Everyone is familiar with those colorful little candy dispensers found in every supermarket, discount and toy store. They're a staple in Christmas stockings and Easter baskets and we probably all have a few stuck in a drawer somewhere. But do you realize just how many people avidly collect them? The answer is a LOT!
Collector Richie Belyski, editor of PEZ Collector News and host of two annual conventions, recently chatted with me on the ins and outs of PEZ collecting.
Interested in pursuing those little plastic guys? Follow along. . .
How did you get started in collecting PEZ?
For several years I dealt in antiques and collectibles and
someone suggested that I
should be personally collecting "something". I saw a PEZ, remembered them from when I was a
kid, and it just grew from there. I started buying them from different sources, found out about different
PEZ dispensers outside the United States and one thing lead to another and soon I was dealing and trading
with other collectors.
Then I found out the person doing the PEZ newsletter was quitting, so I started a newsletter. Later on I've also helped companies who had secured the rights for PEZ themed collectibles, now host two conventions a year and recently started producing limited edition PEZ pins.
What to collect?
PEZ is a universal thing, you may like Disney, I may like Warner Bros, someone else might like cartoon
characters or cars. There are so many different ways to collect PEZ. Some collectors just go for the
the old vintage candy packs.
There is no wrong or right way to collect PEZ, it's just about what you like.
How many different PEZ were made?
There are about 500 different heads, but that doesn't count all the different color variations. For instance,
the older ones, such as the pony, was made in so many different colors that a pony head might
have as many as 25 or so different color variations.
A pumpkin head will have different color stems and then some will have glow-in-the-dark stems.
When the Valentine hearts came out, there was one color with different sayings. Now there are different
colors, pink and red crystals and the text has changed to block letters.
The PEZ combinations are endless.
Cards vs Bags
PEZ dispensers come in bags and cards. There's no difference in the dispenser,
but the cards can take up a lot of room. On the other hand the cards are colorful and PEZ does change the cards from time to time.
The same dispenser might be on two different cards, but the bags stay the same.
The new stuff you rip open and display loose. If buying for investment, get the PEZ on the card. Unfortunately it's easy to get overrun by cards, especially when there are four or five different pieces in a line.
If you do buy any vintage pieces, by all means keep them in the package!
Taking care of PEZ
They're pretty indestructible, but can fade. Also you need to watch out for the domino theory when displaying the
dispensers. Hit one and they will all start toppling over. Use something like Museum Wax or double sided
tape, especially for the non-footed pieces.
There are different companies that offer stands, display shelves and even shoes made specifically for those older pre-1987 PEZ without feet.
At times I've found old PEZ with candy melted inside, I've just soaked it in water for a while and the dispenser was fine. If you have older pieces be careful on the kind of plastic used to store pieces in. Some of the older PEZ pieces have been known to melt, almost like a cigarette burn and we're not sure what causes it.
What's new in PEZ?
PEZ management has changed and it's been exciting. The company used to be pretty stagnant, sticking to
the same Santa or Mickey Mouse designs, now they
are doing different things like going after licenses, such as Pixar and Dreamworks. For instance they've done
the Cars and the Bee movie, these will have a short release and be retired. A new Batman line
will be coming out later this year. And there will a new flavor candy introduced this Easter -- Chocolate, that
is supposed to taste just like the real thing.
Over the years PEZ has become even better with the clear plastics, things like spikes are now rubberized and the processing has improved.
What's your Holy Grail PEZ? I like the PEZ boy and girl that were cartoon characters made in the sixties and used to dress in different disguises, such as a doctor or a detective.
What's the most expensive PEZ?
The highest price paid that I know of was for the clear space gun made in the 1950s. It sold on eBay for $11,211.11 on eBay.
Note: According to David Welch, author of Collecting PEZ The PEZ space gun was later tested and believed to be a fake.
Tell me about the $100,000 PEZ?
At the first Connecticut convention, a woman who was an ex-employee showed me a 1980s Worlds Fair dispenser with a blue
base, no one knew of any others. Then another
astronaut PEZ (green) surfaced and it was offered for sale on eBay, but because
of prank bids, it wasn't sold. Now we know of two of them.
PEZ Collector News, Convention, Pins and Pictures
- The newsletter has been published for fourteen years. The 36 page publication includes classifieds, dealer ads, check lists and articles. The newsletter is published six times a year, subscription rate is $21.
- Belyski hosts two PEZ Conventions each year in Myrtle Beach, SC and Stamford, CT.
- Find out more about the limited edition PEZ pins.
- Pictures of rare and unusual PEZ
Also Read:
