Mr. Peanut Building and Mural
Mr. Peanut Logo
Beginnings of Planters' Nuts
Collecting Values for Mr. Peanut
Learn why Dr. Lori should appraise your Mr. Peanut item
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Mr. Peanut Building and Mural

In March 2005, the sale of the highly recognizable Planters’ Peanut building in Wilkes-Barre, PA sparked a new dialogue about America’s favorite advertising icon. At the time of the sale, the city landmark boasted a heroic size mural of the dapper Mr. Peanut. The new owners of the Main Street building, Cross Continental Realty, stated their interest in preserving the Mr. Peanut mural for history. Architecture aside, within the annals of American industrialist history, the Planters Nut and Chocolate Company is known as an American success story. The company built success on peanuts and also gave birth to a most popular American advertising image, Mr. Peanut. 

Mr. Peanut Logo

Mr. Peanut reigns supreme in the antiques community as the first advertising icon. Introduced in 1916, the debonair marketing image of Mr. Peanut derived from a crude drawing by a Virginia schoolboy. Prompted by a nation-wide logo contest sponsored by the Planters Company, schoolboy Antonio Gentile won $5 for his design submission of Mr. Peanut. Then, a professional illustrator enhanced the youngster’s drawing adding the monocle and top hat to create the company logo that is a class above the rest. 

Beginnings of Planters' Nuts

Today, Planters Nuts is a division of RJR Nabisco and boasts one of the most recognizable trademarks in the industry. After Wilkes Barre, PA, the town of Suffolk, VA became the second home of Planters founder, Italian immigrant Amedeo Obici. Born in 1876 near Venice, Italy, Obici came to America at age 11 and settled in Scranton, PA. Obici then moved to Wilkes-Barre, PA where he operated a fruit and nut stand and established his niche as “The Peanut Specialist” in the early 1900s. Obici developed a new method of blanching whole roasted peanuts omitting the hulls and skins. From these northeastern Pennsylvania beginnings, the Planters peanut empire was founded. 

Obici realized that repeat business would be the key to his success and he wanted his brand name to be associated with quality. In 1908, Obici’s firm was incorporated as Planters Nut and Chocolate Company. In 1916, the Planters founder married peanut vendor, Louise Musante, who would later help her husband run the Planters factory in Suffolk, VA. In that same year, Planters introduced the world to Mr. Peanut. 

Collecting values for Mr. Peanut

Collectors agree that Mr. Peanut is a popular collectible ranging from mechanic banks to salt and pepper shakers. Mr. Peanut collectibles command high prices. For instance, a Mr. Peanut collector in Massachusetts shelled out $20,700.00 to buy an authentic Mr. Peanut coin operated scale recently. Even basic Mr. Peanut history doesn’t come cheap as vintage Mr. Peanut store display jars boasting peanut finials and Mr. Peanut toys sell for prices ranging from $300 to $3,000. I predict you will see a rise in the prices for Mr. Peanut collectibles in about 10 years or about 2016 when the country’s favorite peanut person and the building which he adorns turns 100 years old. Collectors are nuts about Mr. Peanut!

Request an online appraisal for your Mr. Peanut collectible from Dr. Lori

Dr. Lori
Director
Masterpiece Technologies Inc.