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==History==
==History==
Charms first appeared in vending machines about 1930 in US, these were mostly imported from Japan and came with silk strings attached. The operator removed the strings before placing them in his machines. The charms were generally sold in penny vending machines with a small candy. The novelty of the charms lasted for a couple of years, but died becauce of lack of variety<ref>"Need to Increase Mdse. Variety Made Charm Mfr. Bulk Op", ''Billboard'' 16 July 1955, p 78</ref>
Charms first appeared in vending machines about 1930 in US, these were mostly imported from Japan. The charms were generally sold in penny vending machines with a small candy. The novelty of the charms lasted for a couple of years, but died becauce of lack of variety<ref>"Need to Increase Mdse. Variety Made Charm Mfr. Bulk Op", ''Billboard'' 16 July 1955, p 78</ref>


In 1949 the Penny King Company (Pittsburgh) started making charms for the growing vending machine market. In the beginning they contracted for molds and jobbed out the molding and plating to outside firms. The firm opened a plant in Puerto Rico for the manufacture of charms n 1951 and became a national sales agent for Acorn Charm Vendor parts and assessories in 1953. By 1955 the firm was one of the major charm manufactures and became sales agent for the Penny-Nickel Atlas Master vendor machines.  
The Penny King Company ''(Pittsburgh)'' started making charms in 1949 for the growing vending machine market. In the beginning they contracted for molds and jobbed out the molding and plating to outside firms. By 1951 the company had opened a new a plant in Puerto Rico for the manufacture of charms and made<ref>Penny King Offers Varied Charm Line, ''The Cash Box'', June 3 1950, p 22</ref> various types: baseballs, baseball players, baseball glowes, boxing gloves, dogs, Dutch boy and girl, duck pins, basketballs, footballs, funny faces, horseshoes, rings, round charms, skulls and baseball pin buttons.
Most of these charms were aviable in either copper, silver og gold plate on in plastic. By 1953 the company became national sales agent for Acorn Charm Vendor parts and assessories, and from 1955 sales agent for the Penny-Nickel Atlas Master vendor machines.  


===Gumball Prizes with King Feature characters===
===Gumball Prizes with King Feature characters===
As the world's largest selection of minature charms in 1958 KFS licensed the Penny King Company to manufacture and sell buttons, rings and lockets, using 39 different King Feature characters. 
In 1959<ref>''Comic Buttons to be made by Penny King'', The Billboard, March 30 1959, p 69</ref> [[King Features Syndicate|KFS]] licensed the Penny King Company to manufacture and sell buttons, rings and lockets, using 39 different characters:
The 39 different characters included:  
<gallery>
*''Mandrake the Magician'': Mandrake, Lothar
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mandrake-02.jpg|''Mandrake''
*''The Phantom''; The Phantom, Diana Palmer, Devil
Image:Gumball-Charm-Lothar-02.jpg|''Lothar''
*''Flash Gordon'': Flash Gordon, Dale Arden
Image:Gumball-Charm-Phantom-02.jpg|''The Phantom''
*''Prince Valiant'': Prince Valiant
Image:Gumball-Charm-Diana-02.jpg|''Diana Palmer''
*''The Lone Ranger'': The Lone Ranger, Tonto
Image:Gumball-Charm-Devil-02.jpg|''Devil''
*''Little Annie Rooney'': Annie Rooney, Zero
Image:Gumball-Charm-Flash-Gordon-02.jpg|''Flash Gordon''
*''Bringing up Father'': Jiggs, Maggie
Image:Gumball-Charm-Dale-02.jpg|''Dale Arden''
*''Henry'': Henry, Henrietta
Image:Gumball-Charm-Valiant-02.jpg|''Prince Valiant''
*''The Katzenjammer Kids'': Mama, Hans, Fritz, Der Captain, Der Inspector
Image:Gumball-Charm-Annie-Rooney-02.jpg|''Annie Rooney''
*''Popeye'': Popeye the Sailor, Olive Oyl, Wimpy, Swee'Pea
Image:Gumball-Charm-Zero-02.jpg|''Zero''
*''Barney Google and Snuffy Smith'': Barney Google, Snuffy Smith, Loweezy (?), Jughaid and at least 3 other figures
Image:Gumball-Charm-Jiggs-02.jpg|''Jiggs''
*''Tillie the Toiler'': Tillie Jones, Clarence ''"Mac"'' Macpougall and at least 1 other figures
Image:Gumball-Charm-Maggie-02.jpg|''Maggie''
*''Buzz Sawyer'', Sweeny
Image:Gumball-Charm-Henry-02.jpg|''Henry''
*''The Wizard of Id'', The King
Image:Gumball-Charm-Henrietta-02.jpg|''Henrietta''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Captain-02.jpg|''Der Captain''
====Charms====
Image:Gumball-Charm-Inspector-02.jpg|''Der Inspector''
The various figures are printed on paper and have a plastic casings in yellow, blue, red, green and white colors. Several colored casing have diluted colors, light blue, light red, transparang red and on. It appears that it also was produced a series with a ''metallic'' looking ''(silver, gold or bronze)'' casing. Another distinct series of the charms was double sided with a clear frame, with different figures on each side. 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mama-02.jpg|''Mama''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Hans-02.jpg|''Hans''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Fritz-02.jpg|''Fritz''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Popeye-02.jpg|''Popeye''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Olive-02.jpg|''Olive Oyl''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Wimpy-02.jpg|''Wimpy''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Swee-Pea-02.jpg|''Swee'Pea''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Barney-Google-02.jpg|''Barney Google''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Snuffy-Smith-02.jpg|''Snuffy Smith''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Loweezy-02.jpg|''Loweezy''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Jughaid-02.jpg|''Jughaid''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Cricket-02.jpg|''Cricket''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Riddles-02.jpg|''Riddles Barlow''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Toozy-02.jpg|''Toozy''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tattersail-02.jpg|''Sut Tattersail''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tillie-Jones-02.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mac-02.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TTI-02.jpg|''Aleta''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Rosco-Sweeny-02.jpg|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Lucille-Sweeny-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeney''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Little-King-02.jpg|''The Little King''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Iodine-02.jpg|''Little Iodine''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Henry-Tremblechin-02.jpg|''Henry Tremblechin''
</gallery>


====Key Chain Lockets - Charms====
The various figures are printed on paper and glued to a ''metallic'' looking ''(silver, gold or bronze)'' plastic casings. One also find chasings in yellow, blue, red, green or white colors. In addition another distinct series of the charms was double sided with a clear frame, with different figures on each side. 
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Gumball-Charm-MtM-01.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Atlas-Master-10.jpg|''Atlas Master''
Image:gumball-charm-1950s-lothar.jpg|''Lothar''
Image:Gumball-Charm-display-card-01.jpg|''display card''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-TP-10.jpg|''charm with capsule''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TP-01.jpg|''The Phantom''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Diana-01.jpg|''Diana Palmer''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Devil-01.jpg|''Devil''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-FG-01.jpg|''Flash Gordon''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Prince-Valiant-01.jpg|''Prince Valiant''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Lone-Ranger-01.jpg|''The Lone Ranger''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tonto-01.jpg|''Tonto''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Annie-Rooney-01.jpg|''Annie Rooney''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Zero-01.jpg|''Zero''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Jiggs-01.jpg|''Jiggs''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Maggie-01.jpg|''Maggie''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Henry-01.jpg|''Henry''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Henrietta-01.jpg|''Henrietta''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Captain-01.jpg|''Der Captain''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Inspector-01.jpg|''Der Inspector''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mama-01.jpg|''Mama''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Hans-01.jpg|''Hans''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Fritz-01.jpg|''Fritz''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Popeye-01.jpg|''Popeye''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Olive-01.jpg|''Olive Oyl''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Wimpy-01.jpg|''Wimpy''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Swee-Pea-01.jpg|''Swee'Pea''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Barney-Google-01.jpg|''Barney Google''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Snuffy-Smith-01.jpg|''Snuffy Smith''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Jughaid-01.jpg|''Jughaid''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG1-01.jpg|''unknown''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG2-01.jpg|''unknown''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG3-01.jpg|''unknown''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tillie-Jones-01.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mac-01.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TT1-01.jpg|''unknown''
 
Image:Gumball-Charm-XX1-01.jpg|''Sweeney''
Image:Gumball-Charm-XX1-02.jpg|''unknown''
Image:Gumball-Charm-XX2-01.jpg|''unknown''
</gallery>
</gallery>
=====Variants=====
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:gumball-charm-1950s-mtm.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Devil-01.jpg|''gold/bronze''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG1-01.jpg|''silver''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Henry-01.jpg|''yellow''
Image:Gumball-Charm-MtM-01B.jpg|''blue''
Image:gumball-charm-1950s-lothar.jpg|''blue''
Image:Gumball-Charm-MtM-01.jpg|''red''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TP-01.jpg|''green''
Image:Gumball-Charm-MtM-10.jpg|''white''
Image:gumball-charm-1950s-mtm.jpg|''transparent''
</gallery>
</gallery>
=====Note=====
The strips ''(Flash Gordon, The Phantom and Popeye)'' at the display card are all from April the 4th of 1952. A bit strange since the charms were made late 50s.


====King Comic Feature Rings====
====King Comic Feature Rings====
In 1959 the Penny King Company adverticed<ref>''Billboard'', 25 May 1959, p94</ref> the King Comic Feature Rings, with the same pictures used for the charms.  
The rings are mentioned<ref>Overstreet, Robert M, The Overstreet premium ring price guide, Nov 1994, p 164, 182</ref> in The Overstreet premium ring price guide as from the 1950s, without any references to the manufacturer. Two different ring bases are known, the second one usend for the Popeye and friends flicker rings.  
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Gumball-Ring-Ad-01.jpg|''ad''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Ad-01.jpg|''ad'' - The Billboard<br>May 25, 1959
Image:Gumball-Ring-DC-01.jpg|''Display Card''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Mandrake-01.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Zero-01.jpg|''Zero''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Henrietta-01.jpg|''Henrietta''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Lothar-01.jpg|''Lothar''<br>different base
Image:Gumball-Ring-Swee-Pea-01.jpg|''Swee'Pea''<br>different base
Image:Gumball-Ring-Flicker-Popey-50.jpg|''display card''<br>Popeye flicker rings
</gallery>
</gallery>


====King Comic Feature Buttons====
====King Comic Feature Buttons====
The same pictures from the charms were also used on the ad for the pinback button series in 1959.
Theese buttons, also known as the 'Circle C' buttons, are 7/8" lithos. 39 different buttons in this set are known.
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Gumball-Button-Ad-01.jpg|''ad''
Image:Gumball-Button-Ad-01.jpg|''ad'' - The Billboard<br>March 16, 1959
Image:Gumball-Button-MtM-01.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Button-MtM-01.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:gumball-Button-Lothar-01.jpg|''Lothar''
Image:gumball-Button-Lothar-01.jpg|''Lothar''
Image:Gumball-Button-TP-01.jpg|''The Phantom''
Image:Gumball-Button-TP-01.jpg|''The Phantom''
Image:Gumball-Button-Diana-01.jpg|''Diana''
Image:Gumball-Button-Devil-01.jpg|''Devil''
Image:Gumball-Button-Devil-01.jpg|''Devil''
Image:Gumball-Button-FG-01.jpg|''Flash Gordon''
Image:Gumball-Button-FG-01.jpg|''Flash Gordon''
Image:Gumball-Button-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
Image:Gumball-Button-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
Image:Gumball-Button-Prince-Valiant-01.jpg|''Prince Valiant''
Image:Gumball-Button-Annie-Rooney-01.jpg|''Annie Rooney''
Image:Gumball-Button-Zero-01.jpg|''Zero''
Image:Gumball-Button-Jiggs-01.jpg|''Jiggs''
Image:Gumball-Button-Maggie-01.jpg|''Maggie''
Image:Gumball-Button-Henrietta-01.jpg|''Herietta''
Image:Gumball-Button-Captain-01.jpg|''Der Captain''
Image:Gumball-Button-Inspector-01.jpg|''Der Inspector''
Image:Gumball-Button-Mama-01.jpg|''Mama''
Image:Gumball-Button-Hans-01.jpg|''Hans''
Image:Gumball-Button-Fritz-01.jpg|''Fritz''
Image:Gumball-Button-Popeye-01.jpg|''Popeye''
Image:Gumball-Button-Olive-01.jpg|''Olive Oyl''
Image:Gumball-Button-Wimpy-01.jpg|''Wimpy''
Image:Gumball-Button-Swee-Pea-01.jpg|''Swee'Pea''
Image:Gumball-Button-Barney-Google-01.jpg|''Barney Google''
Image:Gumball-Button-Snuffy-Smith-01.jpg|''Snuffy Smith''
Image:Gumball-Button-Loweezy-01.jpg|''Loweezy'' ?
Image:Gumball-Button-Jughaid-01.jpg|''Jughaid''
Image:Gumball-Button-BG2-01.jpg|''Cricket''
Image:Gumball-Button-Riddles-01.jpg|''Riddles Barlow''
Image:Gumball-Button-Toozy-01.jpg|''Toozy''
Image:Gumball-Button-BG4-01.jpg|''Sut Tattersail''
Image:Gumball-Button-Tillie-Jones-01.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Button-Mac-01.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Button-TTI-01.jpg|''Aleta <small>(wife of Val)</small>''
Image:Gumball-Button-XX1-01.jpg|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Button-XX1-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Button-Iodine-01.jpg|''Little Iodine''
Image:Gumball-Button-BG3-01.jpg|''Henry Tremblechin''
</gallery>
</gallery>


Latest revision as of 13:52, 10 December 2023

Penny-King-Company.jpg
Letterhead
Penny-King-FC-01.jpg
Display Card
Favorite Comics
Country: Mini usa.gif USA / English


History

Charms first appeared in vending machines about 1930 in US, these were mostly imported from Japan. The charms were generally sold in penny vending machines with a small candy. The novelty of the charms lasted for a couple of years, but died becauce of lack of variety[1]

The Penny King Company (Pittsburgh) started making charms in 1949 for the growing vending machine market. In the beginning they contracted for molds and jobbed out the molding and plating to outside firms. By 1951 the company had opened a new a plant in Puerto Rico for the manufacture of charms and made[2] various types: baseballs, baseball players, baseball glowes, boxing gloves, dogs, Dutch boy and girl, duck pins, basketballs, footballs, funny faces, horseshoes, rings, round charms, skulls and baseball pin buttons. Most of these charms were aviable in either copper, silver og gold plate on in plastic. By 1953 the company became national sales agent for Acorn Charm Vendor parts and assessories, and from 1955 sales agent for the Penny-Nickel Atlas Master vendor machines.

Gumball Prizes with King Feature characters

In 1959[3] KFS licensed the Penny King Company to manufacture and sell buttons, rings and lockets, using 39 different characters:

  • Mandrake

  • Lothar

  • The Phantom

  • Diana Palmer

  • Devil

  • Flash Gordon

  • Dale Arden

  • Prince Valiant

  • Annie Rooney

  • Zero

  • Jiggs

  • Maggie

  • Henry

  • Henrietta

  • Der Captain

  • Der Inspector

  • Mama

  • Hans

  • Fritz

  • Popeye

  • Olive Oyl

  • Wimpy

  • Swee'Pea

  • Barney Google

  • Snuffy Smith

  • Loweezy

  • Jughaid

  • Cricket

  • Riddles Barlow

  • Toozy

  • Sut Tattersail

  • Tillie Jones

  • Clarence "Mac" Macdougall

  • Aleta

  • Rosco Sweeny

  • Lucille Sweeney

  • The Little King

  • Little Iodine

  • Henry Tremblechin

Key Chain Lockets - Charms

The various figures are printed on paper and glued to a metallic looking (silver, gold or bronze) plastic casings. One also find chasings in yellow, blue, red, green or white colors. In addition another distinct series of the charms was double sided with a clear frame, with different figures on each side.

  • Atlas Master

  • display card

  • charm with capsule

  • gold/bronze

  • silver

  • yellow

  • blue

  • blue

  • red

  • green

  • white

  • transparent

Note

The strips (Flash Gordon, The Phantom and Popeye) at the display card are all from April the 4th of 1952. A bit strange since the charms were made late 50s.

King Comic Feature Rings

The rings are mentioned[4] in The Overstreet premium ring price guide as from the 1950s, without any references to the manufacturer. Two different ring bases are known, the second one usend for the Popeye and friends flicker rings.

  • ad - The Billboard
    May 25, 1959

  • Mandrake

  • Dale Arden

  • Zero

  • Henrietta

  • Lothar
    different base

  • Swee'Pea
    different base

  • display card
    Popeye flicker rings

King Comic Feature Buttons

Theese buttons, also known as the 'Circle C' buttons, are 7/8" lithos. 39 different buttons in this set are known.

  • ad - The Billboard
    March 16, 1959

  • Mandrake

  • Lothar

  • The Phantom

  • Diana

  • Devil

  • Flash Gordon

  • Dale Arden

  • Prince Valiant

  • Annie Rooney

  • Zero

  • Jiggs

  • Maggie

  • Herietta

  • Der Captain

  • Der Inspector

  • Mama

  • Hans

  • Fritz

  • Popeye

  • Olive Oyl

  • Wimpy

  • Swee'Pea

  • Barney Google

  • Snuffy Smith

  • Loweezy ?

  • Jughaid

  • Cricket

  • Riddles Barlow

  • Toozy

  • Sut Tattersail

  • Tillie Jones

  • Clarence "Mac" Macdougall

  • Aleta (wife of Val)

  • Rosco Sweeny

  • Lucille Sweeny

  • Little Iodine

  • Henry Tremblechin

References

  1. ↑ "Need to Increase Mdse. Variety Made Charm Mfr. Bulk Op", Billboard 16 July 1955, p 78
  2. ↑ Penny King Offers Varied Charm Line, The Cash Box, June 3 1950, p 22
  3. ↑ Comic Buttons to be made by Penny King, The Billboard, March 30 1959, p 69
  4. ↑ Overstreet, Robert M, The Overstreet premium ring price guide, Nov 1994, p 164, 182
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