PEZ Glossary

PEZhead: A term used to describe a PEZ collector

Color variations: Color variations describe PEZ dispensers made from the same mold, but have different colored parts. Sometimes the entire head will be a different color and sometimes one or more parts will be a different color. Club Med is a specific term for a color variation in which the character’s face is very tan as if they had been out in the sun. Color variations can also be used to describe different colored stems on similar dispensers.

Marbleized: A term used to describe a dispenser in which two or more colors of plastic are combined but not thoroughly mixed, causing a swirling pattern that resembles marble. Highly sought after variation.

Melt Mark: Damage on a dispenser caused by direct heat or chemical reactions between the plastic of the dispenser and other types of rubber or plastic.  

Double-Down Stem: A dispenser stem in which the word “PEZ” is inscribed from top to bottom on both sides. On the one side, the letters are stacked vertically, reading from top to bottom, with the Patent Number and Country of Origin listed below. The opposite side, the letters are inscribed from top to bottom, with “Z” at the bottom of the stem with the copyright below it. On a normal dispenser stem, “PEZ” is inscribed to be read from bottom to top when held horizontally on this side.  

Transition Piece: A dispenser with characteristics of both newer and older dispensers. Ex. an old-style head on footed stem.

Softhead: A rubber, eraser-like material used for the head rather than plastic.

Loose: Used to describe a dispenser that is out of original packaging.

MIB: Mint In Bag. Used to describe a dispenser in pristine condition and in its original bag. The bag will have colored ends, writing, and the PEZ logo. The newer style bag is called a poly bag.

MIC: Mint In Cellophane or Mint In Cello. Used to describe a dispenser in pristine condition and in its original bag. The bag will be clear with no writing and is the older style of bag used for packaging.

MOC: Mint on Card. Used to describe a dispenser in pristine condition on its original card.

MOMC: Mint On Mint Card. Used to describe a dispenser on its original card in which both the dispenser and card are in pristine condition.

N/F: No feet. Used to describe non-footed dispensers.

Country of Origin: Country that the dispenser was made.

Patent Number: seven-digit number on side of stem.

DBP: Deutsches Bundes Patent. Patent for Germany.

IMC: Injection Mold Code. Single digit number indicating which plastic factory the dispenser was molded in.


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