The Penny King Company: Difference between revisions

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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===
In 1958 [[King Features Syndicate|KFS]] licensed the Penny King Company to manufacture and sell buttons, rings and lockets, using 39 different 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:  
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mandrake-02.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mandrake-02.jpg|''Mandrake''
Line 45: Line 46:
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tillie-Jones-02.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tillie-Jones-02.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mac-02.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Mac-02.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TTI-02.jpg|''unknown''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TTI-02.jpg|''Aleta''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Rosco-Sweeny-02.jpg|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Rosco-Sweeny-02.jpg|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Lucille-Sweeny-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeney''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Lucille-Sweeny-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeney''
Line 53: Line 54:
</gallery>
</gallery>


====Charms====
====Key Chain Lockets - Charms====
The various figures are printed on paper and glued to a plastic casings in yellow, blue, red, green or white colors. Several colored casing have diluted colors: light blue, light red, and on. It was also produced a series with a ''metallic'' looking ''(silver, gold or bronze)'' casing. In addition another distinct series of the charms was double sided with a clear frame, with different figures on each side.   
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-Atlas-Master-10.jpg|''Atlas Master''
Image:Gumball-Charm-display-card-01.jpg|''display card''
Image:Gumball-Charm-display-card-01.jpg|''display card''
Image:Gumball-Charm-MtM-01.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Charm-TP-10.jpg|''charm with capsule''
Image:gumball-charm-1950s-lothar.jpg|''Lothar''
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-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-Loweezy-01.jpg|''Loweezy''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Jughaid-01.jpg|''Jughaid''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG2-01.jpg|''Cricket''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Riddles-01.jpg|''Riddles Barlow''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG1-01.jpg|''Toozy''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Tattersail-01.jpg|''Sut Tattersail''
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|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Charm-XX1-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeney'' ?
Image:Gumball-Charm-XX2-01.jpg|''The Little King''
Image:Gumball-Charm-XX3-01.jpg|''Little Iodine''
Image:Gumball-Charm-BG3-01.jpg|''Henry Tremblechin''
</gallery>
</gallery>
=====Variants=====
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Gumball-Charm-MtM-01B.jpg|''Mandrake / blue casing''
Image:Gumball-Charm-Devil-01.jpg|''gold/bronze''
Image:gumball-charm-1950s-mtm.jpg|''Mandrake''
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-Mandrake-01.jpg|''Mandrake''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Dale-01.jpg|''Dale Arden''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Mac-01.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Zero-01.jpg|''Zero''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Zero-01.jpg|''Zero''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Inspector-01.jpg|''Der Inspector''
Image:Gumball-Ring-Henrietta-01.jpg|''Henrietta''
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.
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''
Line 132: Line 104:
Image:Gumball-Button-Jiggs-01.jpg|''Jiggs''
Image:Gumball-Button-Jiggs-01.jpg|''Jiggs''
Image:Gumball-Button-Maggie-01.jpg|''Maggie''
Image:Gumball-Button-Maggie-01.jpg|''Maggie''
Image:Gumball-Button-Henry.jpg|''Henry''
Image:Gumball-Button-Henrietta-01.jpg|''Herietta''
Image:Gumball-Button-Henrietta-01.jpg|''Herietta''
Image:Gumball-Button-Captain-01.jpg|''Der Captain''
Image:Gumball-Button-Captain-01.jpg|''Der Captain''
Line 153: Line 124:
Image:Gumball-Button-Tillie-Jones-01.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Button-Tillie-Jones-01.jpg|''Tillie Jones''
Image:Gumball-Button-Mac-01.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Button-Mac-01.jpg|''Clarence "Mac" Macdougall''
Image:Gumball-Button-TTI-01.jpg|''unknown''
Image:Gumball-Button-TTI-01.jpg|''Aleta <small>(wife of Val)</small>''
Image:Gumball-Button-XX1-01.jpg|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Button-XX1-01.jpg|''Rosco Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Button-XX1-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeny'' ?
Image:Gumball-Button-XX1-02.jpg|''Lucille Sweeny''
Image:Gumball-Button-Little-King.jpg|''The Little King''
Image:Gumball-Button-Iodine-01.jpg|''Little Iodine''
Image:Gumball-Button-Iodine-01.jpg|''Little Iodine''
Image:Gumball-Button-BG3-01.jpg|''Henry Tremblechin''
Image:Gumball-Button-BG3-01.jpg|''Henry Tremblechin''

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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