Lori asks, “I found these Hallmark invitations at a nearby 2nd hand store and originally got them to use for my son’s 6th birthday this year. 8 of them in a pack…in excellent condition. I am now reconsidering mailing them out as I noticed on the back of the cards the copyright dates are 1958, 1965, 1966… so they must be pretty old. In excellent condition and whoever purchased them (long ago) only paid 75 cents for the pack. It is a waste to use for a bday party, or should I keep these as a collectable for someone who loves peanuts?”
Thanks for sharing this fun find with us, Lori! Let’s start with what the package tells us. The tricky part of Peanuts collecting are copyright dates. Most dates on Peanuts collectibles refer to the character copyright, rather than the item release date. Hallmark started selling Peanuts licensed items back in the 1960’s and still do today.
Those two basics don’t help a lot with putting a date on this item. It takes a sharp eye and a experience to help narrow down the field. Peppermint Patty is our biggest clue. She usually has brown hair. However, these are printed with yellow hair, probably to save on printing costs since both her hair can share with the more important Woodstock yellow. Based on other Hallmark pieces, these cards probably date from the 1970’s. Hallmark started using more colors in their artwork going into the 1980’s and Peppermint Patty’s popularity was at its height in the 1970’s.
As for value, mint in the original package cards generally sell for around $5. It’s always tricky to know whether to use something someone else might enjoy more in its original condition. In this instance, I say enjoy them and don’t forget to send me an invite to your son’s birthday party!
Have a Peanuts collectible you’d like to know more about? Want to share a story about your Peanuts collectible? Send email us a photo and any information you have to info@collectpeanuts.com.
