Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Heide Red Raspberry Dollars

Heide Red Raspberry DollarsWhen I was a kid these were called Red Hot Dollars. They were introduced during the depression by Henry Heide when a “red hot dollar” was an enviable thing, even though the candy itself was always raspberry flavored (and red and shaped rather like a one dollar coin).

The Heide candy company later sold out to Hershey’s in 1995 who decided in 1999 that the name was confusing (because many people would buy them thinking they were cinnamon) and changed them to their present name of Red Raspberry Dollars. The company was later sold to Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company in 2003. To make it even more confusing, Farley’s & Sathers does sell cinnamon (and licorice) dollars and reunites them with their name of Red Hot Dollars (I can’t find them in stores, but look sharp and you may see them on the internet).

Red Raspberry DollarsBy all appearances F&S took over the Heide name and production of the candy itself but hasn’t done much else. The box design looks like someone created it with some royalty free clip art circa 1998 (but the copyright on the back says 2003). But what they’re saving on designs, four color photo realistic images, an actual description of the product and advertising they’re putting into value. This box I picked up for $1 holds a 7.8 ounces, making it an excellent deal.

The images on the package don’t really represent the candies either. They make it look as if these are flat disks with large dollar signs. Instead they’re thick, ranging from 1/4 of an inch to 3/8 of an inch and about 3/4 of an inch around. More like nobs than coins. The color is a pleasant red, kind of translucent.

The design on the pieces consists of a dollar sign and the letters HEIDE curved above it. Of course I coulnd’t really make that out on many of the candies. About half of them were “rejectable” for any number of reasons. Some were underweight (too thin), still others were mangled and irregular in shape and size.

Quality Control Issues at Heide

The outer texture is soft and the candies are quite firm, somewhere between Jujubes and a Jujyfruits. (These candies are well sealed in the box, but the box is still only paperboard and has no plastic overwrap to seal it from drying out and nearing their expiry when I bought them.)

The flavor is a bit similar to Swedish Fish. A mild and pleasant raspberry, but all sweetness and floral flavors, none of the tangy sour bite of the berry. It’s pretty mellow, almost like honey. Later there a bit of a bitter aftertaste, but I’ll go ahead and say that’s the Red 40 that I always seem to detect. But then there’s the texture. They’re quite sticky ... not that they’ll pull out any fillings but they sure stick to your teeth in big clumps on the sides and in between. I find hot tea dislodges them well. Or, well, brushing.

I think I’ll stick to Swedish Fish. And I’ll keep my eye out for the cinnamon variety.

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Name: Red Raspberry Dollars
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Heide (Farley's & Sathers)
Place Purchased: Rite Aid (Echo Park)
Price: $1.00
Size: 7.8 ounces
Calories per ounce: 92
Categories: Jelly, United States, Farley's & Sathers

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:40 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. I love this blog, I have to disagree though! Red raspberry dollars are not the same as red hot dollars. Red hot dollars are red hot, have always been red hot (cinnamon) and are still made as well. We carry them, although we are currently out.
    Look forard to the next article and great photos!

    Comment by Amy on 8/21/08 at 9:22 am #
  2. bettyfelon's avatar

    I hate candy like this just because of the whole stick to the teeth factor

    to me they don’t taste good enough to have to deal with all of that extra flossing and brushing it would take to dislodge the candy

    Comment by bettyfelon on 8/21/08 at 9:43 am #
  3. Red Hot Dollars (the cinnamon variety) made a reappearance in some places in the east this year (MD and PA, for ex). So they must have reappeared in force in other places too—I ran across cardboard displays of them when before they weren’t easy to find. As noted in this post you can also get the black licorice and cinnamon Heide dollars from a few websites, such as Licorice International.

    Comment by sm on 8/22/08 at 4:16 am #
  4. Does anyone know where I can buy the Red Raspberry Dollars at a reasonable price? I called Rite Aid in Echo Park and they were out of stock. The online companies want $10.00 or more for shipping which sounds high to me. Any suggestions?

    Comment by Tim Testa on 9/27/08 at 7:41 am #
  5. Some friends and I are looking to find where we can buy them. They used to be in our local CVS stores and now they say they cannot get them anymore.
    I pray you can shed some light on this subject and they are still being made.
    Thank you in advance.

    Barb Foote:-)

    Comment by Barb Foote on 12/02/08 at 4:24 pm #
  6. I grew up on red hot dollars.  My children enjoyed them also, but now it is very hard to find them and my grandchildren won’t get enjoy this old time candie. I have found then in some candie stores, that sell in bulk. But they charge an outrages price for them. I hope the company, makes these candies avalible for those who still love them.

    ps: I use to buy them two for a penny.

    Comment by Don Clark on 12/20/08 at 2:46 am #
  7. http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamCat=20&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch&txtsearchParamTxt=2575


    thats the best place to buy them…..a great price and fast shipping…ive been buying from bulk foods for years…....it took me a long time to find them….....i buy 1-2 bags of heide dollars every year…........ive loved them for over 45 years…....wink wink

    Comment by tkrogman on 1/07/09 at 8:09 am #
  8. I love Jujy Fruits and have since a kid growing up in the 50’s.  I’m now 66 and I still love them, just like I did then. Always bought them at the Rialto Theatre in Memphis.
    This time when I purchased the large box there were 29 black ones.  Now I like licorice a little, but not that many.  There was a total of 80+ in the box, so what is that?? 30+ % licorice.
    And didn’t there used to be a couple of grape jujys in the box years and years ago?  Why not bring them back. Just a thought!

    Comment by Carol King Perrington on 2/25/09 at 3:17 am #
  9. ok, i just had some candayy! hahahaha. you can buy them @ CVS pharmacy for $1.69!  yummmmmymyymmymymy

    Comment by CELIAAIAIAIAIAAI on 1/12/10 at 3:25 pm #
  10. I have eaten these candies since I was little and used to get them at Woolworth stores.  Has anyone else noticed the flavor change in the raspberry ones since Farley bought out from Hershey?  Not the same.  I still like them, but just not the same.

    Comment by Terri on 8/21/10 at 10:33 pm #
  11. OMG i just foudn out my great grandmothers family from germany owned heide candy!

    Comment by jerry on 12/03/10 at 12:28 pm #
  12. My favorite candy as a child and as an adult is the Red Hot Dollars (original name) and later changed to Red Raspberry Dollar. They were never hot-just sweet-oh so sweet and chewy.
    As of 4 years ago, I finally found a supplier (CVS Pharmacy)now only to be left looking of the candy again…They have been taken from the shelves..and the websites that I have looked on only have bulk. The bulk does not taste like the theater box RHD. Oh woe is me….back to searching for heaven on earth.

    Comment by Denise on 3/27/12 at 1:44 pm #
  13. You are correct Denise- I am a red rasberry dollar (only Heide) addict and was extactic I could purchase them at CVS.  Can’t believe they dropped the line.  I have since looked everywhere- can any one help- Please!!  Joe

    Comment by Joe on 10/01/12 at 3:35 pm #
  14. I also have been trying to find the red hot dollars was told in a candy store they were no longer available I love that candy I cant believe at age 60 I am searching for candy but it is so good.

    Comment by Barbara on 12/18/12 at 9:53 am #
  15. STILL LOOKING TO BUY RED RASPBERRY DOLLARS. CAN’T FIND THEM IN STORES. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET THEM, I’M ADDICTED!!!

    Comment by K HAGER on 1/09/13 at 5:31 pm #
  16. Sadly, unfortunately, Farley is no longer making them.  It’s hard to believe, my favorite candy….......Something about manufacturing cost.  So sad.

    Comment by Terri on 1/09/13 at 6:30 pm #
  17. Please keep making them, other brands not good.Grew up with them. please…..

    Comment by B. Morgan on 3/27/13 at 3:42 pm #
  18. great candy, hard to find them though, one good sticky keep the kids mouth shut chewing , type candy . my poip used to give to us when i was little. i always search for them in NYC but once in theblue i find the amish make fresh here in De, lol

    Comment by troy on 6/25/13 at 1:52 pm #
  19. Red Rasberry Dollars - Go to Amazon and check out “Red JuJu Coins” by Candy Crate. 5lbs. for $15 pus shipping. Claim to be the Red Rasberry Dollars / Heide Red Hot Dollars we once knew. If you try them. let us know how the are. Mike

    Comment by Mike R on 6/28/13 at 3:42 pm #
  20. could you please tell me how can I purchase some.

    Comment by Deborah J kranzusch on 9/17/14 at 6:56 pm #
  21. i would like to purchace red rasberry dollars how can i buy them   please

    Comment by michael jacobs on 11/30/14 at 1:38 pm #
  22. How can or where I can I buy

    Comment by James on 2/25/15 at 7:25 pm #
  23. Re: Comment by Amy on 8/21/08 at 9:22 am #. 
    “Red hot dollars are red hot, have always been red hot (cinnamon).”  You are wrong, wrong, wrong.  I was born in 1940 and Heide Red Hot Dollars were my mother’s favorite candy.  They were NOT hot.  They were the size of a silver dollar, slightly thicker.  They were not soft but were not as hard as hard candy.  They stuck to your teeth if you chewed them.  They were wonderful to suck on until they softened some.  The smaller, thicker, softer ones don’t begin to compare to the originals.

    Comment by Tony Ciston on 4/02/15 at 8:33 pm #
  24. Correct the old Heide co. red hot dollars were NOT hot! Don’t know why they ever called them that but they were great!!!  And I can’t find them anywhere anymore sad!!!  Sometimes change is NOT all that good!  LM

    Comment by Lee Murphy on 8/18/16 at 12:46 pm #
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