Wacky Packages
Hello, welcome back for another trip back in time. Everyone had something they liked to collect as a child. This post describes my affection with the stickers called Wacky Packages.
Most of you have probably heard of them. They are stickers that parody real life products.They were first put out in in 1967 as a test market run by the Topps Chewing Gum Company. In 1973 they decided to go into full production. When they did, I could kiss my allowance goodbye for years to come. To me, this wasn't just cool stickers, but it also helped shape (or some say warp) my sense of humor.
I bought these stickers every time I could scrounged up some money. Some people thought that I bought them for the bubble gum that came with them. I think not. I don't know where Topps got their recipe for gum, but I can see why they had to include baseball cards and stickers with it to get rid of it. If it fell out of the pack, it would shatter into a million pieces on the ground. Some say it was the same recipe as Bazooka bubble gum, only rolled thin so it would fit in the packs. I find this hard to believe. People actually bought Bazooka. When the dog won't eat it, would you?
But I digress. These stickers were on all my notebooks and folders. From elementary school through Jr. High, you could find Wacky Packages adorning my books. There were others who loved them too. We would trade our doubles to complete the set.
I recently found a website that has cataloged all the Wacky Packages that have been printed. If you have a few hours, you may want to click here. If not, I have included a few for your viewing pleasure:
When I first bought them, they were 10 cents a pack. The last Wacky Packages that came out (2004) were $2 a pack (gulp). Topps has announced that all an new series of Wacky Packages will be hitting stores in February of 2010. Unless the price drops, I don't think I will be dropping my hard earned cash on them. My grandson, on the other hand...
Did you ever collect anything wacky?
2 comments:
Those were definitely some wacko stickers, Sir! Wow! I've never been a collector of anything, that I can think of.
I once began collecting unusual salt and pepper shakers, had several really neat sets but just didn't want to have to dust them and have them setting around, so I gave them all away. :-)
I had completely forgotten about Wacky Packs!!! You did take me down memory lane.
The wacky stuff I used to collect in Jr. High were candles that looked like actual objects: An ice cream cone, a foot, dog poop... That kind of stuff.
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