Heinz Pickle Pin - Physical Description

Physical Description

The Heinz pickle pin is very small, about 1 1⁄₄ inches long 1.25 inches (3.2 cm), dark green, and fully "three dimensional". The word HEINZ appears across the pickle in raised lettering. Because its "retro" design and long tradition are part of the appeal of the pickle pin, the design has changed relatively little in over a century of production. The few changes made have been relatively minor. The original pins were made from gutta-percha, a resin material which was a predecessor to modern plastics, and widely used in the 1800s for dental fillings, jewelry, and insulation for wiring. More recent pins use modern plastic. The pinback has changed from a simple wire which clasps around itself to a modern safety-pin back. The earliest pins had a wire pendant-like hook, allowing them to be hung from a string. Finally, the color has varied somewhat, from a realistic light green matte to the darker and shinier cucumber green used today