No feet · 2.6 patent · Austria
1952–1968
The patent does all the work here. This is as old as a US-patent stem gets.
1 Start with the patent number
PEZ has used seven US patent numbers on its stems. Collectors shorten them to the first two digits, so you’ll hear “a 3.9” or “a 2.6” at any PEZ table.
| Say it | On the stem | Issued | Roughly in use | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.6 | 2,620,061 | 1952 | 1952–1968 | The first US patent. Always no feet. |
| 3.4 | 3,410,455 | 1968 | 1968–1974 | No feet. |
| 3.8 | 3,845,882 | 1974 | 1974–1976 | The shortest run of the seven. No feet. |
| 3.9 | 3,942,683 | 1976 | 1976–1990 | Spans the switch to feet, so check the base (clue 2). |
| 4.9 | 4,966,305 | 1990 | 1990–about 2000 | References disagree on the handoff to 5.9: some say 1999, others 2002. |
| 5.9 | 5,984,285 | 1999 | About 2000–2010 | Feet. |
| 7.5 | 7,523,841 | 2009 | About 2010 on | Issued in 2009 but slow to reach store shelves. |
2 Then check for feet
In 1987, PEZ added two small tabs to the base so dispensers would stand up better. That one change splits the whole hobby in two.
No feet
Before 1987
The stem ends flat. Older, yes—but no feet doesn’t automatically mean rare.
With feet
1987 and later
Two tabs flare out at the base. Every current dispenser has them.
3 Read the “Made in” line
The country is molded on the stem too. Most countries made dispensers for decades, but a few stopped existing, and that’s a gift to anyone dating a stem.
| Stem says | That points to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Made in Yugoslavia | Early 1990s or before | Yugoslavia broke up in 1991–92; the same plant carried on as Slovenia. |
| Made in Slovenia | 1991 or later | Slovenia declared independence in 1991. |
| Made in Czechoslovakia | 1992 or before | The country split on January 1, 1993. |
| Made in Czech Republic | 1993 or later | The successor state, from 1993 on. |
Austria, Hungary, Hong Kong, China, and the rest ran for many years, so lean on the other clues. And allow some slack: old molds sometimes kept running after the map changed.
4 Back it up with the mold code
Look for a lone digit on the stem: the injection mold code, or IMC. It tells you which plant molded the stem, which should agree with the country. If it doesn’t, you may be holding a mismatched stem.
- 1
- Austria, Hungary
- 2
- Austria, Hong Kong
- 3
- Austria, Hungary
- 4
- Austria
- 5
- Yugoslavia, Slovenia
- 6
- Hong Kong, China
- 7
- Hong Kong, Austria, Czech Republic
- 8
- Austria
- 9
- United States
- V
- Yugoslavia
Code lists vary a little from one reference to the next, so treat this clue as backup, not proof.
Put the clues together
Feet · 3.9 patent
1987–1990
Feet start in 1987 and the 3.9 ends around 1990, so two loose clues make one tight window.
Feet · 4.9 patent · Czech Republic
1993–about 2000
The 4.9 says 1990s; the country name didn’t exist until 1993, which trims the front end.
Sources: [LIST THE REFERENCES YOU USED in guideSources, site.json]