Offered here is an exceptionally unusual piece of Apollo-era advertising and American consumer-product history: an original Tang “Bake-A-Toy” Apollo Nose Cone promotional package produced for General Foods.
Unlike the loose Apollo banks that occasionally surface, this example retains the original Tang retail carton and the special white plastic container in its untransformed cylindrical form.
The promotion instructed consumers to remove the Tang, place the specially designed container in an oven, and heat it until the container reshaped itself into an Apollo Nose Cone, which could then be decorated and converted into a savings bank.
Because the packaging was intended to be cut, heated and transformed, surviving examples retaining the original carton and untransformed container appear to be exceptionally scarce.
The front prominently advertises:
“SPECIAL! Bake-a-Toy – This Container Reshapes Into An APOLLO NOSE CONE”
The package also retains its original orange Tang screw cap and the complete printed instructions inside the cardboard carton.
Of particular interest is the surviving consumer questionnaire printed inside the package, asking purchasers about the performance of the “Apollo Bank,” whether they encountered problems converting the package, and whether they would purchase Tang again if offered in the new container.
This provides fascinating evidence of General Foods' evaluation of this unusual experimental/promotional packaging concept.
Historical Significance
The San Mateo County Historical Association has cataloged examples of the Tang Bake-a-Toy Apollo Nose Cone Container and identifies the special heat-recoverable container as having been manufactured by Raychem Corporation for General Foods.
Their museum collection preserves examples illustrating the container before and after heat transformation.
This example is especially interesting because it preserves the original commercial Tang packaging, instructions, questionnaire and untransformed container together, documenting how the product was originally presented to consumers.
The museum dates its examples to approximately 1969–1975, placing the promotion firmly within the Apollo/Space Age era.
Included / Features
- Original vintage Tang 27 oz. retail carton
- “SPECIAL! Bake-a-Toy” Apollo Nose Cone promotion
- Original white heat-recoverable plastic container
- Container remains UNTRANSFORMED / UNBAKED
- Original orange Tang screw cap
- Original General Foods graphics
- Apollo Nose Cone illustration
- Original transformation instructions printed inside carton
- Savings-bank conversion instructions
- Original consumer-response questionnaire
- Apollo Bank return address printed inside
- Excellent crossover collectible for Apollo, space program, Tang, General Foods, vintage advertising, food packaging, promotional toy and Space Age collectors
Condition
Vintage original condition.
The cardboard carton shows age-related wear including creasing, edge and corner wear, surface wear, discoloration/spotting and areas of separation/opening, as clearly shown in the photographs.
The condition is particularly understandable given that the original packaging was designed to be opened, cut and ultimately converted as part of the promotion.
The white inner container remains intact and, importantly, has never been heat-transformed into the Apollo Nose Cone bank.
The original orange Tang cap remains present.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description. No attempt has been made to restore the vintage packaging.
Collector Note
This is not NASA-issued or flown space hardware. It is an authentic vintage General Foods Tang consumer promotional item produced during the Apollo/Space Age period.
Its significance lies in the unusual Bake-a-Toy packaging concept and the survival of the original retail package together with the untransformed container and printed consumer materials.
Shipping
This piece will be carefully protected to prevent additional crushing or damage to the fragile vintage cardboard packaging.
Ships safely in a box from a smoke free home.
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