“Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons.” ~ Al Hirschfeld
Crayola has been sparking creativity in children and adults alike since its first 8-color box began rolling down the assembly line in 1903. Since then, hundreds of colors, textures, and special effects have burst onto the scene, creating a kaleidoscope of ways to play, imagine, and make art. On average, children in the United States will use over 730 crayons by the time they turn 10! To celebrate many children’s first introduction to artistic expression, the team at AAAStateofPlay has created this vibrant visualization of every Crayola crayon color ever made. Which color is your favorite?
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How many Crayola colors have there ever been? Although there have been over 400 Crayola colors created since Crayola’s beginning, not all of those are still being made; similarly to playground equipment, they’ve evolved with the consumer. Crayola currently manufactures 120 different Crayola crayon colors, excluding specialty colors. What is the largest Crayola crayon box available for purchase? Crayola offers a 120-count box, meaning that you can secure all of the currently available colors! There have been many discontinued Crayola colors over the years and plenty of people enjoy finding these rare gems. Richard Gwyn is one of those individual and a legendary Crayola crayon collector. Across his 20 years of collecting, he has amassed eight hundred and sixty-four Crayola boxes and tins, or around 49,000 crayons! What is his most coveted Crayola crayon of all? It is believed that one of the rarest Crayola crayon colors is Torch Red, which he was able to secure in 2022. How did he find it? He uncovered it in an old bag full of crayons he found at a local thrift store! Now the color is sold as Scarlet, so finding the original wrapping of Torch Red is a once-in-a-lifetime treasure. All those years of carrying a torch for Crayola paid off!
If you want to collect Crayola crayons, check out Crayola’s free coloring charts for each one of its sets!
Crayola’s history began when cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith took the reins of Edwin’s father’s pigment business in 1885. Does the C. stand for Crayola? The world may never know! The company’s initial products included carbon black pigment used in car tires and red oxide pigment used as barn paint. After noting the need for non-toxic, affordable, and high-quality wax crayons in schools, Crayola (then Binney & Smith) sought to fulfill it and the rest is colorful history (which we will explore more of below). Where did Crayola begin? Crayola’s origins are rooted in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, which continues to be the company’s world headquarters. When did Crayola change its name? The company maintained the name of its founders, Binney & Smith, until 2007 when the name was changed to reflect its primary source of success across the century.
What was the first Crayola crayon color? The first box of Crayola crayons was produced in 1903 and contained eight colors. Those first crayon colors were red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, and black. These original crayon boxes sold for just a nickel! In 1900, prior to the introduction of the Crayola crayons we know and love today, Binney & Smith (the company that would become Crayola) produced black marking crayons. These original crayons were crafted from dry carbon and various waxes. Today they are known Staonal® brand marking crayons and they continue to be used for many industrial applications.
Where did the Crayola brand name originate? The wife and founder of Crayola, Alice (Stead) Binney, came up with the fun and creative name. The name is a union of “craie”, the French word for chalk, and “ola” from oleaginous. Oleaginous is a fancy adjective for something that is rich in, covered with, or producing oil or grease. So the name Crayola essentially translates to “oily chalk”, which makes perfect sense!
Hallmark acquired Crayola from Binney & Smith in the summer of 1984. How much did Hallmark buy Crayola for? Hallmark paid around $56 a share in cash, which equates to around $204 million. The playful possibilities that Crayola has provided over the years are truly priceless, so that is $204 million well-spent!
Whether coloring with crayons indoors at the arts and crafts table, or outdoors swinging on the playground swingset, playing on the merry-go-round, or going down the slide at local school playground equipment, AAA State of Play supports and unwaveringly advocates for the benefits of play for babies, toddlers, and children of all ages. Quality playground equipment and quality art supplies make a child’s world more colorful and fun.
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Classic Crayola Colors
Silver Swirls Crayola Crayons
Gem Tones Crayola Crayons
Magic Scent Crayola Crayons
Color n’ Smell Crayola Crayons
Fluorescent Crayola Crayons
Color Mix-Up Crayola Crayons
Pearl Brite Crayola Crayons
Pearl Crayola Crayons
Changeables Crayola Crayons
Glitter Crayola Crayons
Metallic FX Crayola Crayons
Neon Crayola Crayons
Colors of the World Crayola Crayons
Heads n’Tails Crayola Crayons
Mini Twistables Crayola Crayons
True to Life Crayola Crayons
Cosmic Crayola Crayons
Andy Warhol Crayola Crayons
Pastels Crayola Crayons
Construction Paper Crayola Crayons
Star Brite Crayola Crayons
Gel FX Crayola Crayons
The 100 Billionth Crayon
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This article was last updated on October 8th, 2024 by author Kim Hart
