Collecting PEZ dispensers has been a hobby to enthusiast since the colorful dispensers were first created in 1952. Popular animated characters that children had grown up with were mounted on top of a refillable candy dispenser and kids would hold onto their little treasures until they were worn out. Luckily for collectors, some of those dispensers are still around and extremely valuable.

The most sought after PEZ dispenser is the Space Gun from the 1950's that shot out the PEZ candies. The Space Gun dispenser in any condition can be worth hundreds of dollars. That may seem like chump change when compared to the 1982 World's Fair Astronaut B PEZ dispenser that sold on eBay in 2006 for over $32,000.00.

Invented in 1927 by Edward Haas III, PEZ candies began as a breath mint marketed towards smokers. Derived from the German world for peppermint, PEZ is an abbreviated word for phefferminz. The rectangle shaped candies were originally concealed in pocket tins until 1947 when the first dispenser shaped as a cigarette lighter was marketed for the candies. In 1952, Edward Haas brought his PEZ candies to America and that move changed not only the appearance of the dispenser but also the marketing.

This new American craze would include the first fruit flavored PEZ candy with character heads on the dispensers but unlike the original PEZ, these were released and marketed towards children. Those first flavors were cherry, lemon, orange and strawberry and Popeye is believed to be the first character crowning the top of the PEZ dispenser. The top selling dispensers have been Mickey Mouse, Santa and Dino from the Flintstones.

The original PEZ dispensers did not have feet on the base which help the PEZ to stand. The squared bases of the first PEZ dispensers are called non-footed and are highly collectible. Feet on the base of the dispensers were introduced in 1987. The company introduced a line that are referred to as "regulars" which are remakes of the original dispensers and also do not have feet. To estimate the patent year a dispenser was introduced can be done by checking the long number that is imprinted on the dispenser.

2,620,061 Patented Dec. 2, 1952
3,410,455 Patented Nov. 12, 1968
3,432,074 Patented Mar. 11,1969
3,845,882 Patented Nov. 5, 1974
3,942,683 Patented Mar. 9, 1976
4,966,305 Patented Oct. 30, 1990
5,984,3285 Recently patented

Also found in the corner stem of the dispenser is a number that represents the country where the dispenser was made.

1 Hungary-Austria
2 Austria-Hong Kong
3 Hungary-Austria
4 Austria
5 Slovenia-Yugoslavia
6 China-Hong Kong
7 Austria
8 Austria
9 USA
V Yugoslavia

The problem collectors face today are identifying authentic PEZ dispensers from the counterfeits. A point to remember is that the PEZ Candy Company has never produced a PEZ dispenser with a real person's face on it. Some "handmade" dispensers can be collectible but they are referred to as "Fantasy PEZ" and should never be advertised as being produced by the PEZ Candy Company.

With over 300 authentic PEZ dispensers to collect, the hobby can become an addiction and many are easily attainable. Cleaning and care for the dispensers is uncomplicated and they take very little space to display. Hunting for PEZ dispensers can start at your local stores, yard sales and right here on the internet. Start with purchasing a recent price guide; this will give an insight on what you can expect to pay. Starting a collection now can be an investment since those produced and sold today will become collectibles in the future.

SOURCES:
http://www.collectingpez.com/
http://www.pezcentral.com/guid e.html
http://www.yankeegrocery.com/p ezhistory.html

Learn more about this author, Angela Pollock.
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