Mr. Peanut Premiums

Advertising character premiums were once much more common than they are today. Or at least I was much more aware of them. You could send in labels or box tops to get anything from pencils and stickers to puppets and radios. For instance, every package of Planter’s Peanuts offered the opportunity to acquire something bearing Mr. Peanut’s dashing form. Here is the front of the old style Planter’s bag before Standard Brands merged with Nabisco (note the vintage peanut dust):

And the backs of three bags each feature a different Mr. Peanut item like foam flyers, plastic drinking cups, and plastic banks in your choice of colors:

I chose to save my bags, instead, for the stuffed Mr. Peanut shown below:

Some companies, including Planter's, still offer merchandise bearing their characters' images, but sadly, it's just something you buy now, not a premium, a reward for being a loyal customer.