List of Planters Mr. Peanut Collectibles and Values

Planters Nutmobile
Jeff Kubina/Flickr

It's a cliche to say that collectors go nuts for Mr. Peanut collectibles, but it's true. The Planters Peanut mascot has been around for more than 100 years, and there's an active market for memorabilia that ranges from jars to posters to dolls and more. Enthusiasts gather online at peanutpals.com and at conventions to share their favorite Mr. Peanut finds and to buy, sell, and trade collectibles, some of which can sell for hundreds of dollars.

Mr. Peanut History

The Planters Nut and Chocolate Company were founded in 1906 in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. by two Italian immigrants, Amedeo Obici and Mario Peruzzi. Ten years later, the company sponsored a contest to create a mascot for the flourishing brand. The winning entry was created by a Virginia boy named Antonio Gentile, who won $5 for his effort. The sketches he submitted for the contest are now housed in the archives at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

Within a few years, Mr. Peanut was appearing in national print advertising and Planters packaging. Their trademark vacuum-sealed container first appeared on store shelves in 1928, and over the decades the company released scores of Mr. Peanut-related collectibles. The national collectors club, the Peanut Pals, has been active since 1978 and sponsors events across the U.S. and Canada. 

Collectibles and Valuation

Here is a small sampling of the many Mr. Peanut collectibles available and what they're selling for online. Prices are as of November 2017. As with any collectible, prices will fluctuate over time, as will product availability. Do your research before purchasing items of questionable provenance; collectors say there are plenty of fakes and reproductions in the marketplace. 

  • Glass counter jar w/frosted label: Ranges from $100 for vintage products to a few dollars for anniversary reproductions from the 1980s and '90s.
  • Peanut oil tin (circa 1950s): Ranges from $150 for items in excellent condition to $30 for tins in fair to poor condition.
  • 4-ounce nut tins (circa 1940s): Empty tins of salted almonds, mixed nuts, cashews, and other Planters products range from $80 to $20, depending on condition.
  • Plastic measuring scoop (circa 1960s): $25 to $10, depending on condition.
    $96.(Fall 2005)
  • Jointed 9-inch wooden Mr. Peanut doll (circa 1930s): $100 to $75, depending on condition.
  • Plastic coin bank (circa 1950s): $60 to $20, depending on color and condition of plastic.
  • 1939-40 World's Fair pin: $50 to $25, depending on condition.
  • Mr. Peanut bobblehead figurine: Ranges from $100 for 1960s-vintage dolls to $20 for contemporary bobbleheads.
  • Emenee Mr. Peanut Original Peanut Butter Maker (circa 1967): $75 to $25, depending on the condition of the toy, original packaging.
  • Mr. Peanut promotional costume (circa 1970s): Used for corporate promotions, this costume is a rare find and sells for about $500. 
  • 12-inch plush doll (circa 1960s or '70s): Ranges from $100 for toys still in original plastic sealing to $20 for fair to poor quality.
  • Ceramic ashtray (circa 1930s): Ranges from $150 to $50, depending on the quality of paint and ceramic material.
  • Robert Shaw Lux Time Mr. Peanut alarm clock (circa 1960s): Ranges from $75 to $50, depending on overall condition, whether clock works.
  • 13-inch plastic counter jar (circa 1960s): $50 to $25, depending on condition.

Fun Facts About Mr. Peanut

  • Mr. Peanut's "real" name, according to the boy who created him, is Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe.
  • In the 1970s, an artist dressed as Mr. Peanut ran for mayor of Vancouver, Canada. 
  • To celebrate the company's centennial in 2006, Planters ads asked consumers to choose a new costume for the monocled nut. The result? Fans liked Mr. Peanut as he was.
  • Mr. Peanut made his debut at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1997.
  • The first Mr. Peanut print ads appeared in 1918 and he was a staple of early TV commercials in the 1950s.