Crayola Silver Swirls: What's Inside the Box

The Silver Swirls box from Crayola is my favorite box ever!  The Silver Swirl line started in 1990. I think it was a failed attempt at a glitter crayon. That is what I got from reading the patent. I bought these crayons when I was really young and used them all the time.  I loved how shiny and smooth they were on the paper.  There was nothing else like it and there has not been anything like it since. Like I said these are my absolute favorite. I really wish Crayola would bring these back.

I think I have figured out why they were sadly taken out of the market. In the patent it mentions a "metal-swirl version of a Crayola® crayon which contains fine particles of aluminum; however, while this type of crayon yields a swirl effect and alters the typical pigment, such a crayon does not impart a glitter effect to a substrate." Were silver swirls the first attempt at glitter crayons?  Were they were taken off the market because they contain aluminum?

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This box is why I decided to start collecting crayons. I bought the 16 count box originally at my local grocery store.  I used that box over and over. When I used them all up, lost the box, and wore the crayons down, I went and got another box at my local grocery store.   A year or so later I went looking to buy some more, because they were my favorite, and low and behold there were none available, anywhere. It went on my wish list after that. My mom surprised me a few years later with a box she found  at an antique store. This box was the 24 count box and had even more colors.  I was in heaven. But alas I did not realize how to store my collection very well and the box got damaged.  Last year I found someone selling them on eBay and picked up some more.  This time I picked up two boxes and I am in definitely heaven now.  I am so glad I have these boxes. I picked up another box, the 8 count box and am super excited, favorite crayons ever!

Collecting Information

Box: 8 Count Crayola Silver Swirls, 24 Count Crayola Silver Swirls

Year: 1990
Other known boxes: 16 Count
What's inside the box: 
8 Count: mystic maroon, cinnamon satin, aztec gold, polished pine, shadow blue, pearly purple, granite gray, quick silver
24 Count: steel teal, burnished brown, green sheen, granite gray, copper penny, pearly purple, cosmic cobalt, wintergreen dream, twilight lavender, lilac luster, glossy grape, rusty red, misty moss, pewter blue, aztec gold, shiny shamrock, cerulean frost, sugar plum, mystic maroon, rose dust, cinnamon satin, quick silver, shadow blue, polished pine
Purchase information: eBay and Antique stores
Where to buy: eBay, Amazon or 2nd hand stores, watch item
Patent: US Patent 5261952, "Solid marking composition containing glitter."
Style Number: 52-3108 (8 Count), 52-3124 (24 Count)
Code Number: 52-3108-0-200 (8 Count), 52-3124-0-200 (24 Count)
UPC: 071662031084 (8 count), 071662031244 (24 count)
* Crayola gave a drawing tip on how to draw a cool "Starry Starry Night" on the back.
** The Style and Code numbers are on the inner flap of the box.

1990 8 Silver Swirls

1990 8 Silver Swirls Inner Flap

1990 24 Silver Swirls

1990 Silver Swirls Colors

steel teal, burnished brown, green sheen, granite gray, copper penny, pearly purple, cosmic cobalt, wintergreen dream, twilight lavender, lilac luster, glossy grape, rusty red, misty moss, pewter blue, aztec gold, shiny shamrock, cerulean frost, sugar plum, mystic maroon, rose dust, cinnamon satin, quick silver, shadow blue, polished pine, aren't they beautiful?

1990 Silver Swirl Wrappers