They were commonly used by teachers in the seventies and eighties to add to graded papers, or for students to use on a reward chart. Later, kids started collecting them in albums, or by putting them on their binders and notebooks.
Most of the vintage scratch-n-sniff stickers shown below were made by Trend Enterprises, while a few come from other companies, such as Mello Smello.
How do scratch and sniff stickers work? (1993)
It may smell like a banana. But you won’t find one under that sticker on your notebook.
A scratch and sniff sticker is packed with tiny capsules that hold scent oils. When you scratch it, you break open the capsules — and out comes the scent. Scratch and sniff stickers wear out after you break open all the scent capsules.
Perfume makers like using scratch and sniff magazine ads. The perfume is released from the capsules when you tear off a piece of paper glued on top of them. – Excerpted from the Anderson Herald Bulletin (Anderson, Indiana) – March 19, 1993
ALSO SEE: 12 totally trendy ’80s Trapper Keeper notebooks & binders
Vintage scratch & sniff stickers: Smelly & scentsational
“Appealing!” bananas – “Extra Special” pizza – “Great stuff” root beer
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“Dill-ightful” pickle – Chocolate ice cream cone – “Snappy!” apple
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Scratch & sniffs: “That-a-way!” chocolate – “Thumping Good!” watermelon – “Tree-mendous!”
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Scratch & sniff stickers: “Ba-nanza!” banana split, “A winner!” car, “Get down!” vinyl record
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“Much better!” band-aid – “Poppin’ Good” popcorn – “Happy Birthday!” cake
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“Scooper Dooper” chocolate ice cream – “Choice!” bear with strawberry cake, “Whoopee!” lawnmower
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“Great” chocolate milk – “Scoopendous!” milkshake – Valentine’s Day hearts with sayings
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Vintage scratch and sniff stickers: “Cool!” breath mint – “Wild!” blueberries – “Peppy mints” candy canes
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“Scratch n’ sniff this coconut!” coconut, “Nut-thing better!” peanut butter, “Yahoo” cowboy boot
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“Grape stuff” jelly on bread – “Jolly bean” purple jelly bean – Big red gumball that smelled like bubblegum
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ALSO SEE: 50 most popular vintage perfumes from the ’80s
“Scratch n’ sniff this pickle” – “Spud-tacular” French fries – “How sweet it is” cinnamon roll
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“Double delight'” 2-scoop ice cream cone – Gumball machine – “Hats off” bear sticker
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“Wow!” pink balloon – “Bulls-eye!” red apple with target and arrow – “Great catch” football
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Hot dog! – “Minty good!” Scoop of green mint chip ice cream – “Orange-a-proud” orange slice
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“Think big” pile of pancakes with syrup – “Smile power” toothpaste dancing – “Scent-sational” stinky skunk
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“Great!” pizza – “Very good” lime – “Pour it on!” ketchup
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ALSO SEE: Vintage Snoopy & Peanuts stickers sheets (’70s & ’80s)
“Data pro!” printer with paper – “Happy birthday!” cake scratch & smell – Apple scratch ‘n sniff
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“Well done” with tangerine/orange – “Berry good” strawberry – Bubble gum in wrapper
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“Happy birthday” cupcake – “Keep rolling” roller skate sticker – “Data way!” retro computer
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ALSO SEE: Remember the vintage stickers from the ’80s that came on rolls & sheets?
2 Responses
still can’t find my old stretch n sniff stickers. Ice cream cone-shaped one’s year 1978 -1990
I to this day, have stickers from my childhood and they still smell. I still collect them as well.