Cars
- Snowman Ornament (from Hallmark, 1996)
- Space Poster
- Tattoos
- Visor
- Yo-Yo
Currently available:
- Balloons
- Beach Towel
- Blanket (aka PEZ Throw)
- Coin Banks (Peter PEZ, Duck w/Flower, Cockatoo, Pineapple)
- Carlton Cards Santa & Snowman ornaments
- Clock (by Heartland Apparel)
- 6 keychains
- Cookie Jar
- Fuzzy Friends
- Jewelry
- Hats
- Head Wobblers
- Johnny Lightning Die-Cast Cars
- Magnets
- Mousepads
- Mugs
- Party Favors
- PEZ Phones
- PEZ Pops
- PEZ Trading Cards
- Bride and Groom Snowglobe
- Shelcore Cars
- Stickers, Sweatshirt
- T-shirts (many varieties)
- Psychedelic Eye watches
- Salt and Pepper Shakers
The PEZ Company recently issued licenses to several merchandisers, so expect to see many more PEZ products in the near future.
(edit)
5.2.Where can I find the PEZ collectibles mentioned in question [5-1]?
For T-shirts and sweatshirts:
Heartland Apparel 520 Washington Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 1-800-333-4669 ask for Trish Jette. Also try Spencers and JCPenny's stores.
Both the Cookie Jars, and the die-cast delivery truck made by
Asheville DieCast during the middle to late 90's, are no longer
available on the retail market.
For PEZ Mousepad: Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia 214 California Drive Burlingame, CA 94010 (415) 347-2301
http://www.spectrumnet.com/pez/
The other items listed are available from several sources, see [
4-2-2].
(edit)
5.3.I've heard of a Teddy Bear that dispenses PEZ. Does it exist?
This
product is pictured on the back of some blister packs. The picture
shows a stuffed teddy bear from Dream Castle that actually dispenses
PEZ.
Here's the story: Dream Castle changed their name and were then
acquired by another company. During the transition, production of the
PEZ jewelry was stopped, but may resume. The teddy bear was never
formally produced due to a technical problem. There is also a rumor
that during product testing children were hesitant about having a bear
that 'spit-up' candy.
Malibu Fun Stuffed, a division of Janex Corporation, was making 3
"Candy Pals" for Christmas 1996. The Candy Pals were stuffed 12"
versions of a snowman, Santa and panda, each holding a dispenser
identical to itself.
Fast forward to today, where PEZ has crossed over with Beanie-type
Babies and has released a set of plush animals that dispense PEZ. The 4
bears are called "Fuzzy Friends" and were originally released in
Summer, 2001. Additional sets have followed.
(edit)
5.4.What are the PEZ Body Parts?
Right
from the package, "Body Parts are amusing attachable parts, with which
you can dress up your PEZ dispensers." These plastic pieces snap around
the base of the dispenser. The arms move up and down and the hands are
made to hold certain items. PEZ Body Parts are currently available in
Canada and Europe. It is not known if they well be sold in the United
States. There are several different sets of Body Parts: the "old" set,
the "new" set, plus Easter and Christmas sets. There are also plans for
Back to School, Airport, and Gas Station Body Part Playsets for
European release. In addition, there are "two-pack" or "side-by-side"
body parts. These have a dispenser and a separate body part on one
(larger) card.
The "old" set was released in 1995 and consists of eight different costumes (All packs include 2 packs of candy):
- Tarzan - light flesh-colored with painted hairy chest; orange and black spotted loin cloth; knife; human feet
- Robin Hood - bow and arrow; light green shoes; light green tunic with dark green stitching
- Woman - red dress; blue purse; blue shoes; red necklace
- Maid - purple outfit with painted white lace; blue pitcher; purple shoes
- Nurse - white outfit; white shoes; blue first aid bag; Red Cross badge painted on outfit
- Hockey Player - red outfit with white and blue trim; red shoes; brown hockey stick
- Knight - silver armor; large sword
- Grim Reaper - skeleton with sickle
The "new" set was released in 1996 in Europe only and consists of
six costumes. (All packs on European-style cards with 2 packs of
candy):
- Robot/Spaceman - silver body; box wrench hands; 3-color space gun
- Convict - gray body with black stripes; ball and chain
- Caveman - flesh-colored body; painted on loin cloth; club
- Roman Gladiator - green body with plate armor; shield and spear
- Cavalry Officer - blue body with uniform markings; boots; bugle
- Cowgirl - red body with western markings; rope
The Christmas set includes the current Santa dispenser, Santa body, boots, six packs of candy, and a fold-out Christmas display.
The Easter set includes the revised Bugs Bunny on a red base, white
feet, a gray body with a white painter's smock with blue and yellow
splotches, white arms, a painter's palette, brush, six packs of candy,
and a fold-out Easter scene.
In 1999 a couple of collectors discovered five more Body Parts.
They were slated for release to Russia, but were stopped due to
economic instability.
They are:
- Biker (Outlaw)
- Indian
- Sheriff
- General (Polizei)
- Soccer Player
(edit)
5.5.Aren't there some other PEZ trucks? A bank?
There are two PEZ trucks that are NOT dispensers. The first one was
produced by Scale Models, a division of ERTL. The truck is white and
has decals on the side depicting a "fountain" of PEZ. This truck also
functions as a bank. The second one is made by Ashland DieCast. It is
yellow with lithographed PEZ wrappers on the sides. This was a limited
edition run of 1260. The second truck does have what appears to be a
coin slot in the bottom, but its arguable whether or not it is a bank.
Additional metal trucks are scheduled for production in 2000. They can
be found in toy stores and through direct mail offerings.
In 2000, M & J Variety released several different PEZ coin
banks. They are about 13 inches tall, made of plastic and were made in
likenesses of Peter PEZ, PEZ Cockatoo, PEZ Duck with Flower and PEZ
Pineapple.
(edit)
5.6.What are "Sea World PEZ" or "Shamu PEZ" items?
Sea
World PEZ were specially packaged for distribution at Sea World. The
card is printed with the Sea World logo and a photo of the item. They
are made by Malibu Fun Stuffed. Many of them have Shamu's picture on
them. There is a watch, keychain, bracelet, and clip-on. These items
are no longer available new.
(edit)
5.7.What are the different inserts available?
There
have been several inserts available over the years. The ones listed
below are the "Here's something for you to do" type that were white on
one side and yellow on the other. [ This list may not be complete yet ]
- 3 different mazes
- 2 different space creatures
- 1 princess
- 1 drummer boy
- 1 girl pulling a cart
[6] Miscellaneous
(edit)
6.1.How do I make a PEZ gun?
Matt Shook initially described this PEZ gun. The description has been greatly enhanced with the help of several PEZHeads.
The materials you need to make a PEZ gun are:
- A PEZ dispenser
- A spring from a ball-point pen
- Double sided tape
- A pair of needle-nosed pliers (or wire cutters)
- A package of PEZ (ammo)
Choose a dispenser that doesn't have a low neck (eg. a collar,
Gonzo's bowtie, etc.) that might interfere with the projectile.
Optionally, the double-sided tape can be wrapped around the small
plastic piece that normally pushes the PEZ out of the dispenser. The
tape serves to keep the spring around this plastic "pusher" piece, but
may not be necessary depending on how well the spring fits.
The trick is to cut the spring to the correct length. The idea is
that the spring is long enough to fit over the pusher piece and extend
past the bottom of it so that when the head is tilted back it catches
on the plastic of the inner sleeve. As the head is tilted back more,
the spring bunches up and finally slips off the plastic of the inner
sleeve, striking the end of the PEZ. Instead of the PEZ being pushed
out by the plastic pusher, it is ejected by the spring on the pusher.
The spring mush be short enough so the mechanism will reset itself when
the head is returned to the normal position.
(edit)
6.2.Personalized Heart Dispensers
You can modify the Valentine's Day Heart dispensers to make them
personalized. First you need to remove the "Happy Valentine's Day"
message. The two best ways to do this are to scrape them off with a
razor blade or Exacto knife or sand them off with very fine steel wool
(or a synthetic substitute). Be careful to minimize discoloration on
the dispenser. This does take time if you're doing many dispensers.
Others have had good results using a cleaner called "Barkeeper's
Friend." Then create your own message on a clear adhesive label and
apply it to the dispenser. Of course, if you choose to print your
message on a white or colored label then there's no need to remove the
existing message. These make great wedding gifts or favors!
(edit)
6.3.Shipping Overseas
With
widespread use of the Internet to communicate with fellow PEZHeads
around the world, you may begin trading with those overseas. There are
several ways to ship PEZ overseas. Go to your local post office and
request publication 51, "International Postal Rates and Fees", or
calculate the postage online at the
USPS website. You may also want to compare rates from other shipping services such as UPS and Federal Express.
(edit)
6.4.How can I remove PEZ from the card without damaging the card?
Use a razor blade or Exacto knife to remove the plastic bubble from the
card. Cut away as much as possible without damaging the card. Remove
the candy and dispenser. Place the card with the remaining glued
plastic in the microwave. Turn the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes
(you'll have to experiment with your microwave to determine what time
works best). Make sure the plastic is very loose before you attempt to
remove it. It won't fall off by itself, but shouldn't require pulling.
Be sure to remove the plastic before the glue cools and begins to set.
(edit)
6.5.PEZ Collectors Database
Several
enterprising PEZheads have written their own databases to track their
collections. A few choices can be found at the following locations.
http://www.stan-tropez.com/
This database for PEZ dispensers is a Stand-alone program, available for free downloads.
http://pezbase.beakerboy.com/
PEZBase is a web-based database for tracking your collection. Accounts are free.
Many other PezHeads use Microsoft Access. This allows you to create
fields that fit with the level of detail used in your collection.
(edit)
6.6.PEZ Icons
[7] PEZ References and Resources
(edit)
7.1.Can I write to the company? What will they send me?
Yes, you can write to the company at:
PEZ Candy, Inc.
35 Prindle Hill Road
Orange, CT 06477
Phone: (203) 795-0531
They do not personally respond to your questions. However, within a
couple of weeks you should receive a packet including their FAQ (which
is incorporated into this document), a PEZ dispenser list (which
erroneously lists a Robin Super Friends dispenser with rubber head that
was never made), a color brochure which shows displays of PEZ
dispensers and candy, and a mail order form.
(edit)
7.2.Are there any PEZ conventions?
(edit)
7.3.Are there any books on PEZ?
There are several:
"Warman's Pez Field Guide" by Shawn Peterson ($12.99,
Krause Publications, 2004, ISBN 0873499069) is 510 pages and, according
to the publisher, contains "hundreds of listings of the most
collectible PEZ dispensers and rare variations, as well as the latest
PEZ releases. A history of PEZ accompanies a vibrant illustrated
glossary, with over 200 highly detailed, full-color photos."
"PEZ A Little Collectible Book" by Marie T. Morreale
($4.95, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0740714430) is 80 pages
and contains basic information and history about PEZ as a collectible
along with color photos and some pricing information.
"Collectors Guide to PEZ: Identification and Price Guide"
by Shawn Peterson ($24.95, Krause, 2001, 2003, updated edition ISBN
0873495403) is 192 pages and contains over 600 full color photos of
dispensers, variations, advertising, and display materials, along with
pricing and historical information.
"PEZ Collectibles" by Richard Geary ($19.95, Schiffer,
1994, 1997, 1999 updated edition ISBN 0764307134) is 112 pages and
contains full color photos of dispensers, displays, and other PEZ
collectibles. The introduction contains a short history of PEZ, but
this book is mostly a pictorial guide. The captions give the name of
the dispenser and its estimated value. The book was revised in 1997 and
in 1999 with updated prices and additional pictures.
"More PEZ for Collectors" by Richard Geary ($14.95,
Schiffer Publishing Limited, 1995, 1998 updated edition ISBN
0764304534) is much like Geary's earlier book "PEZ Collectibles". There
are lots of pictures and very little text other than short captions for
the pictures. This book focuses more on the packaging of PEZ than on
the dispensers themselves. It also includes pictures of PEZ
paraphernalia created for the PEZ Conventions. A second edition was
published in 1998 with updated information.
"Collecting PEZ" by David Welch ($39.95, Bubba Scrubba
Publications, 1995, ISBN 0964495600) is 350 pages, with about 275
photos. There are no duplicate photos from his previous book. The book
also includes, history, about 30 interviews, a price guide, common
collector questions and answers, and a checklist. The book can be
ordered from David Welch for $43.95 (including shipping). This book
came out in March of 1995.
"A Pictorial Guide to Plastic Candy Dispensers, Featuring PEZ" by David Welch
($19.95, Bubba Scrubba Publications, 1991 ISBN 0964495619) is a 50
page pictorial which covers PEZ dispensers up to 1991. All photos are
full color. A rarity guide is also included. The book can be ordered
directly from Welch.
"The Collector's Price Guide to Plastic Candy Dispensers"
by John Laspina ($16.95, self-published) is a good identification
guide, but contains no pictures. It includes a price estimate for each
dispenser listed. This one is the most current and accurate price guide
available.
"PEZ Handbook" by Steve Glew was a guide that had industry
information for PEZ and Flix. Steve does not have any more copies
available of it.
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7.4.Where can I find these books?
If you can't find them in bookstores, they can be ordered online at most major booksellers, including
http://www.amazon.com and
http://www.bn.com.
Some of them are also available direct from the author or publisher:
Shawn Peterson's book can be obtained from the author via his website at
http://www.bookofpez.com/
The books by David Welch are available direct from him:
David Welch
PO Box 714
Murphysboro IL 62966Phone: (618) 687-2282
FAX: (618) 684-2243
pezdude1@aol.com
The Geary books can be obtained from
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
77 Lower Valley Road
Atglen PA 19310
They'll send you a catalog if you include $2.95 for postage.
The Laspina price guide is available for $16.99 (incl. ship) directly from the author at
http://home.att.net/~jjpezpal/
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7.5.Are there any WWW sites for PEZ?
There
are hundreds! Many provide listings or pictures of their own
collections, many exhibit PEZ dispensers and collectibles for sale, and
others provide useful information of their own. There are too many to
list here, so here's a good starting point:
[
WARNING! DO NOT CLICK THIS LINK IF YOU'RE RUNNING LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT!]
http://pezlist.com/pezheads/links.htm
is an updated, alphabetical listing of PEZhead mailing list member
websites. It also contains links to other noteworthy PEZ sites.
(edit)
7.6.Is there a newsgroup or mailing list for PEZ?
The Pezhead E-mail List is home to over 1200 members and is very active. If you are interested in joining the list, visit
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/PEZheads
to subscribe. A digest form of this mailing list is also available, or
you can opt to read the messages on the web. Membership restrictions
are as listed at
http://www.pezlist.com/pezheads/subscribe.htm.
For history buffs, three other mailing lists used to exist. The
PEZheads list was created by Alisa McClain and Jason Specland on August
8, 1995 and owned and maintained by Chris Sharpe. It was
pezheads@sirs.com, moved to cybercom.net, but is now dormant.
The second home for the PEZheads was created and maintained by
Cliff Lee at Pez-List@clcbbs.houston.tx.us. This list is also dormant.
The third home was pezheads@cybercom.net and was created by Eric Conrad on November 19, 1995.
That address was replaced by pezheads@cbs-engineering.com on May
29, 1996. On March 7, 1999, the list relocated to
pezheads@angus.mystery.com, and Karen Cooper took over as the list
owner.
On December 6, 1999, it moved to its current home at
pezheads@yahoogroups.com. Cliff Lee was once again the list owner and
head moderator. He transferred ownership of the PEZheads list to Todd
and Misty McAllister in October, 2001.
Another similar resource for those who prefer web-based discussions is the Forums section of
pezcommunity.com. Many members of the above list are also frequent contributors there.
(edit)
7.7.How can I get the latest copy of this FAQ?
If you have a printer, click
Print for about 50 pages of reading pleasure.
For an HTML version, go to:
http://www.pezlist.com/pezheads/faq.html
For a text version, go to:
http://www.pezlist.com/pezheads/faq6-5.txt.
Once there, use your Browser's File/Save As to save the text file to a
spot on your computer where you'd like to access the file using your
word processing program for easier reading.
E-mail: pezfaq@pezlist.com (use as last resort)
(edit)
7.8.Have there been any newspaper or magazine articles about PEZ?
Sure
there have. There have been too many to list here, but several news
stories are written each year about the PEZ hobby, both in the print
and electronic media. A search on
http://news.google.com will often turn up several articles.
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7.9.Where can I find these newsletters I've heard about?
Recently
"The Fliptop PEZervation Society" newsletter merged with the newsletter
called "PEZ Collectors News" (which was published from late 1995 to
1999. For a one year subscription, contact:
Richard Belyski
PO Box 14956
Surfside Beach, SC 29587
info@pezcollectorsnews.com
http://www.pezcollectorsnews.com/
There is also an Internet-based newsletter entitled The Pop-A-PEZ
Newsletter. It is published several times a year and contains PEZ news,
readers' stories, dealer advertisements, and much more. The address is:
http://www.popapez.com/
There used to be a newsletter "The Optimistic Pezzimist" published
by Mike Robertson of Dripping Springs, Texas. There was also another
newsletter published by Larry Lafoe. Many antique price guides and
collectible toy price guide include listings of discontinued PEZ
dispensers and their current market values.
[8] Acknowledgements
(edit)
8.1.Thanks!
Note: There's no need to edit this section manually, the editors will acknowledge submissions appropriately.
Thanks to the following PEZheads for their valued input on this version of the FAQ: Jon Christopher, Kevin Nowaczyk and several anonymous contributors.
(edit)
8.2.More Thanks!
Thanks
to the following PEZHeads for their valued input on previous versions
of the FAQ: DiAnne Adams, Larry Ashton, Louis Apoldo, Leslie Astell,
Pete Ayling, Anne Base, Richard Belyski, Karen Bennett, Marissa
Bernstein, Gina Black, Ryan Blum, Kurt Boutin, Byron Boyd, Chris Bray,
Adam Brown, Randall Bultman, Jackie Button, Kurt Byfield, Jack Canning,
Jill Cohen, Eric Conrad, Red Conroy, Dan Cordova, Cosmo Johnson, Karen
Cooper, Elyse Schwimer Davis, Diane Leigh Davison, Chip Didden, Gary
& Nancy Doss, Dora Dwyer, Paul Emuranch, Andrew Feldman, Robin
Fierce, Amy Forsyth, Brian Gochal, Nate Godin, Cheri Goldner, Sharon
Goodis, Scott Gordon, Matt Hall, Bill Heltemes, David Hendrickson,
Becky Hilburn, Sherrill Hondorf, Bertha Hubbard, Hector Irizarry,
Michael S. Jackson, Michael Janssen, Maryann B. Kennedy, Brad Kollus,
Jamie Kowinsky, Deb Krewson, Chris Lanni, Cliff Lee, Pam Lenox, Scott
Luther, Todd McAllister, M.S.C. McAlpin, David Mackey, Ryan Manchee,
Sylvia Marienthal, Dennis Martin, Dick Melanson, Philip Michaels, Ben
Mohr, Mark Naber, Jason Oesterly, Kelley Philipovich, Dale Pike, Jim
Presnal, Tim Priebe, Charles Primack, Donald Reed, Rick Roberts, Susan
Roberts, David Rowell, Paul Telford, Mary Thronson, Eric Thorell,
Sheila Sanders, Gene Schenberg, Erich Schreiber, Gary Sharp, Melissa
Sharpe, Matt Shook, Rob Simons, Mary Jo Slusher, Geri Sullivan, Andrew
Thomas, John Thompson, Eric Thorell, Sue Toupal, Charles Ulrich, Sam
Valdez, Tom Walsh, Mary Ward, Jim Wartski, Michael Young and David
Welch for his wonderful reference book which provided source material
for some portions of this document.
Special thanks to Chris Sharpe for getting this project started, PEZ
Queen Amy Forsyth for continuing the tradition, and the McAllisters for
their hard work since then.
Laura Thompson in Public Relations at PEZ Candy, Inc. provided the
original information packet for the very first version of the FAQ.
Final thanks to Maryann Kennedy, Pezhead Zero, for waiting patiently until we all showed up.