It’s not always easy to say what drives a collector to collect, or once collecting, what drives them to chase after the specific items they do. With candy, my collecting always starts with nostalgia, but branches out into an appreciation for design and marketing.
Sometimes, I’ll find an image or advertisement and decide I want to try to “get all of those”. Such is the case with the great, 1977 Luden’s trade ad that tops today’s article.
I’d come across an image of those great Super Nut and Rinkles boxes over at Darlene Lacey’s CandyWrapperMuseum site, and always liked them. But when I saw this ad, I firmly set out to try to snag the quartet of pieces pictured.
Fortunately, I had a bit of a head-start as I already owned a 5th Avenue wrapper of the kind needed.
Luden's - 5th Avenue candy bar wrapper - 1970's
The Mello Mint, while not nearly as appealing as the mascot boxes, was still an important find, and I was able to procure one of those eventually as well:
Luden's - Mello Mint - foil candy bar wrapper - 1976
I was half way there with those two, and finally earlier this year I was able to complete this mini-collection when I acquired the L.M. Kallok Collection – which included these two awesomely-funky 1970’s Luden’s mascots:
Luden's - Rinkles - chocolate-covered raisins candy box - 1977
Luden's - Super Nut - chocolate-covered peanuts candy box - 1977
And that’s a everything on this short trip into what drives my collector-mind.
I hope you’ll stop back by tomorrow for this week’s edition of Wacky Wednesdays!
That nut guy is so wrong!!! What are those black lines under him? Are they his feet or a shadow or a hole?
I wonder if Super Nut and Rinkles were ever animated in commercials. I would guess probably not, but I enjoy imagining it at least.
I always liked the “Mello Mint” better than the York Peppermint Patty. Wish they were still around.
I agree with Sheila’s post. Mello Mints had something different from York’s and the sub-York brands. They were thicker than the Yorks, but the biggest difference for me was their lighter texture–more airy and whipped. I remember my grocer telling me I might like them better than the Yorks once he got them in. (He continued to carry both.) He was right.
It’s puzzling to see so many 50’s and 60’s candies reappear, but not Mello Mints. After all, the York patties still sell everywhere. Peppermint patties are a ubiquitous, cross-generational candy. Mello Mints merits rediscovery and new marketing. And not out of nostalgia–they’re better!
I was addicted to MelloMint Patties in 1958, at age 16. They were 5 or 10 cents per pattie, and I bought one nearly every day. MelloMint seemed far superior to the York product. Lost track of MelloMint around 1963. Recommendation: NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS Peppermint Cups (UPC 5764501045) taste exactly like the MelloMint Patties did 58 years ago! I buy them at Whole Foods Market. Also available at http://www.newmansown.com/foods/dark-chocolate-peppermint-cups/ (They cost more than 5 or 10 cents.)