topic Re: Penny Candy in Community Chat

Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 00:41:39 GMT

Back in the 50s-60s, every neighborhood had a little variety store. They sold milk, bread, newspapers, comic books, popsicles, soda and small toys like yoyos.

But the treat that children would mostly go for was the penny candy and there were so many kinds in that big glass case. For 25 cents, you could get a small bag full.

If you are old enough to remember that, what were some of your favorites?

Mine were Mint Juleps, Malted Milk Balls, Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops, Jelly Orange Slices, Smarties, Bazooka Gum, Nonpariels and toffees that were wrapped in red paper, twisted at each end.

I just remembered couple more, those banana flavored Circus Peanuts and little licorice Candy Records, with the little pink candy ball in the center.

Re: Penny Candy

Meowingkitty — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:25:01 GMT

I don't remember the candy but I do remember buying 12 cents worth so I didn't have to pay a penny tax. If I bought 13 cents worth I had to pay tax.

Re: Penny Candy

Carmie — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:32:01 GMT

We used to gather discarded Coke bottles from around the neighborhood and cash them in. They were worth 2 cents for the small ones and 5 cents for the larger ones. We would buy candy with our new found money.

My favorites were

Squirrel nut zippers

watermelon coconut slices

Bit o honey

Atomic fire balls

paper sheets with candle dots

Mary Janes

Tootsie Pops

Red fish

BB Bats

Kits

Re: Penny Candy

Jo1313 — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:33:14 GMT

@Enufstuff wrote:
Back in the 50s-60s, every neighborhood had a little variety store. They sold milk, bread, newspapers, comic books, popsicles, soda and small toys like yoyos.

But the treat that children would mostly go for was the penny candy and there were so many kinds in that big glass case. For 25 cents, you could get a small bag full.

If you are old enough to remeber that, what were some of your favorites?

Mine were Mint Juleps, Malted Milk Balls, Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops, Jelly Orange Slices, Smarties, Bazooka Gum, Nonpariels and toffees that were wrapped in red paper, twisted at each end.

I just remembered couple more, those banana flavored Circus Peanuts and little licorice Candy Records, with the little pink candy ball in the center.

I remember all of that..My parents owned the store! Also with hand packed Breyer's Ice cream!

Re: Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:35:19 GMT

@Meowingkitty Tax on foods? Wow! We fortunately have never had a tax on food(Except restaurants) in Massachusetts.

Re: Penny Candy

Effie54 — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:37:24 GMT

@Enufstuff wrote:
@Meowingkitty Tax on foods? Wow! We fortunately have never had a tax on food(Except restaurants) in Massachusetts.

Yup, come to Connecticut, we'll tax the daylights out of you.

Re: Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:39:08 GMT

@Carmie I forgot about Bit o Honey and I loved those big red

Fireballs. I though that it was neat, how each layer was a different color, red, pink, white.

The watermelon slices were cute, but I didn't really like the bits of coconut in them.

Re: Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:43:42 GMT

@Jo1313 You were a very lucky girl! I bet you had a lot of friends.

Re: Penny Candy

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:40:45 GMT

Penny candy, what a sweet memory, and if you had a nickle you could get a candy bar !

Re: Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:42:00 GMT

@Effie54 We are referred to as "Taxachusetts", very high on property and everything else, except food.

Re: Penny Candy

Jo1313 — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:43:04 GMT

@Enufstuff wrote:
@Jo1313 You were a very lucky girl! I bet you had alot of friends.

Yes I was and still am..no so many friends left.

My candy was free!..LOL

Re: Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:43:22 GMT

@QVCkitty1 Correct! And those 5 cent bars were larger than the ones you see today for ten times the price, or more.

Re: Penny Candy

Meowingkitty — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:43:33 GMT

@Enufstuff wrote:
@Meowingkitty Tax on foods? Wow! We fortunately have never had a tax on food(Except restaurants) in Massachusetts.

Yup. In Arizona in the 60's it was 4%.

Re: Penny Candy

On It — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:43:59 GMT

@Enufstuff I remember penny candy, but for the life of me I cannot remember what I bought. Weren't there little brown paper bags that look like miniature grocery bags that held the candy we bought?

Re: Penny Candy

Mombo1 — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:44:55 GMT

@Jo1313 wrote:
@Enufstuff wrote:
Back in the 50s-60s, every neighborhood had a little variety store. They sold milk, bread, newspapers, comic books, popsicles, soda and small toys like yoyos.

But the treat that children would mostly go for was the penny candy and there were so many kinds in that big glass case. For 25 cents, you could get a small bag full.

If you are old enough to remeber that, what were some of your favorites?

Mine were Mint Juleps, Malted Milk Balls, Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops, Jelly Orange Slices, Smarties, Bazooka Gum, Nonpariels and toffees that were wrapped in red paper, twisted at each end.

I just remembered couple more, those banana flavored Circus Peanuts and little licorice Candy Records, with the little pink candy ball in the center.

I remember all of that..My parents owned the store! Also with hand packed Breyer's Ice cream!

@Enufstuff I sure do remember... everything you mentioned. The little licorice records were one of my favorites. How great that your parents owned the store.

Re: Penny Candy

Effie54 — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:45:07 GMT

@Enufstuff wrote:
@Effie54 We are referred to as "Taxachusetts", very high on property and everything else, except food.

@Enufstuff Yup, I hear ya! My husband used to work in MA before he retired, and he said the same thing. I read an article where it said Connecticut was the third highest taxed state. Ugh! At least in MA you have so many things to see and do.

Re: Penny Candy

Enufstuff — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 22:53:50 GMT

@On It @Carmie Yes, tiny brown paper bags, so cute.

Some of those candies were even 2 or 3 for penny!

In 2014, my house turned 100 years old and I had a 1914 garden party. We all dressed in 1914 styles. We had 1914 music and food from that era.

For each guest, I made up little paper bags of the penny candies, that would have been available in 1914.

The first candy massed produced, Necco wafers, was first made for Civil was soldiers, (before New England Confectionary Company, "NECCO" bought the equipment from the inventor) was one that I included.

Another old time candy was Mary Jane and that was named after the aunt of the manufacturer. Hershey Kisses came along in 1912. I included those firsts along with several others from 1914.

I gave the children 1914 pennies.

Re: Penny Candy

ciao_bella — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:46:02 GMT

Mary Janes

Tootsie Rolls

Bonomo Turkish Taffy (vanilla, chocolate or strawberry put in the freezer and then cracked into pieces)

Necco Wafers

JuJu Bees

Dots

Black, Brown and Red Licorice

JawBreakers (my brother liked those)

Red Hots

Re: Penny Candy

Alsace Gal — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:46:46 GMT

I remember all of it.

In California, wrapped candy was taxed. In the 60's it was a penny per twenty cents.

Re: Penny Candy

dancingwoman — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:54:55 GMT

I remember a roll of Lifesavers was a nickel..popcorn at the movies was 10 cents... Afternoon movies were 35 cents on Saturday to get in...a dime for popcorn and a nickel for lifesavers. My mom gave us 50 cents each...every Saturday we'd walk downtown to the theater... I think it was worth it to my mom to get 4 kids gone for the afternoon..lol...DW