Pez faq?
Benjamin Gutman
I'm intriguiged by pez, and pez collecting, but I'd like to find out more
about it, is there a pez faq, that someone could post or send to me, or
at least direct me to?
It would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Ben
bgu...@acpub.duke.edu
Brian Webber
Paul Telford
Random power surges caused Brian Webber to post:
: You can reach the PEZ faq at:
: http://gator.naples.net/~nfn02886/pez.html
Wow! I'm famous! ;) As a favor to all, I post the FAQ every once in a
while to this newsgroup. Since it has been a while since I laste posted
it, here goes:
PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZPEZ (R)
PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZPEZ
PEZ PEZ PEZ PEZ
PEZ PEZ PEZ PEZ
PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZ PEZ
PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZ PEZ
PEZ PEZ PEZ
PEZ PEZ PEZ
PEZ PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZPEZ
PEZ PEZPEZPEZ PEZPEZPEZ
PEZ Frequently Asked Questions
Version 2.4
Last modified: April 17, 1996
Compiled by
Chris Sharpe
(sha...@dg-rtp.dg.com)
===========================================================================
This FAQ is an attempt to provide general information and answer some of
the more frequently asked questions about PEZ Candy and PEZ Candy Dispensers.
The information contained in this FAQ came from PEZ CANDY, INC., and
fellow PEZ enthusiasts around the world. The facts are true to the best
of my knowledge.
Sections marked with an asterisk (*) contain changes since the last revision.
Questions, comments, suggestions, and corrections should be mailed to
sha...@dg-rtp.dg.com. Please try to include the source of your information.
Thanks and enjoy!
Chris Sharpe
===========================================================================
DISCLAIMER
===========================================================================
This list is not supported, distributed, or sanctioned by PEZ Candy, Inc.
Even though some of this information came from PEZ Candy, Inc., they are
in no way responsible for the truth or falsehood of any of this information.
In fact, some of the information obtained from PEZ Candy was found to be
false.
I make no claims or guarantees that the information contained in this
document is the definitive truth. The information has been obtained from
various sources and is true to the best of my knowledge.
PEZ is a registered trademark of PEZ Candy, Inc.
===========================================================================
THE QUESTIONS
===========================================================================
[1] General Information
[1-1] What does PEZ stand for?
[1-2] Who invented PEZ?
[1-3] How long has PEZ been around?
[1-4] Tell me more about the history of PEZ.
[1-5] What is a "Pezhead"?
*[1-6]* What do MIB, MOC, MOMC, and NF mean?
[2] The Company - PEZ Candy, Inc.
[2-1] Can I buy products directly from the PEZ factory?
[2-2] Can I have a tour of the PEZ Candy factory?
[2-3] Who owns PEZ Candy, Inc.?
[2-4] Can I buy stock in PEZ?
[2-5] Where is the company located?
[2-6] Tell more about the history of the company.
[3] PEZ Candy
*[3-1]* Where can I buy Cherry flavor PEZ?
[3-2] What new flavors are coming out next?
[3-3] What's in PEZ Candy?
[3-4] Is PEZ Candy good for you?
*[3-5]* What flavors are available?
[3-6] Are there any sugar-free flavors?
[3-7] Where is PEZ Candy made?
*[3-8]* What flavors have been discontinued?
[4] PEZ Dispensers
[4-1] Where can I find PEZ dispensers and Candy refills?
[4-2] I saw an Elvis Presley PEZ dispenser in the movie "The Client".
Where can I buy one? How about Pee Wee Herman, Spock, Michael
Jackson, Hitler, Barbie, Darth Vader and the Sta-Puff marshmallow
man?
[4-3] Where can I buy a "Bride" and "Groom" dispenser?
[4-4] What new dispensers are coming out next?
*[4-5]* How many PEZ dispensers are currently available?
*[4-6]* Is there a canonical list of PEZ dispensers?
[4-7] Where are PEZ Candy dispensers made?
[4-8] Can anybody explain Titus, Brutus, and the Pez-a-Saurs?
*[4-9]* What are the different trucks?
*[4-10]* Where can I buy old PEZ dispensers?
[4-11] Should I open the packages or leave them in the bag and
on the card?
[4-12] How can I compare my PEZ collection to others?
[4-13] Which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is which?
[4-14] What is the highest price ever paid for a single PEZ dispenser?
*[4-15]* What are the PEZ Body Parts?
*[4-16]* How will I ever collect all these variations?
[4-17] How old is a particular dispenser?
[4-18] What does it mean for a dispenser to be "with feet" or "without
feet"?
*[4-19]* Is my black Batman worth $75-125 as listed in Geary's book?
*[4-20]* What is the most popular dispenser?
*[4-21]* What does the "DBP" mark mean on some dispensers?
*[4-22]* My dispenser says "Made in Jugoslavia". Is that a misprint?
*[4-23]* Which one's Tom and which one's Tuffy?
*[4-24]* I have a defective dispenser (from the factory). Is it worth
anything?
*[4-25]* What is the best way to clean my PEZ dispensers?
*[4-26]* How should I display my dispensers?
[5] PEZ in Movies, TV, News, and Print
[5-1] Famous PEZ quotes
[5-1-1] Seinfeld
[5-1-2] The Client
[5-1-3] Stand By Me
[5-1-4] Steven Tyler of Aerosmith
[5-1-5] Forbes Magazine
[5-1-6] Entertainment Weekly
[5-1-7] E.T.
[5-1-8] Netscape's What's New List
[5-1-9] P.C. Magazine
[5-1-10] Cheers
*[5-1-11]* Trapped in Paradise
[5-1-12] Kirk
[5-1-13] Saturday Night Live
[5-1-14] "Full-Body Santa"
*[5-1-15]* Night Court
*[5-1-16]* Dennis Miller Live (HBO Special)
*[5-1-17]* Married ... with Children
*[5-1-18]* Caroline In The City
*[5-2]* "The PEZ Dispenser" Seinfeld Episode
[5-3] PEZ in MTV's "Remote Control"
*[5-4]* PEZ in "The Big Picture"
[5-5] Suzuki car commercial
[5-6] MTV's "The Maxx"
*[5-7]* "Toy Story"
[5-8] The Tick
*[5-9]* The Simpsons
*[5-10]* The PEZ Band
*[5-11]* Action Girl
*[5-12]* Dave's World
*[5-13]* Jeopardy!
*[5-14]* neat stuff!
[6] Other PEZ Collectibles
[6-1] Are there any other PEZ items that I can buy?
*[6-2]* Where can I find the PEZ collectibles mentioned in question [6-1]
?
*[6-3]* I've heard of a Teddy Bear that dispenses PEZ. Does it exist?
*[6-4]* What is a Power PEZ Dispenser?
[7] Miscellaneous
[7-1] PEZ Haiku
[7-2] Make a PEZ Gun
[8] PEZ References and Resources
[8-1] Can I write to the company? What will they send me?
[8-2] How can I contact other collectors? Are there any
PEZ conventions?
[8-3] Are there any books on PEZ?
[8-3-1] What's in these books anyway?
*[8-4]* Are there any WWW sites for PEZ?
[8-5] Is there a newsgroup or mailing list for PEZ?
[8-6] How can I get the latest copy of this FAQ?
*[8-7]* Has there been any newspaper or magazine articles about PEZ?
[8-8] Where can I find these newsletters I've heard about?
[9] Acknowledgments
===========================================================================
THE ANSWERS
===========================================================================
[1] General Information
------------------------
[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
[1-2] Who invented PEZ?
PEZ was invented by Eduard Haas III.
[1-3] How long has PEZ been around?
PEZ candy was created in 1927 in Vienna, Austria. The PEZ dispenser was
invented in 1948. PEZ candies and dispensers have been marketed in America
since 1952.
[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, and the first dispenser was
designed to look like a cigarette lighter (no character heads). After
being introduced in America in 1952, market research with children led to the
introduction of fruit flavors and character heads featuring top licensed
characters. Today PEZ is available around the world in more than 60 countries.
[1-5] What is a "Pezhead"?
A "Pezhead" is someone who collects PEZ dispensers.
*[1-6]* What do MIB, MOC, MOMC, and NF mean?
These are standard abbreviations used to refer to the condition of a
collectible: MIB = Mint in Bag
MOC = Mint on Card
MOMC = Mint on Mint Card
NF = No Feet (see question [4-18])
Note that MOC does not mean that the card isn't bent, torn, and discolored,
but just that the dispenser is still on the card (unopened).
[2] The Company - PEZ Candy, Inc.
----------------------------------
[2-1] Can I buy products directly from the PEZ factory?
Sadly, it is against PEZ Candy's company policy to sell products directly
to the public.
[2-2] 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
wineries are also regulated by the FDA, but they often give tours. Regardless
of the reason, PEZ Candy does not give tours.
[2-3] Who owns PEZ Candy, Inc.?
Scott McWhinnie is the president and chief executive officer of PEZ Candy, Inc.
[2-4] Can I buy stock in PEZ?
PEZ Candy is a privately held company. No stock is sold.
[2-5] 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.
[2-6] 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!"
[3] PEZ Candy
--------------
*[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 and
Europe. It was discontinued in the US because PEZ Candy thought that children
would not want a candy that tasted much like cough medicine.
[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 newest flavor is actually the oldest flavor. The company is reissuing
the Peppermint flavor packaged with the new Regulars. I'm not sure if this
is the exact same Peppermint that was originally used or if it's a different
recipe. These are slowly becoming available in the United States.
[3-3] What's in PEZ Candy?
As listed on the wrapper 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).
[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
*[3-5]* What flavors are available?
Assorted Fruit, Grape, Lemon, Orange, and Strawberry. Cherry has been
discontinued in the US, but is still available in other countries.
[3-6] Are there any sugar-free flavors?
Yes, PEZ Candy makes sugarfree Orange, Lemon, and Strawberry flavors.
[3-7] Where is PEZ Candy made?
Both sugarfree and regular candy are made in Orange, Connecticut where
the candy is also packaged with the dispensers.
*[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
Chlorophyll
Choco
Coffee
Eucalyptus
Flower Flavor
Hot Cinnamon
IZO (vitamins)
Licorice
Lime
Menthol
Peppermint
Wild Cherry
[4] PEZ Dispensers
-------------------
[4-1] Where can I find PEZ dispensers and Candy refills?
PEZ Candy products (both dispensers and refills) are sold nationally by
K-Mart, Walmart, Walgreens, Target Stores, Eckerd Drug, Family Dollar Stores,
and Dollar General Stores. Also try your local supermarket, drugstore, and
gift and novelty stores.
[4-2] I saw an Elvis Presley PEZ dispenser in the movie "The Client".
Where can I buy one? How about Pee Wee Herman, Spock, Michael
Jackson, Hitler, Barbie, Darth Vader and the Sta-Puff marshmallow man?
The Elvis dispenser was a model used for the movie, not an actual dispenser.
PEZ Candy does not manufacture an Elvis dispenser, nor do they have any
plans to do so in the future. The other dispensers mentioned above are all
fakes as well. Many people have created their own PEZ by using the heads
from small dolls and mounting them on an ordinary dispenser base. These are
all commonly referred to as "Fantasy PEZ".
[4-3] Where can I buy a "Bride" and "Groom" dispenser?
These dispensers have been discontinued and there are no plans in the
near future to reintroduce them. See question [4-6] for a list of which
dispensers have been discontinued and which are currently available. Also
see question [4-10] for sources of discontinued dispensers. Linda Kochenburger
(Phone: (201) 947-6613) will rent Bride and Groom dispensers for special
occassions.
*[4-4]* What new dispensers are coming out next?
It is not the policy of PEZ Candy to discuss their current or future marketing
plans. However...
Here are some of the latest releases:
Regulars (reissue in six colors with Peppermint)
Daffy Duck (revised - orange beak with painted tongue)
Speedy Gonzales (revised - with bandana)
Tazmanian Devil
Yosemite Sam
Batman (revised - deep blue mask and very pointed ears)
*[4-5]* How 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 and Canada and in Europe. See question [4-6] for a list of dispensers
currently being offered.
*[4-6]* Is there a canonical list of PEZ dispensers?
Yes, there is - or at least an attempt at it:
The Canonical PEZ Dispenser List
--------------------------------
An asterisk '*' indicates dispenser is currently available in the USA.
Double asterisks '**' indicate dispensers that are not available in the US,
but are available in Canada. Of course, holiday collections are only available
at certain times.
There are many variations that are not listed. Dispensers vary in many ways:
color, with or without feet, soft heads, slight facial differences, etc.
[ If you know of any I've left off, please email me at sha...@dg-rtp.dg.com ]
[ If you spot mistakes, have more to add, or want to know more, mail me. ]
[ Thanks, ]
[ Chris Sharpe (sha...@dg-rtp.dg.com) ]
Bi-Centennial
Betsy Ross
Captain
Daniel Boone
Indian Brave
Indian Chief
Indian Maiden/Squaw
Pilgrim
Pilot
Stewardess
Uncle Sam
Wounded Soldier
Christmas
Angel
Rudolph
Santa (full-figure)
Santa (no hat)
Santa (with hat, no eyes)
*Santa (with hat and eyes)
*Snowman
Circus
Clown with Collar
Big Top Elephant (flat hat)
Big Top Elephant (pointed hat)
Big Top Elephant (with hair)
Horse
Li'l Lion
Long Face Clown
Pony-Go-Round
Crazy Fruits
Orange
Pear
Pineapple
D.C. Comics
Bat Girl (with rubber head)
Batman (blue mask)
Batman (black mask)
*Batman (revised - dark blue mask, larger head)
Batman (blue with attached cape)
Batman (black with attached cape)
Batman (with rubber head)
Joker (with rubber head)
Penguin (with rubber head)
*Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman (with rubber head)
Easter
*Bunny (white)
*Chick with Hat
Chick without Hat
Duck with Flower
Easter Bunny (die-cut)
Fat Ear Easter Bunny
*Lamb
Rooster
Eerie Specters
Air Spirit (with rubber head)
Diabolic (with rubber head)
Scarewolf (with rubber head)
Spook (with rubber head)
Vamp (with rubber head)
Zombie (with rubber head)
The Flintstones
*Barney Rubble
*Dino
*Fred Flintstone
*Pebbles
Garfield
*Arlene (pink cat)
*Garfield
*Garfield (with visor)
*Garfield (with teeth)
*Nermal (gray cat)
Guns
50's Space Gun
Candy Shooter
80's Space Gun (with reloadable magazine)
Halloween
*Dr. Skull
Mr. Ugly
*One-Piece Witch
*Pumpkin
Three-Piece Witch
Kooky Zoo
Cat with Derby
Cockatoo
Cow
Crocodile
Duckie
Giraffe
Gorilla
Hippo
Mimic the Monkey
Monkey Sailor
Octopus
Panda (red face)
Panda (yellow face)
Panda (white face)
*Panda (white face - revised)
Panther
Raven
Roar the Lion
Yappy Dog
Marvel Comics
Captain America
*Incredible Hulk (light green body)
Incredible Hulk (dark green body)
*Spiderman
Thor
Merry Music Makers
Camel Whistle
**Clown Whistle
*Coach Whistle
Dog Whistle
**Donkey Whistle
Duck Whistle
Frog Whistle
**Indian Whistle
Koala Whistle
Lamb Whistle
Monkey Whistle
**Panda Whistle
**Parrot Whistle
**Penguin Whistle
Pig Whistle
**Rhino Whistle
Rooster Whistle
**Tiger Whistle
MGM
Barney Bear
**Droopy Dog
**Icee Bear
**Jerry
**Spike
**Tom
**Tuffy
Tyke
Miscellaneous
Annie
Astronaut
Asterix
Baseball Glove
Baseball Glove (with home plate base and bat)
Bozo
Brutus
Bullwinkle
Casper
Cocoa Marsh
Cowboy
Donkey Kong Jr. ("J" on monkey's hat)
Football Player
Green Hornet
Lion's Club Lion
Make-A-Face
Muselix
Obelix
Olive Oyl
*Peter PEZ Clown
PIF
Popeye
Psychedelic Eye
Psychedelic Flower
Spaceman
Space Trooper (full-figure)
Sparefroh
Stand By Me (PEZ Boy in bag with movie poster)
Monsters
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Fishman
Frankenstein
One-Eye Monster
Wolfman
Muppets
*Fozzie Bear
*Gonzo
*Kermit the Frog
*Miss Piggy
Olympics
Alpine Man (1972 Olympics)
Olympic Snowman (1976 Olympics)
Vucko Wolf (with hat) (1984 Olympics)
Vucko Wolf (with helmet) (1984 Olympics)
Vucko Wolf (without hat) (1984 Olympics)
Pez-a-Saurs (see question [4-8] for Canadian names and descriptions)
*Fly-Saur
*He-Saur
*I-Saur
*She-Saur
PEZ Pals
*Boy (also marketed at Valentine's Day)
Boy (with cap)
Bride
Doctor
Engineer (as in "train engineer")
Fireman
*Girl (also marketed at Valentine's Day) (blond braided hair)
Groom
Knight
Maharajah
Mexican Boy
Nurse
Pirate
Policeman
Ringmaster
Sailor
Sheik
Sheriff
Regulars (these did not have character heads,
but looked like cigarette lighters)
Advertising Regulars (several)
Arithmetic Regular
Golden Glow
Personalized Regulars
Regulars (various colors)
*Regulars (reissue - 6 colors)
Silver Glow
Witch Regular
Smurfs
Papa Smurf
Smurf (white hat)
Smurf (red hat)
Smurfette
Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang
**Charlie Brown (smile with slanted eyes)
**Charlie Brown (smiling with tongue)
Charlie Brown (slight frown)
*Charlie Brown (slight smile)
*Lucy
*Snoopy
**Woodstock (with feathers)
*Woodstock (without feathers)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
*Donatello (happy)
*Donatello (angry)
*Leonardo (happy)
*Leonardo (angry)
*Michaelangelo (happy)
*Michaelangelo (angry)
*Raphael (happy)
*Raphael (angry)
Trucks (numbers are found on the side)
Truck Series A (cab #1)
Truck Series A (cab #4)
Truck Series A (cab #16)
Truck Series B (cab #8)
Truck Series B (cab #9)
Truck Series B (cab #13)
Truck Series C (cab #1)
Truck Series C (cab #2)
Truck Series C (cab #3)
Truck Series C (cab #4)
Truck Series C (cab #5)
Truck Series C (cab #16)
Truck Series C (cab #R1)
Truck Series C (cab #R2)
Truck Series C (cab #R3)
Truck Series C (cab #R4)
*Truck Series D (cab #R1)
*Truck Series D (cab #R2)
*Truck Series D (cab #R3)
*Truck Series D (cab #R4)
Walt Disney Cartoons
Baloo
Bambi
**Bouncer Beagle
Captain Hook
Chip
Dalmatian Pup
**Dewey (blue cap)
Donald Duck
*Donald Duck (revised)
Dopey
Dumbo
Goofy
*Goofy (revised)
**Gyro Gearloose
**Huey (red cap)
Jiminy Cricket
King Louie
Li'l Bad Wolf
**Louie (green cap) (big eyes)
Louie (green cap) (small eyes)
Mary Poppins
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse (die-cut)
*Mickey Mouse (revised)
Mowgli
Peter Pan
Pinocchio
Pluto
*Pluto (revised)
Practical Pig
**Scrooge McDuck
Snow White
Thumper
Tinkerbell
**Webby
Winnie the Pooh
Zorro
Warner Bros. Cartoons (Looney Tunes)
Bugs Bunny
*Bugs Bunny (revised - inside of ears painted pink)
Cool Cat
Daffy Duck
*Daffy Duck (revised - orange beak with painted tongue)
Foghorn Leghorn
Henry Hawk
Merlin Mouse
Petunia Pig
**Road Runner
Speedy Gonzales
**Speedy Gonzales (revised - with bandana)
Sylvester (with whiskers)
*Sylvester (without whiskers)
*Tazmanian Devil
*Tweety Bird
Wile E. Coyote
*Yosemite Sam
[4-7] Where are PEZ Candy dispensers made?
The dispensers are manufactured and imported from Austria, Czech Republic,
China, Hungary, and Slovenia. The dispensers are packaged with the candy
in Orange, Connecticut.
[4-8] Can anybody explain Titus, Brutus, and 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)
*[4-9]* What are the different trucks?
Twenty different trucks have been made. There are four series - A, B, C, and
D. The A and B series have three trucks each, the C series has ten trucks, and
the D series has four trucks. 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 trucks are currently in
production. They have six wheels, the rear fenders are straight, and the
wheels do not turn. There are also four different truck body styles. The
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.
*[4-10]* Where can I buy 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. Call or write for price lists.
David Welch has a large supply of out of production PEZ for sale. He caters
to the serious collector:
David Welch
PO Box 714
Murphysboro, IL 62966
Phone: (618) 687-2282
FAX: (618) 684-2243
Another PEZ dealer is:
Christopher Matthai
Berkeley, California
(510) 841-5770
Steve Glew has a variety of PEZ dispensers and other PEZ collectibles,
including many current non-US issues:
Steve Glew
5611 Lehman Road
DeWitt, MI 48820
(517) 669-5931
Brian Gochal created the PEZ COOP:
The PEZ COOP
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/coach/
Brian Gochal
34 Evergreen Drive
Oceanview, NJ 08230
deva...@ix.netcom.com
Several dispensers are sold on the Internet at Computer Spectrum's
Burlingame On-Line PEZ Exhibit. Point your WWW browser to the URL in
question [8-4] and look for the PEZ Store.
The Yesterdaze Collectibles and Antiques Mall has some PEZ for sale under
"Miscellaneous Items" at http://www.chrysalis.org/drb/
Many fellow Pezheads also have extras to sell or trade. Browse through
the WWW pages mentioned in question [8-4].
If you are looking for a particular dispenser, you can also subscribe to
the mailing list on the Internet (see section [8-5]) and ask if anyone has
one they are willing to sell or trade.
[4-11] Should I open the packages or leave them in the bag and on the card?
This answer is the same as from any collector. Whether you open them or not
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 up to you. I like the cards, so I keep them unopened. It's
difficult to display them in the bag, so I open them. Only keep them in the
bag if you're going to resale them. There are a few exceptions (older
dispensers like the Stand By Me special that *must* be in the bag). The cards
are favored over the bags, but I'm not sure they're really worth more (except
that you get one more pack of candy).
[4-12] How can I compare my PEZ collection to others?
PEZ Boy (st...@jetson.ud.edu) has compiled a "Pezhead Information List" which
includes a bit of information about members of the Pezheads mailing list (see
question [8-5]). To get a copy of this list or to have your information added
to the list, email him at the address given above.
If you have access to the World-Wide Web, see question [8-4].
There is also a PEZ exhibit sponsored by Computer Spectrum. It is viewable
on the World-Wide-Web (see question [8-4]), but you can also visit in person.
Burlingame is in the San Francisco Bay area, and admission is free.
PEZ Exhibit
214 California Drive
Burlingame, California 94010 USA
[4-13] 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
[4-14] What is the highest price ever paid for a single PEZ dispenser?
David Welch sold a Big Top Elephant dispenser for $3600 in July 1995. The
dispenser was a very rare variation of the Big Top Elephant. I don't know
who bought it. Several other dispensers have been sold for over $1000.
*[4-15]* 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.
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
Calvary man/Lieutenant - blue body with uniform markings; boots; trumpet
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.
*[4-16]* How 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 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.
[4-17] How old is a particular dispenser?
You can get a vague idea of the age of a dispenser by looking at the patent
number:
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 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.)
[4-18] What 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.
*[4-19]* Is my black Batman worth $75-125 as listed in 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 [4-17]) 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.
*[4-20]* What is the most popular dispenser?
Santa and Mickey Mouse are the two biggest sellers of all time.
*[4-21]* What does the "DBP" mark mean on some dispensers?
DBP stands for Deutsche Bundes Patent, which is the German equivalent of the
American Patent number. This mark is found on some of the German/Austrian
dispensers.
*[4-22]* My dispenser says "Made in Jugoslavia". Is that a misprint?
No. Jugoslavia is just an alternate spelling for Yugoslavia.
*[4-23]* Which one's Tom and which one's Tuffy?
Jerry has a brown face (the mouse from Tom & Jerry). Tuffy has a grey 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.
*[4-24]* I 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 (dispenser turned around backwards, 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. 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. For example, the "Psycho Lucy" with white eyes instead of
black is a recognized flaw. Since there was only a short run of these, they
are worth more than the conventional Lucy. So if you like it, keep it.
*[4-25]* What is the best way to clean my PEZ dispensers?
A toothbrush and warm water with a mild dish washing detergent works well. 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.
*[4-26]* How 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.
A few Pezheads on the Pezheads mailing list (see question [8-5]) sell PEZ
display racks and PEZzoMANIA sells a clear plastic display case for individual
PEZ dispensers (see question [8-4] for the URL).
[5] PEZ in Movies, TV, News, and Print
---------------------------------------
[5-1] Famous PEZ quotes
[5-1-1] Seinfeld
"What is that? A PEZ dispenser?"
- Jerry Seinfeld
[5-1-2] The Client
"Look, Elvis PEZley."
- Mark Sway (actor Brad Renfro)
[ Does anyone have the quotes related to the Elvis PEZ dispenser? -CS ]
[5-1-3] Stand By Me
"One food for the rest of my life? That's easy. Cherry PEZ. Cherry
flavored PEZ. There's no doubt about it."
- Vern Tessio
"Geesh, Gordi, why couldn't you get some breakfast stuff like..uh..
Twinkies and PEZ and root beer?"
- Vern Tessio
[5-1-4] Steven Tyler of Aerosmith
"The Tazmanian Devil and Cherry PEZ."
- Steven Tyler when asked about his all-time idols
[5-1-5] Forbes Magazine
"At a recent sale, all lots exceeded estimates. Record price paid was
$1,150 for lot of 19 Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse and
Donald Duck. Prices the same with or without stale candy. Christie's
to hold another sale in December, but don't expect much action on PEZ
dispensers after that."
- Forbes Magazine. December 6, 1993.
[5-1-6] Entertainment Weekly
"Cool collectible -- PEZ dispensers are back - and the candy isn't the
only thing sweet. According to the guide Collecting PEZ, rare
dispensers such as the 1982 world's fair model fetch $1,000-plus."
- Summer 1995 "What's cool" issue of Entertainment Weekly.
Interesting note about this quote: Entertainment Weekly called
David Welch and got this quote. They said they would include his
name and address so interested people could order the book. They
included the quote, but neither his address or phone number, and
didn't even mention the author of the book. He was a bit upset.
Finally, EW called him back to ask permission to give out his phone
number because so many pezheads had been calling asking for info
on the book.
[5-1-7] E.T.
Elliot had faked being sick to stay home from school and was showing
E.T. the stuff in his room:
"See, this is PEZ. Candy, see, you eat it. You put candy in
here, then you lift up the head. Candy comes out, then you
can eat it. Want some?"
- Elliot
[It may be an Incredible Hulk dispenser? -CS]
[5-1-8] Netscape's What's New List
"An homage to refined sugar's finest rectangle."
- Netscape's What's New List's description of Paul Telford's
PEZ page (http://gator.naples.net/~nfn02886/pez.html)
[5-1-9] P.C. Magazine
"Mitch would never be sure it was laughter he heard that day at the
airport, but he never again traveled with his PEZ PDA."
- caption of a cartoon depicting a man on an airplane holding
a large PEZ dispenser with a rabbit head, supposedly a
PDA (personal data assistant); PC Magazine; September 12,
1995, page 658.
[5-1-10] Cheers
Carla is worried because it is now Indian Summer, when she is her most
fertile (most of her children were conceived during Indian summer).
"I cannot let any man touch me, talk to me, or see me, or I'll
be shooting out kids like a PEZ dispenser."
- Carla in episode 198 (10/11/90)
*[5-1-11]* Trapped in Paradise
Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, and Nicholas Cage were sitting in a restaurant.
Dana Carvey was playing with a Santa dispenser when Nicholas gets angry
and flips the table over, sending dishes flying. Dana Carvey asks
Jon Lovitz, "Have you seen my PEZ dispenser?" The Santa reappears at
the end of the movie when Dana Carvey (a cleptomaniac) empties his
pockets of all of the things he had pickpocketed onto a table.
[5-1-12] Kirk
Kirk Cameron is trying to meet some woman, but his friend thinks she
is too good for him and notes, "On the food chain, she's a filet and
you are PEZ!"
[5-1-13] Saturday Night Live
In the January 26, 1985 episode, Christopher Guest was speaking to
Billy Crystal and said, "And for desert...PEZ." It was a Donald Duck
dispenser.
[5-1-14] "Full-Body Santa"
The book Santa Clues is an anthology of Christmas mysteries that
includes a story entitled "Full-Body Santa". The 10 page story
is about some PEZ that gets stolen. (1993, eds. Martin Greenberg and
Carol-Lynn Rossel Waugh, Penguin)
*[5-1-15]* Night Court
Harry asks Christine what he does that is so eccentric. Christine
replies, "How about the time you drove three hours to get a Bullwinkle
PEZ dispenser?" (Episode 1 of the 1989-1990 season)
*[5-1-16]* Dennis Miller Live (HBO Special)
With reference to society's level of interest in politics:
"Our lack of interest hasn't happened overnight. It can be traced back
to our ever-shrinking attention spans. We need anything important
rationed out like PEZ. Small, sweet, and coming out of a funny plastic
head."
*[5-1-17]* Married ... with Children
In the episode where Bud is visited by a "cool" version of himself that
no one else can see, Peg and Kelly comment on his strange actions. Peg
confesses, "No. It's my fault. When he was a kid I would give him PEZ
and tell him they were vitamins." At the end of the show Peg asks Bud
if he feels better now. Bud replies, "Yes, I took my PEZ."
*[5-1-18]* Caroline In The City
In the Thanksgiving episode where Caroline and the gang were all in
the parade, they each had to wear a pink snowsuit. A lady in a fur coat
sees Richard and his girlfriend Shelley walking in the parade in these
snowsuits. She begins to chase Shelley since Shelley, an animal rights
activist had previously doused her coat with paint. Finally, we see
Shelley and Richard in the alley out of breath. Shelley says something
like "I think we finally lost her." Richard replies, "That's surprising
considering we look like a couple of PEZ dispensers!"
*[5-2]* "The PEZ Dispenser" Seinfeld Episode
Kramer walks into Jerry's apartment with a Tweety Bird PEZ dispenser.
Jerry inquires, "What is that? A PEZ dispenser?" Kramer says he got them
at the flea market and offers Jerry a PEZ.
Jerry, Elaine, and George attend George's girlfriend's classical piano
recital. While George's girlfriend is playing, Jerry sits a Tweety Bird PEZ
dispenser on Elaine's purse which was in her lap. Elaine finally bursts out in
laughter, distracting the pianist. The entire audience stares at Elaine in
disgust. George's girlfriend is infuriated.
Later, the following argument takes place between Elaine and Jerry:
"Anyone who would laugh at a recital is probably some sort of lunatic
anyway. I mean, only a sick, twisted mind could be that rude and
ignorant."
"Well, maybe some mental defective put something stupid on her leg."
"Even if this so-called mental defective did put something on her leg,
she's still the one who laughed."
[5-3] "Remote Control"
MTV aired a television trivia game show in the late 1980's called "Remote
Control." One of the stage props was a giant PEZ dispenser with the head of
veteran game show host Bob Eubanks ("The Newlywed Game", "Card Sharks", etc.).
Sometimes questions were pulled from beneath the head of the dispenser much
like removing PEZ candy.
*[5-4]* "The Big Picture"
Kevin Bacon stars as a young director just out of film school. At one
point, Jennifer Jason Leigh recruits him to shoot a music video for a band
that needs both a name and a concept. He looks down at a snowman Pez
dispenser in his hand. The next thing we see is the video for the Pez People,
with the band dressed up as giant Pez dispensers.
[5-5] Suzuki car commercial
This commercial features He-Saur, one of the Pez-a-Saur dispensers. It is
shown several times, thrown out of the car, and then retrieved.
[5-6] "The Maxx"
Julie walks in looking for Maxx. She tries to lure him to her, "Maaaaxxxx,
I've got PEZ!" After a short period of silence she mumbles to herself, "Darn,
that usually works."
In another episode Maxx asks Julie, "Got any PEZ?"
In yet another episode Maxx overdoses on cartoons and PEZ which sends him
into a very weird dream world.
*[5-7]* "Toy Story"
"Toy Story", the first fully computer-animated movie from Walt Disney
Productions, contains a fictional PEZ dispenser. It has a red stem with a
duck's head (white with yellow beak). The dispenser sat in the torso of a
muscular figure. Mr. Quack, as it was called, first appears about two thirdsof
the way into the movie.
[5-8] The Tick
Issue number 7 of The Tick comic book features PEZ in its storyline.
*[5-9]* The Simpsons
In the episode where Bart and Lisa go off to Krusty's summer camp there is
a segment where Krusty says something about his line of toys. In the
background there is a bunch of Krusty the Clown dolls, but off to one side
there is a Krusty PEZ dispenser.
*[5-10]* The PEZ Band
There was a band in the late 1970's from Los Angeles called "The PEZ Band."
They published four albums. They were originally called "The Five
Skins", but were forced to change their name when one of the members quit.
Their music was New Wave/Punk.
*[5-11]* Action Girl
Action Girl #5 (October 18, 1995) comic book features a girl dressed in a PEZ
costume on the from cover.
*[5-12]* Dave's World
Dave was looking for something in the attic. He returns saying that he
couldn't find what he was searching for, but he did find his LBJ PEZ dispenser.
He has a fake dispenser in his hands.
*[5-13]* Jeopardy!
The category was "Collectibles" and a PEZ dispenser was a visual daily double.
The answer was "???" and Alex Trebek held up a ?Donald Duck? dispenser.
[ Who's got the details on this? I set them to the Pezheads list, but can't
find my copy. -CS ]
*[5-14]* neat stuff!
This show on The Learning Channel had about a fifteen minute segment on PEZ
on the January 18, 1996 show. They showed scenes from the 1995 PEZ-A-MANIA
Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, and short look inside the Orange, Conn. PEZ
factory. The host spoke with Scott McWhinnie, David Welch, Steve Glew,
Sue Sternfield, Mary Ann Kennedy, and others.
[6] Other PEZ Collectibles
---------------------------
[6-1] Are there any other PEZ items that I can buy?
Yes indeed. Some of these are still available:
FAO Schwartz limited edition "PEZ To Go" Briefcase ($29.99)
includes PEZ watch, clip-on, necklace, key ring, and bracelet
PEZ Balloons
PEZ Bracelet ($2.99)
PEZ Change Dish (depicts Peter Pez holding a Speedy Gonzales)
PEZ Candy Shooter Target
PEZ Clickers
PEZ Clip-on ($2.99)
PEZ Coin Holder
PEZ Costumes (fit over the dispenser)
PEZ Delivery Truck (steel Die-Cast scale model, a piggy bank, $40.75)
PEZ Glasses
PEZ Greeting Cards (Ambassador brand)
PEZ Hat
PEZ Holiday Dish
PEZ Key Chain ($2.99)
PEZ Masks
PEZ Mugs (only available at the PEZ kiosk in the Mall of America?)
PEZ Necklace ($2.99)
PEZ Pentagon Stand (displays 6 dispensers)
PEZ Pirate T-shirt
PEZ Puzzle (by Hallmark)
PEZ Santa Ornament (from Hallmark, 1995, $7.95)
PEZ Secret Code Flasher
PEZ Shopping Bag (picture of PEZ Stewardess on sides)
PEZ Space Poster
PEZ Stickers
PEZ Sweatshirt
PEZ T-shirt "PEZ - A treat to eat in a toy that's neat."
PEZ Tattoos
PEZ Visor
PEZ Watch ($4.99)
PEZ Yo-Yo
*[6-2]* Where can I find the PEZ collectibles mentioned in question [6-1]?
For T-shirts and sweatshirts:
Viewers Edge Magazine
T-shirt: Item #86239 $14.95 plus S&H
Phone: 1-800-947-3928
Heartland Apparel
520 Washington Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 1-800-333-4669 ask for Trish Jette
Newbury Comics
Boston, Massachusetts
http://www.newbury.com/browtsh.htm
(look under "P" for PEZ)
For watch, key chain, and jewelry:
Malibu Fun Stuffed
21700 Oxnard Street, Suite 1610
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: (818) 593-6777
For model delivery truck (Model# FIR 29-1714) (It's $40.75 plus $3.75 shipping
and handling and was released in early 1996. This is bank #2. It is a yellow
and blue truck about 8 inches long and 5-6 inches tall with the candy wrapper
design on the side and the PEZ logo on the back. Limited edition about 1260
will be made.):
Asheville Office Supply
1446 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28806-1740
Phone: (704) 253-8800
Fax: (704) 254-2755
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5:30; Sat 9-5
PEZ Truck Bank #1's may still be available (priced ~$100) from:
Linda Kockenburger
Phone: (217) 947-6613
For puzzle and ornaments:
Hallmark, Osco Drug, Walgreens, and J.C. Penny.
For greeting cards:
Hallmark, Osco Drug, Walgreens, J.C. Penny, Walmart, K-Mart, Shopko,
Caldor, Venture, Bradlees, A & P, Kroger, Ralph's, Vons, Publix,
Randalls, Grand, Safeway, Smiths, and others.
For PEZ Briefcase:
FAO Schwartz
(You can find these at most FAO Schwartz stores, but you may also
order one via phone from the Stanford, Connecticut store below.)
Stanford, Connecticut
Phone: (203) 324-1643
The PEZ bracelet, watch, and clip-on have also been spotted at Toys-R-Us, but
are certainly in short supply and may be discontinued.
For PEZ watches:
The Gift Box
19379 Willamette Drive
West Linn, OR 97068
(503) 635-4991
*[6-3]* 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 still a chance the bears will
be produced, but they don't exist today. Once the merger is complete, we'll
just have to wait and see how things are sorted out. They may make the
jewelry and the bear, either one, or neither.
Update: Malibu Fun Stuffed, a division of Janex Corporation, is in the process
of making a new PEZ bear. They are currently making the watch and jewelry.
(See question [6-2] for address) The PEZ Bear is a 12 inch teddy bear holding
a PEZ Bear dispenser. The item is expected to retail around $13. There have
also been similar Santa and Snowmen prototypes.
*[6-4]* What is a Power PEZ Dispenser?
The Power PEZ Dispenser will be made by Cap Toys. There are prototype pictures
available at http://gator.naples.net/~nfn02886/ppez01.jpg.
[7] Miscellaneous
------------------
[7-1] PEZ Haiku
Pez is good candy
Tilt the head of Mr. Hulk
He vomits lemon
- Michael Janssen
When loading the Pez
(Not as easy as it seems)
Sometimes you just scream
- Melissa Sharpe
Where is Tweety Pez
Seinfeld's danced on Elaine's lap
Oh, to have my own
- Chris Sharpe
[7-2] What other uses are there for PEZ?
You can make Matt Shook's PEZ gun. Here's how he describes it:
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)
Take the double sided tape and wrap it around the little plastic thing that
pushes the pez out of the dispenser. Then use the pliers (or cutters) to
shorten the spring. Then stick the spring around the double sided tape. The
spring should be long enough to be shoved all the way up the PEZ stem and go
straight down to touch the colored plastic. If it is too long or to short the
gun won't work.
Don't worry if your gun doesn't work the first time. After my initial burst of
PEZZY inspiration, it took me three hours and four pen springs to finally get
one that would shoot at all. But the more you make, the more you get a feel for
what the size and tension and the easier it will get to make them, and you can
get them to shoot farther. My first PEZ gun only shot about two feet and was
only good for shooting them into my mouth. The latest one I've made can shoot
about twelve feet and can cause pain to humans at point-blank range. Once you
have made a PEZ gun you too will feel the satisfaction one gets from pulling
out a dispenser and popping some of the sweet candy into one's mouth with only
the flick of a finger.
[8] PEZ References and Resources
---------------------------------
[8-1] 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), and a color
brochure which shows displays of PEZ dispensers and candy.
[8-2] How can I contact other collectors? Are there any PEZ conventions?
There are several PEZ conventions held annually. The contacts are listed below
:
Second Annual West Coast PEZ Convention
March 29 and 30, 1996
Sunnyvale, California
The 4th Annual National PEZ Convention
June 14 and 15, 1996
Airport Hilton (314) 426-5500
St. Louis, Missouri
For registration form and more info contact: John Devlin
640 Aqua Ridge
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 487-0544
PEZ-A-MANIA 6 Collector's Convention
July 19 and 20, 1996
Cleveland, Ohio
Jill Cohen
(216) 283-5995
Try the Internet. There are lots of PEZ collectors out there. Refer to
questions [8-4] and [8-5] for mailing lists, newsgroups and WWW sites.
PEZ Candy provides the name of Mr. Richard Geary as a reputable PEZ collector
who has also written a book on PEZ (see question [8-6]). You can contact
him at the following address, but please include a self-addressed stamped
envelope.
Mr. Richard Geary
P.O. Box 622
Madison, OH 44057
[8-3] Are there any books on PEZ?
There are several:
"More PEZ for Collectors" by Richard Geary ($14.95, Schiffer Publishing
Limited, 1995)
"A Pictorial Guide to Plastic Candy Dispensers, Featuring PEZ"
by David Welch ($19.95, Bubba Scrubba Publications, 1991)
"Collecting PEZ" by David Welch ($39.95, Bubba Scrubba Publications,
1995)
"PEZ Collectibles" by Richard Geary ($19.95, Schiffer, 1994)
"The Collector's Price Guide to Plastic Candy Dispensers"
by Mike Edelman and John Laspina (no price given,
self-published)
"PEZ Handbook" by Steve Glew (see [4-10] for ordering info)
If you can't find them in bookstores...
The books by David Welch are (only?) available direct from him:
David Welch
PO Box 714
Murphysboro, IL 62966
Phone: (618) 687-2282
FAX: (618) 684-2243
And 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.
Also see question [8-7] for a list of newspaper and magazine articles about PEZ
.
[8-3-1] What's in these books anyway?
"More PEZ for Collectors" by Richard Geary ($14.95, Schiffer, 1995)
This book 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 paraphenelia
created for the PEZ Conventions.
"A Pictorial Guide to Plastic Candy Dispensers, Featuring PEZ"
by David Welch ($19.95, Bubba Scrubba Publications, 1991)
This 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 from David Welch for $22.95 (including shipping).
"Collecting PEZ" by David Welch ($39.95, Bubba Scrubba Publications, 1995)
This book 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 just came out in March of 1995.
"PEZ Collectibles" by Richard Geary ($19.95, Schiffer, 1994)
The book 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 it's estimated value.
"The Collector's Price Guide to Plastic PEZ Dispensers"
by Mike Edelman and John Laspina (no price given, self-published)
Good identification guide, but no pictures. It includes a price estimate
for each dispenser listed. This one's not as complete as Welch's book.
"PEZ Handbook" by Steve Glew
This is a guide put out by a dealer (Steve Glew) that has industry
information for PEZ and Flix. It also contains his price list.
*[8-4]* Are there any WWW sites for PEZ?
Diane Leigh Davison maintains a page with links to most other PEZ pages on
the Web. It's a great starting point:
Assorted PEZ Flavors on the Web
http://mail.bcpl.lib.md.us/~ddavison/pezpages.html
Try these:
Paul Telford's PEZ Page
http://gator.naples.net/~nfn02886/pez.html
Michael S. Jackson's PEZ Land
http://members.aol.com/landofpez/
Burlingame On-Line's PEZ Exhibit
http://www.spectrumnet.com/pez/
Chris Bray's PEZ Collection
http://comp.uark.edu/~cbray/pez/
John Keating's PEZ Page
http://www.clark.net/pub/keating/pez-home.html
How To Fill A PEZ Dispenser (in .xbm format)
http://turtle.ncsa.uiuc.edu/pez.html
The Dark Side of PEZ
http://www.teleport.com/~shojo/PEZ/pez.html
Julie's PEZ Page
http://www.sura.net/~julie/church/pez.html
Louis J. Apoldo's PEZ Collection
http://www.voicenet.com/~lou
David Mocko's PEZ Collection
http://taurus.cira.colostate.edu/mocko/pez.html
Eat Me - Notes towards a Pezology
http://www.homeless.com/homepages/dgra...@igc.apc.org.html
Cliff Lee's PEZ Page
http://rampages.onramp.net/~criff/criffpez.html
Michele Lorenz's PEZ Page
http://www.airmail.net/~pezmgl
Diane Leigh Davison's PEZ Page
http://mail.bcpl.lib.md.us/~ddavison/home.html
David's PEZ Page
http://hurl.eng.wayne.edu/~david/pez.html
Eric Conrad's European PEZ Page
http://www.radware.com
Dale Pike's World O' PEZ
http://pages.prodigy.com/AR/pezman/collect.html
PEZ COOP
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Coach/
Kurt Boutin's PEZ Page
http://www.tiac.net/users/kurtb/
Interactive PEZ Dispenser (requires Netscape with Shockwave plug-in)
http://www.io.org/~bmaraldo/portfolio.html
PEZzoMANIA
http://www.cp3.com/pez/
Jamie Gerdes' PEZ Page
http://www.probe.net/~foopah/PEZ_FOLDER/PEZ.html
[8-5] Is there a newsgroup or mailing list for PEZ?
Yes, both a newsgroup and a mailing list exist for Pezheads. The mailing list
is very active, and the newsgroup is slowly propagating across the Internet.
The newsgroup is alt.food.pez and was started by Paul Telford. If your
ISP (Internet Service Provider) does not carry this newsgroup, send them mail
asking that it be added. It may not have propagated to your site yet. Groups
in the alt.* heirarchy take some time to become widespread.
To subscribe to the mailing list, send mail to pezheads...@cybercom.net.
In the body of the message, put "subscribe" (without the quotes). To send
mail to the list, address it to pezh...@cybercom.net. This list is owned
and maintained by Eric Conrad (eco...@cybercom.net).
For history buffs, two other mailing lists used to exist. The first one was
created by Alisa McClain and Jason Specland, and owned and maintained by
Chris Sharpe. It was pezh...@sirs.com but is now dead (actually it moved
to cybercom.net). The second one was created and maintained by Cliff Lee
at Pez-...@clcbbs.houston.tx.us. It still exists and is used primarily as
a backup if pezheads_cybernet.com experiences trouble.
[8-6] How can I get the latest copy of this FAQ?
You can always request the latest copy by sending email to sha...@dg-rtp.dg.com
.
Paul Telford usually creates an HTML version which can be viewed from his
PEZ page:
http://gator.naples.net/~nfn02886/pez.html
*[8-7]* Has there been any newspaper or magazine articles about PEZ?
Sure there has. Look up the following (also see question [5-1]):
"PEZ de Resistance", People, 1991.
"PEZ lives on", Lisa J. Adams (AP), "LA Daily News", October 20, 1993,
Business Section, p. 1.
"Remember" Magazine, June/July, 1995, Vol. 2, No. 3, P.M. Publications,
6 Prowitt Street, Norwalk, CT 06855-1220.
"Eat Me - Notes Towards a Pezology", Denmark, on the Internet at
http://www.homeless.com/homepages/dgra...@igc.apc.org.html
Something announcing the reissue of the Regulars, Brandweek,
September 25, 1995, p. 10.
"What's the Buzz about PEZ", Richard Geary, Baby Boomer Collectibles,
Vol. 3, No. 2, November 1995.
"PEZ, Candy Dispenser Turned Collectible", Sue Sternfield, Baby Boomer
Collectibles, Vol. 1, No. 4, January 1994.
"PEZ Connection", S.J. Glew, Collectible Toys & Values, irregular
feature.
"Collecting PEZ", Sharon Korbeck, Toy Collector and Price Guide,
Vol. 7, No. 1, February 1996.
"Fun with the Hot Collectibles Now", Terry and Ralph Kovel, Bottom
Line Personal, September 15, 1995. p. 7-9.
"Candy dispensers tops at PEZ Museum", Diana Marszalek, Antelope Valley
Press, February 15, 1996, Section C, p. 1.
?Title?, Edward C. Baig, US News and World Report, November 2, 1992,
p. 85.
"neat stuff!", The Learning Channel, when, 1995.
[ What are the others? -CS ]
[8-8] Where can I find these newsletters I've heard about?
There used to be a newsletter "The Optimistic Pezzimist" published by
Mike Robertson of Dripping Springs, Texas. The newsletter is no longer
published. [ Does anyone have any old copies of this? -CS ]
There was also another newsletter available for $18 a year. This newsletter
is also out of print, but it was published by:
Larry Lafoe
3851 Gable Lane Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46208
There is a new newsletter called "PEZ Collectors News" which began
in September 1995. For a one year subscription, send a check or money-order
for $19 to:
Richard Belyski
P.O. Box 124
Sea Cliff, NY 11579-0124
(516) 676-1183
There is also a new PEZ club, "The Fliptop PEZervation Society." Members get
an official certificate of membership, an official membership card, and 6
issues (1 year subscription) of the Official Club Newsletter. The first issue
was scheduled for September 1995. Membership is $18 per year. For more
information, or to join contact:
Dennis Martin
2328 Farley Place
Birmingham, AL 35226
(205) 822-8745
Many antique price guides and collectible toy price guide include listings
of discontinued PEZ dispensers and their current market values.
*[9]* Acknowledgments
----------------------
Thanks to Laura Thompson in Public Relations at PEZ Candy, Inc. for the
information packet.
Special thanks to David Welch for his input.
Thanks also to the following Pezheads for their valued input:
Paul Telford (pdte...@ucdavis.edu)
Marissa Bernstein (jt...@ix.netcom.com)
Jim Wartski (jwar...@orl1.orlando.loral.com)
Amy Forsyth (afor...@sas.upenn.edu)
Sylvia Marienthal (slma...@uci.edu)
Chris Bray (cs...@engr.uark.edu)
Philip Michaels (phi...@bu.edu)
Randall Bultman (fde...@prodigy.com)
Donald Reed (donald...@dartmouth.edu)
MagicPEZ (Magi...@aol.com)
Matt Shook
Hector (h...@vnet.net)
Michael Janssen
Melissa Sharpe
Tom Walsh (twa...@sc1.dfrc.nasa.gov)
Jackie Button (jbu...@medstat.med.miami.edu)
Greg (jose...@magic.ca)
David Rowell (st...@jetson.uh.edu)
Mary Thronson (pthr...@charlie.usd.edu)
Brian Gochal (Deva...@ix.netcom.com)
Kurt Byfield (Bo...@msn.fullfeed.com)
David Mackey (dma...@haven.ios.com)
Michael S. Jackson (m23...@ws2768.mdc.com)
Dale Pike (ldb...@prodigy.com)
pixx...@aol.com
M.S.C. McAlpin (mca...@wln.com)
Scott Gordon (jje...@husc3.harvard.edu)
Scott Luther (scott_...@visioneer.com)
Adam Brown (AdamS...@aol.com)
Brad Kollus (bko...@infinet.com)
Gene Schenberg (7000...@compuserve.com)
Eric Conrad (eco...@cybercom.net)
Mary Jo Slusher (slu...@iglou.com)
Gary Doss (spec...@spectrumnet.com)
Kim (ir00...@pop3.interramp.com)
Tim Priebe (tapr...@msmacab.remnet.ab.com)
TAD (da...@mail.sicd.etn.com)
Jamie Kowinsky (Jamie.K...@f13.n2610.z1.fidonet.org)
Sue Toupal (tou...@ohsu.edu)
Diane Leigh Davison (ddav...@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us)
Becky Hilburn (hnu...@prodigy.com)
Chris Lanni (vjl...@prodigy.com)
Cheri Goldner (che...@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
Jim Presnal (dot...@wavenet.com)
Karen Cooper (keco...@maroon.tc.umn.edu)
John Thompson (thom...@maroon.tc.umn.edu)
Matt Hall (JBu...@aol.com)
Charles Ulrich (ulr...@sfu.ca)
Byron Boyd (byron...@mindlink.bc.ca)
Rick Roberts (ri...@wichita.fn.net)
Elyse Schwimer Davis (esd...@ix.netcom.com)
DiAnne Adams (dianne...@m.k12.ut.us)
Charles Primack (pri...@gnn.com)
Ben Mohr (LaxR...@aol.com)
David Hendrickson (ehk...@prodigy.com)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This document is Copyright (c) 1996 by Chris Sharpe.
It may be freely distributed as long as no fee is charged and
providing the author's name and this notice remain intact.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Chris Sharpe Author of "The Unofficial PEZ FAQ" |
| sha...@dg-rtp.dg.com "PEZ - A treat to eat in a toy that's neat" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
E-Mail: pdte...@pobox.com
The PEZ Page: http://pobox.com/~pez/
"Learn UNIX and walk with the Gods"