Category Archives: 1980’s

Finding Fruit Face – Another Mystery Solved!

As a confectionery brand historian and collector, one the most common inquiries I get are those that ask my assistance in identifying some product or brand from the hazy memories of that persons childhood.  I’m happy to get these requests … Continue reading

Posted in 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, Boxed, Hard Candy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 55 Comments

My Year in Collecting: 2017!

While most folks do their 2017 “year in review” type editorials in December or January, mine tend to slip to February and in the case of this year and last, the month of March.  Even so, I’m wonderfully-excited to share … Continue reading

Posted in 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, Boxed, Canadian, Chocolate, Christmas, Easter, Fleer, Gum, Gummies, Halloween, Hard Candy, Hershey, Holiday, M&M's, Mars, Nestle, Reese's, Sour Candy, Timeline, Topps, Wonka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Bazooka’s Big Buddy – A “Big Stick” Bubblegum History 1968-1984!

Today’s entry is going to be a big one, and it covers a brand whose history I’ve been chasing down for over a decade.  One of the original “big stick” bubble gum brands, it’s Bazooka’s (and Topps’) Big Buddy!

Posted in 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, Bubble Gum, Topps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

1980’s Mountain Chew Bubble Gum – An Unusual Blend of Brand Knockoffs! – Plus CollectingCandy.com’s 6th Anniversary!

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  If that’s true, then Philadelphia Chewing Gum was an irrepressible flatterer when they released Mountain Chew in the 1980’s, a bubblegum product that managed to pull inspiration from two iconic brands: … Continue reading

Posted in 1980's, Bubble Gum, Gum | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My Year in Collecting: 2016!

Though it arrives a little later than I’d planned, today I’m excited to present my 2016 “Year in Collecting” retrospective graphical collage.  This is the eighth year in a row that I’ve put one of these together and it’s fun … Continue reading

Posted in 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, Boxed, Canadian, Chocolate, Gum, Gummies, Hershey, M&M's, Mars, Nestle, Reese's, Timeline, Topps, Wonka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Sears Candy Shop! Plus: The Return of WishbookWeb.com!

Years before I launched CollectingCandy.com, I mounted an effort to create an online archive of vintage Christmas catalogs, like the old Sears Wishbooks.  That vintage Christmas catalog website was and is WishbookWeb.com and this week and I relaunched WishbookWeb with … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, Chocolate, Christmas, Private Label | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

CollectingCandy.com’s 5th Anniversary!! Plus the World Premier of the Lost Big League Chew Flavor: Cola!

Today marks five years exactly since CollectingCandy.com was launched (way back on February 6th, 2012) with a feature retrospective on the Big League Chew brand.   Since then, I’ve penned another 632 articles including the publication of over 6,000 images (many … Continue reading

Posted in 1980's, 1990's, Bubble Gum, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Timeline | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Search for the 1970’s Blow Pop “Squarepack” and Charms Blow Pop’s Earliest Origins!

When researching the history of candy, I sometimes come across things I’ve never seen before or didn’t previously know existed.  It often happens when I’m lucky enough to find a vintage store photo showing a candy display or aisle. Today … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, Bubble Gum, Gum, Hard Candy, Lollipop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The Secret History of Reese’s Pieces with Peanuts!

Reese’s Pieces have been around since the late 1970’s, and over the years the brand has received limited run extensions in the form of Reese’s Pieces with the addition of Peanuts.  They did so just last year, but I was … Continue reading

Posted in 1980's, Chocolate, Hershey, Peanut Butter, Reese's | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How a 1970’s Russian “Red Scare” Set M&M’s Mascots Back Twenty Years!

Between 1976 and 1985, red M&M’s were banished from the world due to a Russian “red scare” having to due with a food dye additive.  It is a story that has been told before, but newly discovered evidence reveals an … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, Chocolate, M&M's, Mars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments