Entire websites are devoted to collecting these delightful items. Annual conventions draw fellow fans from coast to coast. Museums regularly feature collections of vintage dispensers. Type the letters P, E, Z into eBay's search box and get thousands of items to bid on at any given time. Type those same letters into Google and you'll get over ten million hits.

Why are people going nuts over the simple character candy dispenser? Nostalgia plays a big part. When you see something from your past, memories make you feel good. Cost is another part. With new designs coming out all the time in limited runs, starting a contemporary collection is inexpensive. Fun is the next part of the mix. Who can deny the fun of collecting characters such as Mickey Mouse, Popeye, Lion King, Buzz Lightyear, or Darth Vader?

Collecting can be profitable too. Many collectible dispensers sell for hundreds of dollars, some even selling in the thousands. Imagine picking up an old dispenser at a garage sale for a nickel and turning around and selling it for a huge profit.

Collectors gather at conventions from coast to coast where dealers sell their wares and collectors gather to share information. Freebies at the door are sure to please while games and raffles offer fans a chance to win collectible items.

The PEZ Museum of Memorabilia is located in San Francisco and showcases all kinds of dispensers including the world's largest one.

Want to become a pezhead? It's easier than you think! You can join the fun and begin collecting right away. First, you have to learn the difference between footed and non-footed dispensers. The "foot" was introduced around 1987 to help keep the dispenser upright. By keeping this in mind, one look at a dispenser's foot (or lack of a foot) will tell you whether it is old school or contemporary.

Patent Numbers are also good clues as to an item's age. The higher the number, the newer the dispenser. For example, patent number 2,620,061 was issued in December 1952. In 1990, the patent number was 4,966,305. You can find the patent number on the dispenser's body known as the stem.

Another useful bit of information is embedded onto the stem. The small number in the corner is a code that indicates what country your dispenser was manufactured in. If you see the number 9 that means your dispenser was manufactured in Vermont, USA. Information like this is available on the internet. In addition, entire books have been written on collecting PEZ.