For kids in the 1960s, the corner store or five-and-dime was a paradise, and the penny candy counter was the main attraction. With just a few coins, a child could walk away with a small bag stuffed full of sweets, agonizing happily over each choice. The candy came in every shape, flavor, and texture imaginable, and picking out a treat was one of childhood’s great pleasures. Many of these classic candies are now nostalgic favorites, some still around, some long gone. Here are fifteen penny candies nearly every American kid bought in the 1960s, counted down one by one.
1. Wax Bottles
Tiny wax bottles held a sip of sweet, colored syrup, and you chewed the wax afterward. They were equal parts drink and candy.
Among the most whimsical penny candies were the little wax bottles, miniature soda-bottle shapes made of colored, flavored wax and filled with a tiny bit of sweet syrup. Kids bit off the top, drank the sip of syrup inside, and then chewed the leftover wax like gum before spitting it out. The novelty was half the fun. These wax bottles are a fondly remembered candy of the era, a quirky, two-in-one treat that delighted kids with both a drink and something to chew.
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2. Candy Buttons on Paper
Rows of tiny candy dots stuck to long strips of paper were peeled off and eaten one by one. The paper sometimes came along for the ride.
Candy buttons were small, colorful dots of sugar candy affixed in rows to a long strip of paper, which kids peeled off and ate one tiny button at a time. The challenge, and the running joke, was that a little paper often came off with each button. Sweet, simple, and fun to nibble, they were a penny-candy favorite. Candy buttons on paper are a beloved classic of the era, remembered as much for their charm as for the stubborn bits of paper that came with every bite.
3. Root Beer Barrels
Hard candies shaped like little barrels delivered a rich root beer flavor. They lasted a satisfyingly long time.
Root beer barrels were amber-colored hard candies shaped like tiny wooden barrels, packed with a sweet, creamy root beer flavor. Long-lasting and satisfying, they were a staple of the penny-candy counter and a favorite for kids who liked a candy that stuck around. The nostalgic root beer taste made them irresistible. Root beer barrels are a classic candy of the 1960s, remembered for their distinctive flavor and barrel shape, and they remain a familiar sight in old-fashioned candy shops today.
4. Mary Janes
These chewy peanut-butter-and-molasses taffies in yellow wrappers were a long-standing favorite. They stuck to your teeth in the best way.
Mary Janes were chewy candies flavored with peanut butter and molasses, wrapped in distinctive yellow paper. Their sticky, taffy-like texture and old-fashioned flavor made them a penny-candy mainstay for decades. Kids loved them, even if they did cling to the teeth. With roots stretching back well before the ’60s, they were a familiar treat at the candy counter. Mary Janes are a nostalgic classic of the era, remembered for their rich peanut-butter-and-molasses taste and that signature chewy stick.
5. Necco Wafers
Rolls of thin, chalky, pastel candy discs came in a rainbow of flavors. You worked your way through the roll one wafer at a time.
Necco wafers were thin, dry, chalky discs of candy stacked in a paper-wrapped roll, each color a different flavor like chocolate, licorice, lemon, and lime. Their distinctive texture and mild flavors made them a love-it-or-hate-it treat, but they were a longtime penny-candy staple. Eating through the roll, flavor by flavor, was part of the appeal. These pastel candy wafers are a fondly remembered classic of the era, a simple, old-fashioned candy with a long and storied history.
6. Tootsie Rolls
These chewy chocolatey logs were a penny-candy staple loved by all. Affordable and tasty, they were always a safe choice.
Tootsie Rolls were small, chewy, chocolate-flavored candy logs wrapped in brown-and-white paper, a true penny-candy classic enjoyed by generations. Their unique texture, somewhere between taffy and chocolate, and reliable sweetness made them a dependable favorite. They were cheap, satisfying, and always available at the candy counter. Tootsie Rolls are an enduring classic of the 1960s candy scene, remembered fondly and still widely enjoyed today, a true survivor of the penny-candy era.
7. Jawbreakers
These giant, rock-hard candy balls changed color as you sucked through the layers. They lasted seemingly forever.
Jawbreakers were large, extremely hard round candies built in colorful layers, designed to be sucked on, slowly, for a very long time. As you worked through them, they revealed a new color and sometimes a new flavor with each layer, all the way down to a seed center. Kids loved pulling them out to check the changing color. Jawbreakers are a quintessential penny candy of the era, remembered for their incredible longevity and the fun of watching them shrink and shift colors.
8. Licorice Sticks and Whips
Red and black licorice, in sticks and whips, was a chewy favorite at the counter. You could nibble it or bite off chunks.
Licorice was a penny-candy staple in both classic black and sweet red varieties, sold as sticks, whips, twists, and bite-size pieces. Chewy and satisfying, it came in shapes kids loved to nibble, and some even used the hollow whips as straws. The two camps, black licorice lovers and red licorice fans, were both well served. Licorice is a beloved classic of the 1960s candy counter, remembered for its chewy texture and the timeless red-versus-black debate it sparked.
9. Bit-O-Honey
These chewy honey-and-almond taffy pieces came wrapped in segments. They were a sweet, sticky treat to savor slowly.
Bit-O-Honey was a chewy candy made of honey-flavored taffy studded with bits of almond, sold in a bar divided into individually wrapped segments. Its sticky, slow-to-eat texture meant it lasted a good while, and the honey-almond flavor was distinctive among penny candies. Kids savored it piece by piece. Bit-O-Honey is a nostalgic classic of the era, remembered for its unique flavor and the satisfying, jaw-working chew that made one little bar feel like a real treat.
10. Atomic Fireballs
These intensely hot cinnamon jawbreakers tested kids’ tolerance for spice. Seeing how long you could keep one in was a dare.
Atomic Fireballs were small, round, bright red jawbreaker-style candies packed with an intense cinnamon heat that built the longer you sucked on them. For kids, enduring the fiery spice, and daring friends to do the same, was part of the fun. Cooling off with a glass of water was often necessary. These fiery cinnamon candies are a memorable penny-candy classic of the era, remembered for their surprising kick and the playground challenge of seeing who could handle the heat.
11. Pixy Stix
Straws filled with sweet, tangy flavored powder were poured straight into the mouth. They were pure sugary fun.
Pixy Stix were paper or plastic straws filled with sweet-and-sour colored sugar powder that kids tore open and tipped directly into their mouths. The tangy, fizzy rush of flavored sugar was a penny-candy delight, and the bigger versions felt like a real prize. They were messy, sweet, and beloved. Pixy Stix are a classic candy of the 1960s, remembered for the simple joy of pouring a straw of flavored sugar straight onto the tongue, a pure sugar rush in a paper tube.
12. Candy Necklaces
Stretchy elastic strung with sweet candy beads doubled as jewelry and a snack. You could wear it and nibble it all day.
Candy necklaces were strands of pastel candy beads strung on stretchy elastic, meant to be worn around the neck or wrist and nibbled off bead by bead throughout the day. Equal parts accessory and snack, they were especially popular with kids who loved the novelty of wearing their candy. They got a little sticky in the heat. Candy necklaces are a charming penny-candy classic of the era, remembered for the fun of sporting your sweets and snacking on them whenever the craving struck.
13. Smarties
Rolls of small, tangy, chalky candy discs were a tart, fruity favorite. You could eat them one at a time or all at once.
Smarties were rolls of small, pastel-colored candy discs with a tart, fruity, slightly chalky bite, wrapped in clear cellophane with twisted ends. Kids loved popping them one by one or crunching a whole stack at once. Inexpensive and tangy, they were a reliable penny-candy pick. These tart candy rolls are a beloved classic of the era, remembered for their fruity zing and the satisfying way they came twisted up in their clear little package.
14. Bazooka Bubble Gum
This pink bubble gum came wrapped with a tiny comic strip inside. Blowing big bubbles and reading the comic were both part of the deal.
Bazooka was a classic pink bubble gum sold as individually wrapped chunks, each containing a tiny comic strip that kids read and traded. Beyond the gum’s sweet flavor and big-bubble potential, the little comics were a beloved bonus. A penny or two bought a piece, and the comics could be saved up. This pink bubble gum is a nostalgic staple of the 1960s candy counter, remembered as much for the mini comics tucked inside as for the bubbles kids loved to blow.
15. Candy Dots and Dum Dums
Lollipops in countless flavors and other sweet little treats rounded out the counter. There was something for every taste.
Rounding out the penny-candy counter were small lollipops in a rainbow of flavors and an endless assortment of other little sweets, from caramels to fruit chews. A kid could mix and match favorites into a personalized bag of treats for just a few cents. The sheer variety was part of the magic. These assorted lollipops and little candies cap off the era’s penny-candy lineup, remembered for the joy of choice and the simple thrill of filling a bag with sweets on a tiny budget.
Sweet Memories
Taken together, these fifteen penny candies capture the pure joy of the 1960s candy counter, when a few pennies bought a bag full of sweets and choosing them was one of childhood’s great delights. From wax bottles and candy buttons to jawbreakers and bubble gum, each treat had its own flavor, texture, and ritual.
Many of these classics are now nostalgic treasures, some still made and sold in old-fashioned candy shops, others faded into memory. What they share is a connection to a simpler, sweeter time, when a trip to the corner store with a handful of change felt like the height of luxury. For those who grew up then, just seeing these candies again brings back the candy counter, the agonizing choices, and the small paper bag of treasures. Looking back at them is a delicious reminder of the simple pleasures, and big smiles, that a penny could buy.
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