Although recent reappearance in The DS106Zone Trading Cards has generated some interest in the community, it wasn’t until yesterday that someone (Jim Groom) asked about the gum that accompanies the cards.
“ds106zone Trading Card Gums” by aforgrave, on Flickr
Gum from both the original card series release and the re-issue is still in circulation (we’re talking about mint-condition (not mint-flavoured), unchewed sticks here — there is little collector interest in chewed gobs that litter the sidewalks throughout the world) and tends to command a good price at card shows and fan conventions.
While prized for its appearance and nostalgia, remaining sticks of the original black & white gum from the sixties command a premium price due not to the palatability of the black liquorice flavour (which is poor — the stuff is rank), but due to the novelty — true fans can’t help but shelling out and then chewing a stick for a few minutes, “just to say they tried a stick once.” You can still see them from time-to-time at fan conventions — the post-chew black lip look is hard to miss.
As for the later, mid-seventies re-issue gum — it is pink, and tastes like any other pink card gum, and thus commands a much lower price as it exists in much more significant quantities, and doesn’t have the must-try-once appeal of the original. But the DS106Zone emboss still puts it several notches above the un-branded gums, and makes it worthwhile to root through a bulk-bin next time you have a chance at a fancon.
I wonder if the black and white-issue gum tastes more like the cardboard its full colored pink counterparts munch like, as its appearance is closer to the stiff container material. Black licorice is bad enough, can’t imagine chewing it after 50 years, blech!
Yowzah! Somebody’s been practicing their story-telling skills, digital and not!
These are great images, attention-getting, and a wonderfull backstory.
Where’s the next ds106zone gum show?
–byzantiumbooks
So how much do they cost?
How much do the ds106zone-embossed gums cost? The price varies widely.
If you are looking for the original, black & white gum, you can find it for sale at a price of $250-$300 per stick. Expect to pay 3-4 times that for gum that was wrapped in plastic within the first decade after it was released — about the time the cards were re-issued with the pink gum instead.
Sticks of the embossed pink gum, wrapped in cellophane, can be had for $40-$50 each at a vendor’s booth at a convention or trade show. If you do the bulk-bin diving for specialty gums, you typically only pay a flat per-pound rate, usually something like $10/lb, and by that point, they don’t really care about the brand or card series the gum came from. It can be a bit worn and dusty by that point. Be sure to wash and dry it well before chewing. A little talc, calcium carbonate, or confectioners sugar (rolling powder) can be added to bring back that sense of just-opened newness.
Good luck in your search.