Retro Candy Timeline

The earliest "retro" candies were NECCO Wafers (1847), candy sticks (1837) and pulled creams (mid 1800s). Jelly beans, enjoyed by Union soldiers, descended from Turkish Delight, and originated in the 9th century Arabic apothecaries as a sore throat remedy. The 1880s and '90s brought circus peanuts, actually made for travelling circuses, Tootsie Rolls, and salt water taffy - which didn't actually contain salt! An accountant at Fleer Gum invented Dubble Bubble - the first bubblegum in the United States in the late 1920s.

The Early 1900s & Saloon Lovers' Sweets

The early 1900s brought Jawbreakers - a descendent of the sugar plum candies of the 1600s! Bit O'Honey and other toffees hit shelves in the 1920s, along with Dum-Dums, named by a salesman thinking children would remember the name. Then came the saloon candies and various Prohibition-era treats: Charleston Chews, named for the speakeasy dance, and Nik L Nips - wax bottles that looked like nips of whiskey. The turn of the century brought Lifesavers, originally sold at saloons for a nickel a piece.

Retro Penny Candy Explosion

What lay ahead in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s? A drink mix-turned-candy, Pixy Stix, appeared. Later, the company received so many complaints from parents about their children making messes from eating the dusty candy that they created a cleaner version of the same candy - the SweeTart! Fireballs, Satellite Wafers, candy buttons, and other wonders hit candy store shelves. Our Penny Candy box is filled with a variety of favorites - candies may vary based on availability.