Facts:
Die-Cut:
Variation on a vintage dispenser where a thin design was engraved into one side of the stem.
Copyright mark:
A logo, or mark made on liscensed characters that reveals ownership. These marks are sometimes very inconspicuous.
Fake Dispensers:
Dispensers that were not officially manufactured by the PEZ company.
Feet:
The plastic "tabs" or "stubs" at the bottom of a dispenser's stem to help the dispenser stand upright.
IMC Code:
A number inscribed on a dispenser's stem that indicates a particular injection molding facility used for manufacturing purposes. Most, but not all, dispensers have an IMC number.
MMM:
Refers to a specific series of dispensers that are often called Merry Music Makers. These dispensers have a whistle on the back of their heads. Characters are: Camel, Koala, Monkey, Tiger, Dog, Clown, Parrot, Indian, Rooster, Penguin, Donkey, Frog, Duck, Rhino, Lamb and Pig.
Patent Number:
String of seven digits on one side of a dispenser's stem. This number identifies a dispenser to a specific time period of manufacture.
The patent numbers for PEZ dispensers are as follows, with the patent number first and the year of manufacture and release second.
- BOX: Pre-1950's
- DBP 818,829: 1950's
- 2,620,061: 1952
- 3,410,455: 1968
- 3,845,882: 1974
- 3,942,683: 1976
- 4,966,305: 1990
- 5,984,285: 2004
- 7,523,841: 2009
No-Patent Dispensers:
There were a series of dispensers that were manufactured during the mid 70's to mid 80's that did not have a Patent number molded on the stem. These dispensers came out at about the same time as 3.9 Patent dispensers, and are referred to as 3.9, No Patent dispensers. Since these "No Patent" stems are only found on non-footed PEZ.
| IMC # | Country of Origin |
| 1 | Austria / Hungary (1991) |
| 2 | Austria / Hong Kong |
| 3 | Austria / Hungary (1991) |
| 4/1-4/8 * | Austria |
| 5 | Jugoslavia / Yugoslavia / Slovenia (1992) |
| 6 | Hong Kong / China (1991) |
| 7 |
Hong Kong /Austria /Czechoslovakia |
| 8 | Austria |
| 9 | Vermont, U.S.A. |
| V | Jugoslavia / Yugoslavia |
* A double-digit IMC code is called Dual IMC code.
PEZ used Dual IMC codes to help identify a specific facility in a country that had several molding plants. The first number, like the single-digit code, identified the country of origin. The second number (subscript) identified the specific facility within that country.
MOMC (Mint On Mint Card):
Both the dispenser and packaging (blister card) are in Mint Condition.
MOC (Mint On Card):
The dispenser is in Mint Condition and is packaged on a blister card (which may, or may not be in Mint Condition as well).
MIB (Mint In Bag):
The dispenser is in Mint Condition and is packaged in a cello bag (which may, or may not be in Mint Condition as well).
Loose:
This term signifies that a dispenser has been removed from its original packaging and may or may not contain all of its original parts.
