This article previously appeared at EightiesKids.com
1982 World’s Fair Astronaut B – $32,000
Unsurprisingly, the rarest and most expensive Pez Dispenser never hit shelves. The ultimate white whale for many collectors and enthusiasts, Astronaut B was created for the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. An unknown number of these Pez were taken home by employees on the day, and when the first one found its way to auction in 2006 it sold for an unbelievable 32,205.00!
1961 Political Donkey – $13,000
1961 Political Donkey Pez was created for President John F. Kennedy (as the donkey is the emblem of the Democrat party), it was gifted to him in Austria. Unfortunately it was confiscated by the Secret Service, ending up in the hands of the Pez company’s own vice president, who in turned gifted it to an employee. Eventually, Political Donkey Pez sold at auction for $13,000.
2011 Prince William and Duchess Kate – $13,360
The William and Kate commemorative Pez are another example of recently released Pez Dispensers that have nevertheless managed to secure a high resale price. Released in 2011 to celebrate the pair’s nuptials, these two Pez are almost always sold as a pair, and their resale price often easily soars above $13,000. You could almost pay for your own royal wedding at that price!
1980 Foghorn Leghorn – $7,000
Modelled on the popular Southern rooster from the Looney Tunes cartoons series, 1980’s Foghorn Leghorn Pez consistently sells for around $7,000. This high secondhand price exists in spite of the fact that examples of this Pez are prone to discoloration, with the ruddy brown being especially prone to fading.
1957 Orange Witch – $4,500
The 1957 Orange Witch Pez Dispenser is so rare, even photographs of it are hard to find. Identifiable by its orange stem, black head and quickly abandoned hallmark of image printing on the side of the stem, it often sells for $4,5000. If your sights are a little lower, the Witch A Pez was also released in 1957, and this variation is easier to find.
1978 Panther Green Eye Variant – $4,000
Released 1978, the Panther Pez Dispenser has the somewhat baffling distinction of bright blue fur and yellow eyes on a red stem. Thanks to its age, this Pez has become fairly valuable all these decades later. If you’re lucky enough to have one with green rather than yellow eyes, then you’re in for a treat, as such an example is worth $4,000 secondhand!
1972 Make a Face – $4,000
Pez Dispensers don’t have gimmicks as a general rule, but there are exceptions. 1972’s Make a Face Pez Dispenser was inspired by Mr. Potato Head, with removable components that could be swapped and changed around. Finding one today with all the pieces is challenging, resulting in a remarkable secondhand resale price of $4,000!
1979 Softhead Mickey Mouse – $3,500
In the world of retro toy collecting, it’s pretty rare for principal characters to command prices as high as side characters or villain. However, the soft head Mickey Mouse Pez bucks this trend, somehow commanding a higher resale price than other soft head iterations of the Sensational Six. A 1979 soft head Mickey Mouse will set you back $3,500.
2021 Chewbacca Misprint – $3,500
Older Pez tend to be more valuable than newer designs, but there are always exceptions. For example, the 2021 Chewbacca Pez commands an immense price of $3,500, if you get it with the right backing card. The reason for this high price is not the Chewbacca design itself, but the fact that several Chewbacca Pez were accidentally sold on Disney Princess backing paper. Whoops!
1962 Purple Lions Club – $3,075
Looking at this Pez, you might assume that the purple stem and golden lion head represent a football team. In reality, the Purple Lions Club is an international collective of do-gooders, committed to making the world a better place. This Pez was given out at the 1962 Purple Lions Convention to its members, and that exclusivity has landed it a resale value of $3,075!
1979 Softhead Captain Hook – $3,050
Often in toy collecting, villains and side characters more valuable secondhand than heroes, as generally fewer examples are made. This is true for Pez collecting too, as villains like Captain Hook tend to be harder to source than prolific characters like Mickey Mouse. To add a soft head Captain Hook to your collection, you’ll need to shell out $3,050.
1964 Football Player – $3,044
1964’s Football Player Pez originally came with two flavor refills and cost 25 cents. Nowadays, the same exact Pez has a value of over $3,000, both because of its age and its rarity, as not many examples of this classic Pez still exist today, and even fewer exist in a decent state of repair. The most coveted model has a blue helmet and white stem.
1979 Soft Head Goofy – $2,883
Soft head Pez Dispensers sporting Disney’s Goofy are already valuable because of their construction, but the scarcity of these items has inflated their value even further. Now, adding a soft head Goofy to your collection means shelling out almost $3,000, depending on the condition of the Pez in question.
1979 Crazy fruit Pineapple – $2,247
In 1979, Pez released an entire series of fruit-themed dispensers with a funky and offbeat look and theme. Of this Crazy Fruits range, the Crazy Fruit Pineapple that has become a lot of collectors’ white whale. Given both its age, rarity and the tendency of the white sunglasses to get scratched or damaged, the secondhand value for this Pez sits at a whopping $2,247.
1970 Sparfroh European – $1,800
Released in 1970 throughout Europe, Sparefroh Pez dispenses were given out by Sparkasse banks to children who came to put money in their savings accounts on World Savings Day, and each dispenser came with a coin taped glued to the front of the stem. This niche character was a European exclusive and so is increasingly difficult to find, resulting in a secondhand price of $1,800!
1974 Asterix with blue helmet – $1,800
Asterix has been a recognizable character ever since his first appearance in a French comic in 1959, and he was immortalized in Pez form in the 70s. While he was only ever sold in a multipack with his friends, it is Asterix himself who is most valuable to collectors, with a rough resale price of $1,800 depending on condition and if the packaging is included.
1967 King Louie with Light Brown Hair – $1,750
King Louie only hit shelves once in 1967 (the year his movie The Jungle Book was released), yet his Pez dispensers have discrepancies in stem colour, hair colour and the presence of feet. The most sought-after iterations have no feet, a blue head, a red stem and light brown hair. If that’s what your King Louie looks like, then you’ve got a Pez worth $1,750!
1972 Alpine Man – $1,500
As with other collectables, the rarest and most valuable examples are usually those that never officially hit shelves, but were given out at exclusive events as part of a limited-run promotional effort. The much-loved Alpine Man Pez was given out during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Given how few still exist, it has a resale price of around $1,500 as long as the quality is decent.
1990 Merry Music Maker Parrot Yellow Head – $1,200
In the 1990s, Pez released a range of animal dispensers which were also slide whistles. The lack of licensed characters in this range (plus their relatively recent release date) should ensure a low resale price, but the Merry Music Maker Parrot in particular has captured the imagination of enthusiasts. As a result, this particular animal Pez has a secondhand price of $1,200 even without packaging!
1979 Soft Head Dumbo – $1,000
Dumbo is another Disney character to have had its share of Pez redesigns and rereleases, but it is the 1979 soft head Dumbo that enthusiasts are most eager to add to their collection. It has a resale value of around $1,000, but its blue base color means that it is more susceptible to tarnishing, so it is hard to find one in good condition.
1979 Soft Head Donald Duck – $1,000
The older and more popular a character is, the more likely it is to have had more than one Pez iteration. Disney’s Sensational Six have had numerous rereleases, but the most valuable of them all are the soft head designs, which were made with squishier plastic. Soft head Donald Duck was released in 1979 and is worth around $1,000, even without the original packaging!
1970 Landerbank Hippo A – $900
One of the least exciting series’ of Pez Dispensers is the 1970s animal range. While all relatively rare and valuable, the most coveted amongst collectors and enthusiasts is the Landerbank hippo – which has the Landerbank bank emblazoned on its side. As of 2018, hippos of this kind were worth around $650, but that price can go over $900 for examples in even better condition.
1973 Mary Poppins – $846
The 1973 Mary Poppins Pez Dispenser is widely considered to be the rarest Disney Pez ever made. Unlike many other designs from the time, this Pez has no feet and was released with two separate variations: with painted cheeks and without. While non-painted Poppins’ fetch between $700-800, a painted Mary Poppins is much harder to find and has been known to sell for over $1,200!
1981 DHS Space Gun – $710
Most Pez Dispensers stick closely to the standard design, but in 1981, the company tried out an entirely new concept to coincide with the worldwide Star Wars craze. The DHS Space Gun fires Pez out when the trigger is pulled, which delighted kids – despite the danger it presented. For an in-the-box example in okay condition, you’ll need to shell out over $700.
1955 Space Trooper Dispenser – $300-500
While many valuable Pez Dispensers are based on recognisable characters, some are valuable for their age. In 1955, Pez released both blue and red generic space troopers, which became some of the most valuable Pez on the secondhand market. As not many have survived, the dispensers themselves are worth up to $500, while in-the-box examples can sell for as much as $1,000!
Footless Nurse – $1,150
This nurse Pez dispenser sports a blonde 60s updo, but she dates to the 70s. She held patents in Austria, Brazil, Spain, the USA and Yugoslavia, and is considered particularly rare. Pez dispensers without “feet” (the rectangular end of the stem) are the treasured result of a manufacturing error. The footless nurse above sold for $1,150 on eBay in May 2023.
Carousel Spinner – $1,000
The craze for Pez Dispensers is undeniable – but what about a Pez Dispenser Dispenser?! This carousel spinner was used to display Pez offerings in a store. It was manufactured in Austria, and the seller wrote, “You won’t find this RARE display piece often, and in such close-to-perfect condition!!” It fetched $1,000 in an online sale.
Footless White Knight – $725
In the 1960s, Pez created Pez Pals, a range of characters based on a cartoon insert. The main hero is Pez Boy, a detective who assumes various disguises to pursue Pez Girl and solve mysteries. Among his most popular disguises, all made with the same mold as Pez Boy, is the Knight. The white-stemmed, footless knight photographed above earned $725 in May 2023.
Footless Indian Chief
The Indian Chief is a now-retired Pez character who was first manufactured in 1970. One eBay seller managed to attract 15 bids and earn $721 by selling this toy in March 2023. “It was recently found in a local estate,” they elaborated. “Amazingly this vintage dispenser has remained unopened for over 45 years!”
Ray Gun – $700
Another Austrian item, this bright green Pez ray gun has been described as “very rare” on eBay. Released in 1965, it actually fired sweets, in a move that would raise a few eyebrows today. In 1982, this concept was revived amid the Star Wars craze. However, the original fetches as much as $700 on eBay, with one such sale taking place in April 2023.
Footless Pilot – $550
The 70s Pez pilot wears large grey headphones, plus a blue cap with gold embellishment. Variant stems occur in Light Blue and Teal. One footless Pilot, originally located in Winter Gardens, Florida, made $549.99 in an online auction during April 2023. The seller noted that the “spring still works” and added that it was manufactured in the United States.
Fred Flintstone – $500
The Flintstones franchise collaborated with Pez in 1993 to depict Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Baby Pebbles and Dino. A special pair of Fred Flintstone Pez dispensers sold for an astonishing $500 on eBay in June 2023. Their price was higher than usual because they were signed in black felt pen by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the co-creators and co-producers of the beloved TV series.
Vucko – $490
One particularly niche vintage Pez figure is Vucko, mascot of the 1984 Winter Olympics, which took place in Yugoslavia. He originated in a popular newspaper cartoon before he was chosen to symbolise the nation on the global stage. This wolf character was often depicted with a smile to seem less menacing than his real-life counterparts. One vintage Vucko Pez sold for $490 in May 2023.
Wolfman – $460
In 1965, Pez produced a trio of characters called The Universal Monsters. The most prized of these three toys is Wolfman, with Frankenstein and the Creature from the Black Lagoon also in high demand. Wolfman has a plain white face with gnashing teeth, and a black stem. A seller in Warwick, Rhode Island parted with one such Wolfman in exchange for $459.95 in May 2023.
Santa – $450
Pez created their first ever Santa Claus figure in 1955, and this character became the Pez figure with the most versions in the franchise. One vintage example sold for $450 in April 2023. “The Santa is free of scratches, scrapes, cracks, and the paint is bright and shiny,” the seller noted.
Truck – $404
This olive-green truck makes for a particularly unusual Pez dispenser, with its horizontal orientation and non-standard shape. It has no feet by design, and it was manufactured in Mexico. In May 2023, this toy sold for $404 online after attracting four bids. The seller described it as being in “very good condition” with “evidence of wear, unmarked stem, [and it] flips back.”
Incredibles 2 – $400
Disney-Pixar sequel The Incredibles 2 only came out in 2018, but it has already made an impressive impact on the world of Pez. This trio of characters – Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack Parr – earned $400 in a single online sale in June 2023. In their original and fully-sealed packaging, they came from a home in Pathfork, Kentucky.
Uncle Sam – $380
Uncle Sam first came to symbolize the US Government in the early 1800s. Pez first decided to pay homage to this figure in 1975, but later retired the character and never revived it. An unopened, footless Uncle Sam Pez dispenser attracted 19 bids and sold for $380 in March 2023. It came from a home in West Haven, Connecticut.
Betsy Ross – $368
According to legend, Betsy Ross was the upholsterer responsible for producing one of the earliest flags designed for the United States. The Betsy Ross Pez dispenser arrived in stores in 1975 and remains a hugely popular piece, with one example selling for $367.87 on eBay.com in March 2023. She came in an unused, fully wrapped condition, including the original sweets, and attracted 19 bids.
Green-Haired Witch – $323
Witches are another common Pez subject, but these figures appear in the franchise as early as 1970, with a brightly-colored face and boxy bob haircut. These characters didn’t have the traditional sharp-pointed hats, but instead they sported a hat that more resembles the captain of the Puritans – perhaps a health-and-safety move! One such witch sold for $323 in April 2023.
1958 Bunny Pez – $230
Animal-themed Pez dispensers might not be as popular today as designs featuring recognisable characters from movies, television and games, but for a while they were the company’s bread and butter. This pastel rabbit Pez dispenser was released in 1958 and sold in high numbers due to its subtle and tasteful colour palette. As a result of this proliferation, you can buy one secondhand for $230.
1968 Psychedelic Eyeball Flower Mod Pez – $200
When compared to other large manufacturing companies, Pez has always been pretty good at keeping up with the times. For example, most historical sources peg the Flower Power era as becoming mainstream in 1967, and by 1968, these Psychedelic eyeball dispensers with flower detailing had already hit shelves. These hippie-inspired dispensers now regularly fetch around $200 on the second-hand market.
1963 Bullwinkle Universal – $95
Bullwinkle J Moose isn’t a super recognisable character today, but from 1959 to 1964, he and his friend Rocky ruled the world of television. Pez released a dispenser version of this character just a year before his original cartoon series ended, and Bullwinkle’s popularity at the time ensured that many of these dispensers still survive. As a result, they have a low secondhand price of around $95.
1961 Clown with a Collar – $89
In the early years of the company, Pez released multiple different clown designs, all with differing levels of success. Known only as the Clown with Collar, this red and green jester was released in 1961 and is still relatively easy to find on auction sites or at garage sales. As a result of that, or maybe his creepy expression, he’ll only set you back around $90.
1960 Casper the Ghost – $110
Casper the Ghost is another famous and beloved cartoon character who got the Pez dispenser treatment in the early 60s. With that said, owing to his non-translucent design and relatively generic facial sculpting, he looks more like a baby who has been dunked in mayonnaise than an actual ghoul from beyond the grave. As for his resale price, a 1960 Casper will set you back $110.
Frankenstein – $330
This Frankenstein Pez dispenser was released as part of a series of Universal monsters in the mid-1960s, along with the Wolfman and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Of the three, Frankenstein consistently fetches the lowest price at auction, perhaps because he is the most prolific and recognisable of the characters. Still, adding Frankenstein to your collection will cost over $300.
1969 Tinkerbell – $230
Multiple Disney Tinkerbell Pez dispensers have been released over the years, but their resale value decreases steeply the more recently they were sold. With that said, even though this 1969 Tinkerbell is the most valuable with its secondhand price of over $200, it’s also the least visually appealing, looking more like a grouchy baby than an inhabitant of Neverland.
1955 Golden Glow – $575
It might initially seem like the Golden Glow Pez dispenser is easy enough to add to your collection, as auction sites are flooded with examples for under $30. However, these specimens are usually just mislabeled anniversary rerelease reproductions, which Pez sold to celebrate 50 years of the iconic square candy. A real 1955 Golden Glow Pez is much harder to find and costs $575 secondhand.
1965 Zorro – $2,400
The 1965 Zorro is not the most visually striking Pez dispenser in the world, and Zorro himself lacks the modern cultural clout of Captain America or the Minions. Nevertheless, this dispenser has become one of the most in-demand vintage dispensers out there, with a stunningly high secondhand resale price of almost $2,500! Not only that, but it’s also pretty difficult to find online.
Creature from the Black Lagoon – $580
The Creature from the Black Lagoon is the most valuable of the original trilogy of 1960s Universal monster Pez dispensers. This is despite the fact that it features the inaccurate bright green colouring, which is taken from the costuming used in the original black and white feature, rather than his canonical muddy brown-green hue. Want to add Gill-man to your collection? You’ll need $580.
1970 Octopus – $175
The 1970 Octopus Pez dispenser is one of the most visually baffling in the company’s entire history. After all, it seems to depict a blob of tar or an extremely frustrated Mario mob more than the serene and intelligent sea creature that’s its namesake. With that said, its confusing appearance hasn’t stopped this Pez dispenser from consistently fetching over $150 secondhand.
1961 Political Elephant – $13,000
The somewhat coyly named 1961 Political Elephant Pez dispenser was created to represent the American Republican party and was initially supposed to be gifted to John F. Kennedy. Thanks to the Secret Service, this never came to pass, but the Pez dispenser kept its air of prestige and exclusivity, so much so that it now costs a whopping $13,000 to add to your collection.
1966 Batman with Cape – $110
There have been numerous Batman Pez dispensers over the years, and almost all of them follow a similar pattern. The 1966 Batman dispenser is unique in that it comes with a hard plastic cape, which the other dispensers lack. This, combined with the dispenser’s age, explains the high resale price of $110, which would doubtless be higher if Batman wasn’t such a popular character.
Wedding Pez – $15,000
Nowadays, matching bride and groom Pez dispensers are considered a kitschy, retro wedding favour gift idea, reserved for only the most adorably nerdy hipster couples. The original pair of dispensers definitely don’t come with a gift bag price tag, starting at $15,000 for either just the bride or just the groom. Be careful auction surfing though, as the pair have been rereleased several times.
1978 Bambi – $130
Disney feature films are a source of inspiration that Pez have come back to again and again, in part because Disney animators are just so good at creating adorable, visually memorable characters that look great as dispenser toppers. Therefore, the logic behind this $130 1978 Bambi dispenser is faultless, even if the modelling and paint job make it look more chilling than charming.
1960 Bozo the Clown – $300
The 1960 Bozo the Clown Pez dispenser definitely isn’t the most fun to look at. Its baby blue body and white topper are hideously mismatched, and its age means that many examples have become eyeless faces with terrifying red smiles. Despite this, Bozo is one of the most valuable Pez dispenser clowns secondhand, with a comfortable resale value of $300.
1964 Baseball Glove – $180
The baseball glove Pez dispenser, released in 1964, is one of the more utilitarian options that the company offered during its early days. It has a bland, unremarkable colour palette and a nostalgic topper that nevertheless lacks detail and finesse. Its slightly above-average resale price of $180, though, means that plenty of people still want this sporty dispenser in their personal collection.
1975 Long Face Clown – $360
The 1960 Long-Faced Clown Pez dispenser is a truly baffling creation, with a facial structure so strange it almost feels like a factory error that was quickly explained away with a name. Not only that, but it’s susceptible to the same creepy fading issue as the other clowns. If none of that bothers you and you’d like to take all three home, you’ll need $360.
1970 Mr. Ugly – $170
Mr Ugly is, as the name suggests, one of the most unfortunate-looking Pez dispensers out there. It is also a dispenser that doesn’t depict an existing character from pop culture and has pretty detailed facial sculpting and intricate paintwork. Therefore, it should surprise no one to know that Mr Ugly regularly fetches over $170 at auction.
1978 Spider-Man – $90
Like Batman, Spider-Man is another popular hero who has appeared in Pez dispenser form again and again. Oddly though, this dispenser bucks tradition in that its oldest iteration, the original 1978 release, isn’t all that valuable. You can nab a 1978 Spider-Man dispenser for just $90, which is well below what other original heroes usually command at auction. Poor Spider-Man!
1987 Stand by Me Movie Premium – $110
No matter what nostalgic toy range you’re talking about, it’s usually true that movie tie-ins are valuable collector’s items. This is because they tend to be sold for just a short time and in small numbers. Pez dispensers follow this trend, with the limited edition Stand by Me dispenser having a high resale price of $110, with the price increasing further for like-new examples.
1981 Snowman B – $22
Pez releases festive dispensers every year around the holidays, and as such, numerous snowmen have hit the shelves over the years. Out of all of them, the rarest is Snowman B, which was released in the winter of 1981. Despite being hard to find on auction sites, Snowman B has an exceptionally low secondhand price of $22, probably because its colour is susceptible to yellowing.
1973 Raven – $90
The 1973 Raven is an unusual Pez dispenser. Not only does it inexplicably have glasses, but its proportions are such that it looks more like a toucan or a penguin than the raven that it’s supposed to be. Its verging-on-sloppy design (not to mention the unimaginative body and head colour) are why it has the low-end resale price of $90, but examples are still pretty rare.
1986 Smurf – $55
The Smurfs have been a staple of pop culture for decades, and so many different iterations of Smurf Pez dispensers have been released over the years. With that said, the most valuable and in demand of them all is the 1986 Smurf dispenser. Unfortunately, it still has a paltry resale value of $55, well below the average of other fictional character Pez dispensers from the same year.
1973 Duck with Flower – $185
The 1973 Duck with Flower is a pretty bogstandard example of a Pez dispenser. It’s made from entirely primary colours, it is not based on an existing piece of intellectual property and has a simple, childlike design. All of these factors, plus the fact that it was released so long ago, have led to a medium-high resale price of $185.
1968 Psychedelic Hands – $350
The 1968 Psychedelic Hands Pez dispenser is puzzling, purely because it’s hard to see who its target customer was actually supposed to be. It’s difficult to imagine floods of hippies and mods flocking to buy this dispenser, or kids enjoying the semi-surreal design. Either way, its unique, visually striking colours have ensured it has a healthy resale price of $350 today.
1981 Frog Whistle – $110
Multi-purpose Pez dispensers aren’t exactly the bread and butter of the company, but there are a few examples of them floating around. One of the most popular is the 1981 Frog Pez dispenser, which also functions as a whistle. All you have to do is blow into the frog’s head and sound will emanate from its mouth – but at $100, it’s a very expensive whistle.
1982 Annie – $120
This Annie Pez dispenser was designed and released in 1982, but looking at it, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was created around two decades earlier. The unusual, definitely kind of creepy eyes are to keep the dispenser similar to Annie’s comic appearance, rather than her movie adaptations. The blank expression hasn’t stopped it from garnering a resale price of $120 though.
1973 Jiminy Cricket – $230
This 1973 Pez dispenser is supposed to be Pinocchio’s adorable sidekick Jiminy Cricket. However, it’s fair to say that due to age and fading, it looks more like an anaemic yet totally chipper leprechaun. Even so, this Disney Pez is niche enough that it has retained a much higher-than-average secondhand price of $230.
1963 Cocoa Marsh Spaceman – $420
The 1963 Cocoa Marsh Spaceman Pez dispenser is one of the weirdest tie-in dispensers in the history of the company. It was created to honour the Cocoa Marsh “milk amplifier”, otherwise known as chocolate syrup. The Pez’s age, combined with how niche it is, has resulted in a high resale price of around $420, although the value does vary slightly depending on wear and tear.
