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Famous PEZ Dispensers

PEZ dispensers are an instantly recognizable pop culture icon. The dispensers' were created in 1948 as an anti-smoking aid, but that quickly gave way to their popularity as an interactive candy. Popular additions to Christmas stockings, Easter baskets and party favor bags, PEZ dispensers feature well-known characters, but some of the candy containers are famous in their own right.

History
- PEZ candies, short for the German word "pfefferminz," meaning peppermint, were created in Vienna in 1927. Dispensers were created by Oscar Uxa in 1948, but the candy's popularity skyrocketed after heads were added in 1955. Some of the earliest dispenser heads included Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus.
Most Expensive
- The 1982 World's Fair PEZ dispenser is the most expensive dispenser ever sold. Created as a promotional item, the dispenser features an astronaut helmet head. It is believed that only two of these dispensers currently exist; one with a green bottom and white helmet and one with a blue bottom and blue helmet. The green-stemmed dispenser sold on eBay in 2006 for $32,205.
Rarest
- According to Gary Doss, operator of the Museum of PEZ Memorabilia in Burlingame, Calif., the rarest PEZ dispenser is the Make-A-Face dispenser introduced in the 1972 but quickly pulled from the market because of choking concerns. Doss says the dispenser is worth about $5,000 in its original packaging.
Most Popular
- Santa Claus, introduced in the early 1950s, is the best-selling single PEZ dispenser of all time. The company's "Star Wars" line is the most popular assortment of licensed dispensers.

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