Collectible Character Glasses

Pepsi Warner Brothers

Many people enjoy collecting glasses featuring various cartoon, movie, and TV characters. Many of the older and/or rarer ones can bring $50 or more. Some can even be worth upwards of $500!

A very popular and collectible line of Pepsi glasses feature Warner Brothers characters. First produced in 1974, they released them in three promotional sets of six. A restaurant would sign on to participate in the first promotion set and then would sign up for the two subsequent promotions separately.  Significantly less restaurants signed up for the second and third promotions; which is why the glasses from the first set of six are much easier to find than the second or third.
Due to the popularity of this line of eighteen glasses, Pepsi decided to produce more.

Pepsi Warner Brothers

On the second line of glasses, the characters are doing something aka “interactive” rather than standing still aka “static” as in the first line. For example, Porky the Pig is fishing. This second line consists of two sets of twelve glasses. The interactive glasses are usually valued higher than the static glasses.
In addition to the Loony Tunes characters, Pepsi has also released glass sets featuring Caterpillar tractors, The Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus, sports teams, comic book characters, movies characters,  seasonal promotions, Normal Rockwell art, and more.

1977 Mighty Mouse

Welch’s produced another very popular line of collectible glasses. It all began with Howdy Doody in 1953 and since then has expanded into twenty-six different sets. Some popular lines have included: the Flintstones, Archie, Dr. Seuss, Peanuts, Davy Crockett, and Warner Brothers. Over the years they have also released lines of glasses featuring dinosaurs, endangered species, and AFC and NFC football teams.

While Pepsi and Welch’s are two of the most well known producers of cartoon glasses, many other companies made collectible glasses as well. Some of the more collectible include: Coca-Cola’s Holly Hobbie, Warner Brothers, NASCAR, and Olympics glasses; Pizza Hut’s Happy Days,

Cowboy Tweety

NFL, and TV characters glasses; and Hard Rock Café’s location specific glasses.

While a lots of collectors collect purely for nostalgia, some of the glasses can be worth quite a bit. Keep an eye out for:

Chas Addams

• Mighty Mouse by Terrytoons - sold only in California Pizza Hut chains in 1977 and can bring over $500.
• Hopalong Cassidy
• Lone Ranger
• “Chas Addams” - an Addams Family glass featuring a baby carriage in the park
• Little Lulu
• Wizard of Oz by Duncan Donuts
• Gulliver’s Travels
• Dick Tracy
• Dennis the Menace
• Tweety Bird wearing a cowboy hat and boots playing a guitar - extremely rare
• Dr. Seuss by Welch’s
• Flintstones  by Hanna Barbera Productions
• Yogi Bear  by Hanna Barbera Productions
• Sourpuss and Gandy Goose by Terrytoons
• Bullwinkle and Rocky by P.A.T. Ward Productions
• Marvel Superheroes

  

  1957 Kentucky Derby

• Casper the Friendly Ghost and Friends by Harvey Famous Cartoons

Derby Glasses are another highly collectible category of glassware. At the first Kentucky Derby, in 1938, they gave out commemorative water glasses. Two years later, they were the mint julep glasses we are familiar with today. An early Kentucky Derby glass in excellent condition can bring thousands of dollars.

We always have an abundance of character glasses at the store. Come down and see what favorite characters from your childhood you can find!