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The Good Morning America television crew shoots Jim Presnal, a software developer in real life, posing with his Pez collection outside of the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif., Thursday, April 2, 1998. The first annual Pez-a-Thon runs through Saturday.AP Photo/ Con Keyes

Pez lovers meet to swap, pop

Web posted April 5, 1998

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Pezheads just can't get enough of those little spring-loaded candy dispensers with hinged funny-face lids.

``They remind you of your childhood,'' said Linda Adams, 48, who has 3,500 Pez dispensers. ``They're so cute and colorful and innocent. And they're easy to keep -- it would be hell collecting, say, pianos.''

Adams joined about 2,500 other Pez fans, who call themselves Pezheads, at the weekend international Pez-a-Thon to buy, swap and pop little candy tablets from plastic dispensers featuring the faces of a wide variety of cartoon characters, animals and famous people.

Event organizer Jim Presnal rolled up at the convention in an old car covered stem to stern with more than 1,400 Pez dispensers.

``I had no concept of the history of Pez when I started collecting 15 years ago,'' said Presnal, 41. ``But the next thing I knew, I was totally spun up in all of this.''

Pez was invented in Austria in 1927 as a breath mint alternative for cigarette smokers sold in dispensers shaped like cigarette lighters. The name is derived from ``pfefferminz,'' peppermint in German.

Fruit flavors and plastic heads were added after the candy was introduced in the United States in 1952, according to collector Sue Wheelis, 41, of Huntington, N.Y. They became very popular with Baby Boomers.

About 400 variations of the heads -- clowns, people and cartoon faces -- have been produced. Collectors say the most valuable piece is a Mr. Potatohead-like container that sold for 79 cents in 1972 and is worth $5,500 now.

Scott Luther, owner of one of the few surviving ``American Make-a-Face'' Pez pieces, says his offbeat hobby has some people questioning his sanity.

``Most people think I need intervention, actually,'' said Luther, 35. ``People tell me I should get out more.''