Monday, December 31, 2012

STAR TREK COLLECTORS SET - 50% OFF AT CVS

CVS has the recently released "Star Trek TNG Collectors Set" on sale for $9.99. They had been selling it for $19.99 and it was located in their Christmas section. They put all of their Christmas stuff on sale for 50% off. Like most people, I have only picked up the Walmart edition so now may be the best time to add this set to our collection.






This edition of the collectors set has Beverly Crusher unlike the Walmart edition





The Walmart edition comes with Picard as Locutus of Borg instead of the Beverly Crusher dispenser


           

Saturday, December 29, 2012

NEW PEZ ALERT - NEMO

So earlier today when I was at Walmart I picked up the Princess Merida dispenser. While I was there I noticed they had also put out "Finding Nemo" and "Monsters Inc." dispensers on new cards. I looked at them but didn't see any differences from the prior releases. After speaking with my good PEZ friend, PASTOR PEZ, he told me that there is in fact differences in the Nemo dispensers. I went back and picked one up.

The new Nemo dispenser is a lot brighter in color, not sure if you can tell that in the pictures below. The main difference is the fins. In the older dispenser, the fins stick out from the body. The new dispensers, you can see that the fins are etched into the body. There is also more black on the top fin of the older dispenser. The stems are the same color for both.

As far as the "Monsters Inc." dispensers go, I still haven't noticed any differences in the older dispensers and the new releases other than the new cards. If anyone knows of something that I am not seeing, please let me know!

Thanks!




NEW PEZ ALERT - PRINCESS MERIDA

I was in my local Walmart store today and they had the new Princess Merida dispensers out, so of course I picked one up. I would expect that other Walmart stores will have them out soon if they aren't already, so check your local store and pick one up!







They also had out new "Finding Nemo" and "Monsters, Inc." dispensers too. They didn't have out the new "Dori" yet though. The dispensers look the same as before but they are on new cards. I hope to find "Dori" soon. I've got my eyes open. THE HUNT CONTINUES!

Friday, December 28, 2012

2013 - A NEW YEAR - NEW PEZ

This past year has been great for us. We started collecting PEZ dispensers in March of 2012 and since then our passion for PEZ has grown and grown. Collecting with my daughter has been so much fun and seeing her face light up each time we get a new dispenser is the best thing ever. We started this site back in November and since then I've been lucky enough to come in contact with some of the nicest, most generous people on the planet. 2013 is going to be a great year for the PEZ Hunters. We look forward to bringing you guys PEZ news, release information, convention information and ALL THINGS PEZ.

Make sure you are a "follower" of our site. In 2013, we are going to doing all sorts of great things here, including contest and give-a-ways. We will be giving away dispensers and gift sets throughout the year so make sure you are a "follower" so you will be able to win. Personally, I'd love to see more of you guys post comments and introduce yourselves this year. The PEZ community is the best!

Have a safe, happy and PEZZY NEW YEAR!


Clay

Monday, December 24, 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE PEZ HUNTERS!

We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Hope you get all of the PEZ goodies you asked for from Santa this year!


Saturday, December 22, 2012

GREAT PEZ FIND!!!

My family and I are in Murfreesboro, TN for the weekend. We went out shopping today and of course PEZ hunting. We stopped in the "Toys R Us" here and guess what I found? The new 2013 Disney Valentines sets. They only had one of each on the shelf and I snatched them up immediately! I also found a PEZ hauler we didn't have. I actually didn't even know they had haulers like this one. The trailer is a cylinder shape, like a gas tanker. Today was a great day for the PEZ HUNTERS!!!

I took the pic with my phone but I'll take a better one tomorrow when we get back home.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

NEW PEZ - DORI, EGG AND THE FLOPPY-EARED BUNNY

Some new PEZ have started showing up on eBay today. There is a gentleman who runs a candy shop in Michigan and he always seems to have the new dispensers before anybody else. Whenever he gets them in, he always puts them up for sale on eBay. Check out his listing for the new dispensers. He is selling all 3 of the new dispensers together and is offering free shipping. You can get a good look at the new "Dori" dispenser, the new "Easter Egg" dispenser and the new "Floppy-Eared Bunny" dispenser.

The bunny looks really cool! The new look certainly gives it a bit more personality.

Check out his listing HERE


VALENTINE'S DAY PEZ

Christmas has not even come yet and it's already time to pick up the Valentine's Day dispensers! I was at AC Moore today and they already had out there Valentine's Day PEZ Dispenser display. They didn't have the plush out yet or the "Mickey/Minnie" and "Donald/Daisy" set but they did have the hearts, the bears and the cherub. If you have an AC Moore in your area, definitely check them out and pick up the Valentine's Day dispensers you need for your collection. Happy Hunting!


If you absolutely can't wait and you want to go ahead and pick up the Disney Valentine's sets, there is a seller on eBay that has them up. You should start seeing these in your local Walmart as soon as Christmas and New Years is over.



Tuesday, December 18, 2012

NEW PEZ - MLB HELMETS 2013

Shipping in February 2013, the new MLB Baseball PEZ dispensers. You will still be able to pick up the MLB dispensers with the baseball and the team logo, but next year they will also be adding in new MLB dispensers, instead of baseballs, you will get the helmet with the team logo on it. Expect to see these in stores towards the end of February/beginning of March.

I can't wait to start picking these up!




Monday, December 17, 2012

PEZ FAN SITE - FACEBOOK

There is a collector who is sharing his appreciation for PEZ and the hobby of collecting with others. He and his father have created a PEZ Fan Site on Facebook. He's posted links to many other sites. Check his site out and send him a friendly hello! You can take a look at his site HERE.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

LOOKING TO TRADE?

Hey guys! I am always looking to trade. As new collectors, my daughter and I are looking to expand our collection. If you are a new collector and looking to do the same, perhaps we can help each other out. Message me and let me know what duplicates you have for trade. I can send you a list of the items we have to trade in return.

Specifically, we are looking for a few different ones but really anything we don't already have would be great!

We are looking for:

The "Asterix" and "Obelix" set:

"Kurin" from the "Hello Kitty" series:

We need the mini-pez from the General Mills cereal promo (we have the Cheerios Bee, we need the other 3)

Fozzie Bear from "The Muppets"





Leave a comment, message me, or email me at Clayrichardson004@gmail.com


Thursday, December 13, 2012

THE PASTOR HAS SHOWN ME THE WAY


Earlier in the year when we first started collecting I started visiting all of the online PEZ sites I could find. I stumbled upon another PEZ collectors blog, PASTOR PEZ. Since the first time I looked at his page, I have been back every day. I visit his site 3-4 times a day every day. He post current PEZ news, new dispenser releases, personal stories, etc. The pictures of his collection are amazing! I can't help but be envious every time I look at the photos of his collection. PASTOR PEZ is the reason I am so obsessed with collecting PEZ dispensers. He is the reason I have the passion for PEZ that I do. If you are a veteran collector or a newbie, you should check his site out!

On a personal note, I have had the pleasure of emailing with him a few times and even traded with him. He is an extremely friendly and helpful guy. Even though we have never met, I consider him a friend and my go-to guy for all of my PEZ questions.

Check his site out HERE





I received an email from the PASTOR last week. He told me that since I was one of the more frequent visitors to his site, he was sending me the new "Market Basket" truck. When I got home from work today, it was waiting on me in my mailbox! Thank you, Will Pierce!


DAN THE MAN

Another act of PEZ collector kindness has struck again! Another veteran collector, Dan Howard, offered to help my daughter and I get our collection started. He sent a package today with assorted PEZ dispensers, PEZ memorabilia and a really nice note. Very cool stuff! I am amazed by the kindness and generosity that the PEZ collectors I have been lucky enough to converse with have shown me and my daughter.

We are slowly but surely building our collection. Our duplicates are starting to grow as well. I can't wait until we are able to send a new collector a big box of dispensers to help get their collection started.

Thank you, Dan Howard!



...and my personal favorite......


DISPLAY YOUR PEZ COLLECTION AT THE PEZ VISITORS CENTER

It's that time again to start scheduling the 2013 collector case inside the PEZ visitor center. As part of the visitor center we have space that focuses on you, the collector. We are going to offer you space to display all or parts of your collection, a bio describing what makes PEZ special to you along with your photo. Interested?

We will offer you a locked display case to display your items. Items will be insured the entire time they are on premises. You may bring your items to us and set up the display yourself or ship them to us and I will create the display.

You must agree to loan the items to us for display for a period of no less than 1 month. At the end of the display period you can pick them up in person or I will carefully pack your items and return them via UPS at our cost.

There is no limit or minimum number of dispensers to participate, just the willingness to share with our visitors why you love PEZ!

Participants will be asked to send a bio about them self along with their collection. This should focus on what makes PEZ special to you, why you started collecting, favorite pieces, fun stories of how you found a certain dispenser, etc. Bios can be up to 500 words long. Please include a recent picture of you with your collection to add to the display. You will also need to catalog every item you plan on displaying and include this with your collection. We suggest an Excel spreadsheet with a description of the item, value and any special characteristics.

Still have a question? Want to participate? Drop me a note at info@pezcandyinc.com Space will be available starting Jan. 2 2013 on a first come basis.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY

Christmas definitely came early at my house! As most of you know, my daughter and I are fairly new to collecting and we don't have too many duplicates. The duplicates we do have are usually ones that everyone else already has. Regardless, I posted last week on a PEZ group site that I had a few PEZ duplicates and asked if anyone needed any of them and would be interested in trading. A day or so later, I received an email from a guy telling me that he didn't need any of the dispensers that I had for trading but since we were new to collecting, he wanted to help us get started and expand our collection. Proving to me once again that PEZ collectors are the most generous and kind-hearted people on the planet. Today his package arrived and I was blown away. There were so many dispensers in the box, I was speechless. My daughter had the biggest smile on her face and I could see how excited she was each time she pulled a new dispenser from the box. There was even a PEZ puzzle and a PEZ pin from the convention. Even better there was a really nice Christmas card from Steve and Linda. Today was such a great day!

Thank you, Steve Baker and Linda Pillafant!

If you're ever in Sarasota, FL. contact Steve and Linda for all of your PEZ needs!






SPAREFROH

About a week ago I entered an online contest and I ended up winning. The prize was the "Sparefroh" PEZ dispenser. Today we received this one in the mail today. I really like this one. I like that the feet are a different color than the stem. I was looking at the character and wondering what the story was behind it....

Sparefroh is a European promotional PEZ for Austrian banks made in celebration of "World Savings Day".  The "World Savings Day" is usually held on October 31 except in countries where this day is a public holiday, since the idea is for the banks to be open, so that the people are able to transfer their savings into their account. The idea of "World Thrift Day" was not born out of nothing. There had been some examples of days that were committed to the idea of saving money in order to gain a higher standard of life and to secure the economy, for example in Spain where the first national thrift day was celebrated in 1921, or in the United States. In other countries, such as Germany, the peoples’ confidence in savings had to be restored since many of them had lost their savings in the German monetary reform of 1923.
After the Second World War, "World Thrift Day" continued and reached the peak of its popularity in the years between 1955 and 1970. It practically became a veritable tradition in certain countries. In Austria, for instance, the official mascot of saving, the so-called 'Sparefroh' (literally: ‘Happy Saver’, or rather "save happily!") reached a higher degree of brand awareness than the republic’s President and even a street was named after him. In the 1970s, the ‘Sparefroh-Journal’, an educational magazine for younger people, reached a circulation of 400,000 copies.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

NEW PEZ IN 2013 - THE SMURFS

A PEZ representative confirmed on their Facebook International page that they will be releasing a new set of Smurfs dispensers in 2013. She did not give an exact release date but did say that it would be during the second quarter. The new "Smurfs 2" movie releases on July 31st so if I had to guess I would expect to start seeing these in stores around the end of May 2013.

Great news for us new PEZ collectors who have not yet added any of the Smurf dispensers to our collection!


Saturday, December 8, 2012

PEZ NEEDS YOUR HELP! SEND YOUR FEEDBACK

Now is your opportunity to get involved in helping with the some upcoming PEZ releases!

Marge Kuhlmann, one of the brand managers for PEZ, is in the initial planning phase of the 2014 limited edition collector set and would like feedback on two concepts they have so far as well as any other ideas or suggestions you may have.

If you would like to share your feedback with her, please email her directly. Replies to this post are welcome but will not be seen by PEZ unless they are sent directly to Marge.

Get the creative juices flowing, now is your chance to participate in the process - have fun!

"Do you remember when PEZ launched the Wizard of OZ 70th anniversary 8-pc limited edition collector set in 2009? In 2014 Warner Brothers will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of this iconic movie. We are considering jumping on board with a new collector set complete with eight new characters that did not appear in the original 2009 set. It has not been decided yet but the new dispensers may include: Dorothy in pigtails, lion with the flowerpot crown, Tin man with a heart, Winged monkey, Ruby slippers, Lollipop munchkin, Professor Marvel, the State Fair air balloon, the winkie guard or others. I am looking for feedback before making an investment in the property. Is this something that you would consider purchasing? Adding to your PEZ collection? We welcome your thoughts and ideas…and thanks!!"

"We are considering development of an 8pc PEZ collector set with steam trains as a theme. The set is conceived of as both a toy and a candy dispenser. This is the idea -- we will do eight traditional PEZ dispensers. These can include a steam locomotive, coal car, lumber car, two box cars, two cattle cars, and a caboose. The train cars and locomotive will be on PEZ bases but designed so that they can be taken off the dispenser base similar to what we are doing with our PEZ pull and go hot wheels. There will be a hook and eye mechanism built into the dispenser so they can be connected together. Wheels may turn for added play value. In addition we are thinking about printing the interior of the box with land features and train tracks so that the box can be taken apart and flattened and used as part of the play. What are your thoughts? Do you think that this is something that you would like and would purchase for yourself or for a gift? We would like some feedback on this before we make an investment in it. Your thoughts are most welcome."

Please send comments, thoughts or suggestions to- Marge Kuhlmann
kuhlmann@pezcandyinc.com

Friday, December 7, 2012

NEW PEZ - MARKET BASKET TRUCK

Looks like a new truck has started showing up in stores. If your area has the grocery store, Market Basket, then you're in luck. Stop in to your local store and pick up the new hauler. It has a red cab with a chrome front. The trailer is white with the "Market Basket" logo and the slogan "More for your Dollar" 2013 edition.

Market Basket stores are located in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and currently opening stores in Maine. Looks like the rest of us will try and pick up one of these on eBay.

MORE PEZ GENEROSITY

Once again I have been shown just how kind and generous PEZ collectors are. I had a conversation with another collector through email the other day about some items he was trying to sell. I was interested in purchasing some of them but my wife, who I love very much, made it clear that I cannot buy any PEZ until after Christmas. We have a 3yr. old to buy for! I told this gentleman that if I were to do any buying or trading that I would have to wait until after Christmas. Today I come home to find my mailbox stuffed with "priority mail". I opened it up and to my surprise, there were 8 dispensers and a note that said "Merry Christmas". I like to think that I am the luckiest guy in the world but maybe PEZ collectors are just the most kind and generous people on Earth.

PEZ collectors really are the greatest people in the world!

Thank you Michael Edwards!


Thursday, December 6, 2012

NEW PEZ - COMING SOON - MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

I've got a list of upcoming PEZ releases and release dates for 2013 but I have been waiting until I come across information on each release elsewhere before I post it on my site, just in case I am not supposed to spill the beans.

Shipping in May 2013, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY dispensers. The series will be 4 dispensers, a younger Sully, younger Mike, Randall and Squishy.

The release of these dispensers will coincide with the release of the new Pixar movie, Monsters University, which opens in theaters on June 21, 2013.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

PEZ - WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!

Aside from the retailers that are posted on the official PEZ website, there are quite a few other stores that carry PEZ dispensers as well. Many times those are the places that have the best selections. We are always on the hunt and we have found lots of stores in our area that carry PEZ. Below is a list of stores that you guys can check out if you haven't already. I need your help, if there are any stores that I do not list, please comment and add to it.

FYI - I live in South Carolina so we may have stores that you guys don't and you guys may have stores in your area that we don't.

Cost Plus - World Market  (Great selection; always one of the first store w/ new releases)
AC Moore (FANTASTIC selection; LOTS and LOTS of dispensers to choose from)
Big Lots
Christmas Tree Shops (usually only carries the holiday dispensers)
Dollar General
Dollar Tree (decent selection; all dispensers are $1)
CVS Pharmacy
Walgreens Pharmacy
Rite Aid
Mejer (decent selection; also carries the gift sets)
Ingles Supermarket
Toys R Us (nice selection)
Target (the store in my area only gets the holiday dispensers)
Walmart (some stores are better, chances are you have more than 1 in your area; carries large selection/gift)
Party City (decent selection; mainly carries the most recent releases)
Old Navy (small selection at the checkout counter)
QT gas stations (small selection in candy aisle)
Michaels Crafts (usually carries one series at a time and holiday dispensers)
Hobby Lobby (small selection; holiday dispensers)
JoAnn Fabric (small selection; holiday dispensers)
Bed, Bath and Beyond (small selection w/ dispensers; one of the first to have new gift sets in stock)


Also, there is usually a candy store in your local mall and that's a good spot to pick up PEZ.

Don't forget to check your local Goodwill stores, Consignment stores, Thrift stores, Antique shops, Yard sales and Flea markets!

I really need your help with this one guys! Please continue this list with other stores and PEZ hot spots!

Monday, December 3, 2012

NEW PEZ - MOSHI MONSTERS, MARIO AND LOONEY TOONS

Some new dispensers have been released in Europe. They have started showing up on eBay but they should be a bit easier to find online as the weeks go by. They are from the "Moshi Monsters". "Moshi Monsters" (http://www.moshimonsters.com/) are online characters who are adopted by kids which are to take care of them. There are actually 6 characters that can be adopted but for now, only 3 have been made into dispensers. The 3 that are currently on PEZ dispensers are (L-R in pic) Furi, Katsuma, and Poppet.

In other exciting news, a representative on the PEZ facebook page confirmed that in early 2013 we will see a new series of  dispensers for Mario and for the Looney Toons. They couldn't release which characters we will get but did say that we will find out soon when the 2013 PEZ catalog is released in a few weeks.

THE JOYS OF TRADING

I've discovered that trading with other collectors is the best way to expand you collection. It's also the best way to find some of the older dispensers you may be looking for. The best thing about it though is meeting other PEZ collectors that are as excited about PEZ as you are. I've met some really nice people the last 2 weeks. Of course, coming home from a long day at work and finding a large box on your front porch is always a great feeling!

I received some items we needed today from trading:

THANKS BARB!

We got the Giant PEZ Homer, the Giant Crystal PEZ Yoda, Spongebob, Patrick, Squidward and Michelangelo.



Sunday, December 2, 2012

FANTASY WISH LIST

I was thinking earlier today about the series of dispensers that have been released over the years and I noticed that aside from the "Spongebob Squarepants" dispensers there aren't any other characters from Nickelodeon. Does anyone know why this is? Does PEZ not have a contract with Nickelodeon? Many of last years releases were from Disney. There is so much they could do with the characters from Nickelodeon shows and there are some great characters that would look fantastic sitting on top of a PEZ stem.

So, I started making a "wish list" in my head and I thought I'd list a few and see what other ideas you guys have. Comment below and tell me which characters you'd like to see as an upcoming release.

I'll start:

1. Dora the Explorer - they could do Dora, Boots, Benny, Tico, Isa, Swiper (there are quite a few other characters they could use from that show too).

2. Go Diego Go - Diego, Baby Jaguar, Alicia

3. Yo Gabba Gabba - Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Plex, Toodee, Dj Lance, Gooble (This is the one I'd love to see the most; my daughter would flip out if they put these out).

4. Jake and the Neverland Pirates - Jake, Izzie, Scully, Cubby, Capt. Hook, Smee, Bones, Sharky, Tic Toc Croc (This is a Disney show so surely they have an agreement with them. These should be out already!!! Also, another one of my daughters favorite shows).


Let me know what you guys think! I want to hear it! What ideas do you have? Which characters would you like to see?