The Growing Number of Collectible PEZ Dispensers

Oct 30, 2011
Jenny Kile

Pez Dispenser - J. Kile

Each year the Pez Company manufactures and releases new designs for their Pez dispensers which subsequently attract collectors.

The small Pez candy dispensers are anything but small with their continued collectibility and attraction for Pez collecting enthusiasts. The sought after dispensers are topped with a wide range of friendly cartoon-like heads. From their first appearance in the 1950’s, the Pez dispenser line-up keeps expanding. Some of the latest additions from the Pez Company include a limited edition set of eight Lord of the Rings characters and Disney’s Phineas, Ferb and Perry trio.

History of Pez

The original Pez candies were first developed to be a strong breath mint for people who smoked and were marketed towards these adults. PEZ is the abbreviated German word for peppermint, PfeffErminZ, and was initially conceived by Edward Haas III of Austria in 1927. Later, in 1948, Haas designed a dispenser for his breath mints which resembled a hand held cigarette lighter. The Pez were inserted into the stem like body and dispensed out the flip top.

After unsuccessfully trying to expand sales of Pez into the American market in 1952, the Pez Company decided to target a different audience. Instead of the powerful breath mint they changed the Pez into fruit flavored candies, designed kid- friendly Santa Claus and Space Trooper dispensers and marketed the idea to a younger crowd. The new designs with their small delicious treats were a success.

eBay and Pez

Pez dispensers have since grown in popularity. So much so that the founders of eBay fabricated a story involving the fascination with Pez collecting in order to help their company grow in the 1990’s. In his book Myths of Innovation, Scott Berkun shares how the actual story of eBay needed to have more appeal. He says, “It wasn’t until after they invented a quasi-love story-- about how the founder created the company so his fiancée could trade Pez dispensers—that they got the press coverage they wanted.”

Collecting and Trading Pez

Rightfully then one of the best places to collect and trade Pez dispensers is on eBay. With almost six thousand results for ‘Pez dispenser’ on eBay’s auction search, collectors are able to seek out desired dispensers to add to their collections. Just like other collectible items, certain Pez dispensers are more valuable than others depending on their rarity, age, or condition.

The age of a Pez dispenser can roughly be determined by whether the dispenser has feet or not. In 1987 feet were attached to a dispenser’s base for standing stability. Therefore any straight based Pez dispenser was manufactured before the 1987 added feature and may be more valuable. An example of an extremely rare collectible Pez dispenser is the 1972 Make-a- Face Pez. This Pez dispenser was taken off the market soon after it was released because of safety concerns for its small parts. The Make-a-Face Pez dispenser, complete with all 17 tiny face pieces and including the wig, is valued around 2,500 dollars.

There are also many abbreviated terms which are used to describe the condition of a Pez dispenser. MIC stands for Mint in Cello, MIP is Mint in Package, and MIB implies Mint in Bag. An interesting term which describes an error on a Pez stem is UDR or Upside Down R(registered trademark). Finding one of these Pez dispensers would add delight to any Pez collection.

Starting a Pez Collection

Anyone can begin a Pez collection at any time. They make great starter collections for children because not only are they inexpensive to start, the company continues to release familiar and popular characters each year. As children grow, they can then add more expensive, older dispensers to their collections.

In November 2011 the release of the first Presidential Series containing eight of America’s first presidents will become available for collectors. The 2012 year also holds high expectations for new releases. Some of these include a new set of Muppets, Star Wars and Star Trek characters, the Avengers, Hot Wheels, Barbie, and in September 2012 a Kiss Gift Tin.

Topped with a large variety of character heads PEZ dispensers are a collectible and enjoyable hobby for people of all ages. Whether a person is a casual collector or a passionate one, the Pez Company continues to supply them with trendy dispensers which can be filled with their favorite little candies.