Hi, I'm trying to identify some old plastic charms with metal rings attached to an old metal bracelet. They are all marked Japan except the parrot which says Hawaii. One is a sailor looking guy so I thought of Cracker Jacks but reading some of your other comments since he's not holding his arm up he probably isn't Bingo Jack.

Did Cracker Jacks ever put plastic charms with metal rings in their boxes?

Hello,
I have only been able to document on purchase by CJ of the plastic charms with brass ring. These charms also had the silk or fabric string. CJ purchased a total of 54 different charms and only 6 were attached to their inventory card. As far as I know none were marked and certainly not marked Cracker Jack, so the end result, as far as I can determine, is that there is a whole lot of "possibly" charms out there. I would guess that the charms that CJ bought were NOT take-offs of comic characters, etc.

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PERIOD: These charms were produced (late 20s to mid 40s) before the modern use of injection molded plastic, which began in 1948. Similar thermoset gum-machine charms -- and later injection-molded polyethyline charms -- were produced, but most collectors are only interested in the older celluloid ones like these in the photo.

USES: They are typical of the charms that were used to promote sales of the new innovation of packaged sliced bread and were included in the package or, more typically, on the bread wrapper tie. Charms like these were attached by thin silk cords to the necks of whisky bottles. These charms were also widely used in gum machines as prizes mixed loose with the gumballs, long before the use of prize capsules. While these are often referred to or marketed in the collectibles market as Cracker Jack prizes, it is doubtful that these came in packages of Cracker Jack.

MATERIAL: These charms were molded from a material commonly known as the registered brand name Celluloid, made by adding camphor to nitrocellulose to create the first synthetic plastic material that could be easily molded into shapes. (Celluloid is still used to make ping-pong balls.) The charms commonly came with a thin, brightly colored silk cord attached to the metal ring.

COLLECTION AND STORAGE: Nitrocellulose, a compound used in making these prizes, is an unstable and flammable material. Eventually these charms will disentegrate, but with care most will outlast the majority of current collectors. In order to ensure the charms have as long a life as possible, it is very important to store these in a dry, dark, cool place. Never allow them to receive direct sunlight. Long exposure to light or heat can cause them to crack, turn black, melt, or even ignite.