Stormtrooper
Released 1997

Yoda I am.

Released 1997

Chewbacca

Released 1997

C-3PO

Released 1997

Besides PEZ dispensers, our house is big into Star Wars (and Lego hence the Lego plate that all of these PEZ dispensers are standing on).  I was a big Star Wars fan and so I am delighted that my boys are too (or Artoo - get it?! Artoo = R2 as in R2D2 - ok nevermind).

Star Wars PEZ were released from 1997 to 2005.  Then, in 2009, Star Wars Clone Wars PEZ were introduced.

Homer Simpson PEZ.

D'oh!

Edited:  I decided to include a photo of the whole Simpsons PEZ set.

Marjorie "Marge" Simpson (née Bouvier)

The Simpson's PEZ were released in 1999 and are now retired.

Lisa It's Your Birthday.

Ok, I don't really know when Lisa's birthday is but I love that song even though... well, y'know.  Click the link below to hear the song:

Lisa It's Your Birthday

Maggie Simpson.

I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?

My kids have recently discovered The Simpsons and have watched bits and pieces of "The Simpson Movie".  Tonight, I saw Tom Hanks on TV and I said to the kids "That guy played the voice of Woody in 'Toy Story'".  Declan said "I know who that is!  It is Tom Hanks!"  I asked him how he knew Tom Hanks and he said that he plays himself in "The Simpson Movie".  :\

Elvis PEZ.  Can there be anything cooler? (ok, only The Beatles PEZ dispensers would be cooler!). 

In the movie "The Client" which was released in 1994, there was an Elvis PEZ dispenser but it was designed by the props department.  PEZ did not make an Elvis PEZ dispenser until 2007.  The set of three dispensers represent Elvis in the '50s, '60s and '70s.

This is the collection of Star Trek PEZ that was released in November 2008.  Now, most of my PEZ dispensers I do not keep MIB or MOC (mint in bag or mint on card) because I like to look at them and play with them, etc.  But some of the very special sets I do keep in their original package.

I grew up watching Star Trek.  It was not because I necessarily WANTED to but I had to because I had two older brothers who usually got to the tv before me.  Eventually, I did not mind and found myself watching it on my own and I was a big fan of Star Trek:  The Next Generation (although what the hell was Geordi doing wearing a banana clip across his eyes?!).

Anyway, I wonder if PEZ will ever come out with a Next Generation PEZ collection?  In the meantime, I will enjoy this one.  Dammit Jim, I'm a Doctor, not a PEZ dispenser!

Belle PEZ from "Beauty and the Beast". IMO, her hair is not dark enough.

Mulan PEZ released 2007

Princess Aurora PEZ from Disney's "Sleeping Beauty".  I had not seen this movie since I think I was maybe 8 years old.  Another that my boys had no interest in seeing. 

PEZ did release the Disney Princess PEZ as set after they released them individually.

Princess Jasmine PEZ.  Another movie that my children have never watched.

I will continue with the Disney Princess PEZ.  This, of course, is Cinderella.  Cinderella was released in 2005.

I really like this PEZ because when I was young, Cinderella was my favourite Disney Cartoon and I would always go to the theatres whenever it was released.  I used to have this on video tape but never replaced it on DVD (probably because I have boys!) but I think I will get it next time Disney "opens the vault".

"A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes"

Speaking of Shelly (the friend who sent me the OCC PEZ), this Snow White Princess PEZ reminds me of her.  Shelly loved Snow White and collected Snow White items.  In fact (shamefully admitting this), I bought this PEZ to send to Shelly in 2008 but then realized that I did not have it myself so I ended up keeping it. :\

Anyway, I am glad that I have it because it does remind me of her whenever I see it.

My Orange County Choppers PEZ sent to me by my good friend, Shelly (whom I miss dearly - she passed away suddenly in November).

I watched this show for a few seasons and I wonder if it is still on. I also wonder if this set is still being sold since Paul Sr. is suing Paul Jr. over stock options in the company and Mikey apparently is (or was) in Rehab. 

These PEZ are important because they were one of the first "real" people featured on PEZ dispensers.  Elvis PEZ was also released but I think at a later date.  Before the OCC PEZ, Betsy Ross was the only "real" person who was ever featured on a PEZ dispenser.

OCC was commissioned to make a PEZ chopper.  Here are some photos:

I received this PEZ dispenser today in the mail from my friend, Paula.  Paula works at a Movie Gallery in Tennessee.  She alerted me to the fact that Hollywood Video was also selling these limited edition PEZ so I picked up one of those ones last month.  Thanks again, Paula!

Baloo the Bear.  No feet on this PEZ.  It is one of my original PEZ dispensers.  PEZ released newer versions of the Jungle Book characters in 2003 and Baloo was brown rather than blue.

These headless PEZ dispensers are re-releases made to look like the original PEZ dispensers.  PEZ came from the German word for pepperment which is phefferminz.  PEZ is taken from the first, middle and last letter of phefferminz.  These mints and dispeners were marketed to adults but in early 1950's, they made fruit flavoured candy and put heads on the dispensers.

I am E.T. 

This PEZ was sent to me by my friend from Australia.  I love this PEZ.  E.T. is so cute.

Apparently this dispenser was released in the States (this one the "Eurpean release") but only at Toys'R'Us and it coincided with the 2002 theatrical re-release of E.T.

This dispenser was another limited edition PEZ offered by the PEZ company that was available through mail order/online sales at http://www.pez.com/ (again, the store is no longer working).  Rumour has it that this was the first of a series of planet PEZ dispensers but it was became the first and last.

I am glad that I have this one.

PEZ on Earth.

This Psychedelic Eye 1998 is a re-release of an 1968 PEZ.  This PEZ is non-footed (but do not confuse it with dispensers sold before '87). 

An FYI...for stability, PEZ "shoes" can be purchased for no feet dispensers.  You can find them on ebay by doing a search on "vintage PEZ no feet shoes".

R.I.P. Curtis Allina

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/business/05allina.html

Curtis Allina Dies at 87; He Put the Heads on Pez

Curtis Allina, a candy company executive who presided over a powerful innovation in marketing that was less about the candy itself than it was about the container it came in — and who in unintended consequence created a universe of enraptured collectors — died Dec. 15 at his home in Olympia, Wash. Mr. Allina, who helped bring the world the modern Pez dispenser, was 87.


I cannot imagine a life without PEZ heads? Thank you, Mr. Allina.

This Bride and Groom PEZ was a re-release a few years ago.  The originals were released in the 1970s and are probably the most valuable PEZ around.  I remember seeing a set at the first MNPEZ Con that Stephen and I attended in 1996 when we lived in Minneapolis.  At that time, they were valued at $1500 and were NOT FOR SALE.

These were offered by mail-order (and later online at http://www.pez.com/ but that store is currently closed) directly from the PEZ company.  I paid $25 for the set.  I am sure they would be worth more if I had kept them MOC (mint on card) but I prefer to play with my PEZ.  :)
Since that time, PEZ has also released a bride with brown hair and an African-American bride and groom couple.  All bride and groom PEZ are currently retired.

Pluto PEZ with no feet.  Actually, I think the correct term is NON-FOOTED but I call it NO FEET.  Anyway, I believe this is another one found in my mom's crawlspace so it would have been an original that either I bought or was purchased as a gift for me in the '86 or '87.

This Popeye PEZ was given to Stephen and I in 1998 by Stephen's cousin's husband (or ex-husband - they are together but were apart then). Anyway, he had originally purchased it when he was a child in the late 1950's and had kept it all these years. He knew we were collectors so he gave it to us when we were back in Toronto visiting for my brother-in-law's wedding.

This PEZ is probably our most valuable PEZ. It goes for between $50-$100 on eBay.

Genie PEZ purchased for me in '86 or '87. Another PEZ with no feet. I love the little noses on all of these PEZ guys. All of the heads are the same (you can see the hole in this guy's nose where the moustache for the fireman would go).

I found this PEZ about 10 years ago in my mom's crawlspace (a cement crawlspace not the icky, stinky one like I have that is full of dirt and spiders!). I was delighted that I found it because I had forgotten that I had him.

Fireman No FEET

This fireman (I guess I should call him a firefighter since fireman is so pre-2000) is another PEZ that was originally purchased for me pre-FEET era. He is not in near-MINT condition because he is missing the badge on his hat. I believe this PEZ design dates to the 1970's.

PEZ heads refer to the head on the PEZ dispenser. The stem (or body) is the same design on most PEZ dispensers. The word PEZ is stamped on both sides. The country of original and patent number is also stamped on the side. Many of my PEZ were made in Yugoslavia ("Jugoslavia"), Slovenia, Hungary although most of the new ones are made in China.

Here is a photo of another Fireman that I have (also missing his badge). His body is just a different colour so I guess he will not rate a post of his very own.

Please excuse the formatting in this post. I am working with blogger's own formatting and am still trying to work out the kinks.

Snowman PEZ circa 1986. Purchased for me by my guy when we were dating. Definitely one of my favourite dispensers because of the NO FEET (feet were added to PEZ dispensers in 1987 for stability) and because this dispenser was the unofficial beginning to my collection.