Mike Doyle’s Pepsi HUO Pengo from 2003

I’m into Pengo? Shocker. Back in January I was poking through old RGVAC archives and came across Mike Doyle’s post on the HUO Pengo that a buddy found in someone’s basement. At the time the game was being traded / sold he posted some photos, showing the promotional sign that came with it – which was really what I wanted to see. Those photos were a casualty of AOL Homespaces, but this weekend Mike was able to pull those photos off an old hard drive and I had to share this story again.

That ‘made’ 4 separate HUO Pengos

We can count them all. There was the Pengo from Battle Creek (Quaker) that made its way to Ontario and was for sale in July, there is my HUO Pengo from St. Louis (Quaker) (Thanks again Pat!), and the HUO Pengo Rick Ford picked up in 2007 (Pepsi / Mountain Dew – Click photo below to enter album).

Plus there was another rumored one out in Loveland Colorado, another Quaker Oats contest winner that sits in an ice cream store, already having thousands of plays and plenty of wear….

Back to the HUO Pengo in Kansas

Ronald Rollins in Texas bought the Pengo from Mike in 2003 knowing at the time that this was a one of a kind piece. Ron has quite the collection, and he purchased a couple of other desirable games from Mike including the Maneater in the photos, a Computer Space and a Moon Patrol and presumably had them all shipped together or separately down to Texas from Kansas! Pretty crazy to think about, especially after Ron mentioned that he paid $850 for this HUO Quaker Pengo.

Sadly, somehow after paying such a premium for such a great set of games only two years later Ron said the Pengo was water logged in a storm and basically trashed. Disheartening. Some things are out of our control, and I have to believe that is what happened. Certainly that was the case with me in my stuck in the rain story on the way home with my two games.

But that still left the sign. Being a geek about Pengo, I wanted to see that sign. Mike Doyle’s photos were gone, and Ron wasn’t inclined to pull it out and get me some. But I’ve finally got them, click on the photo below to enter the album.

Nothing too spectacular. I was picturing something that mounted on the top of the cabinet, but the way Mike and Ron described this, its just the poster on some thin cardboard, either printed directly or mounted. Kind of cool either way, even if the sign doesn’t make any reference to the contest. (I really need to get back with Rick to see the scan of that congratulatory letter).

Another side note…interesting how, as of right now, this is the only Quaker / Pepsi Pengo with the Numerals overlay. All the rest have the eskimos, and they all have the standing Pengo marquee.

Begs the question again – Value of these Pengos?

Not exactly a one of a kind piece. There have been five, now there are three in existence in great condition. Rick probably paid just under $1000 for his in 2007, Ron paid $850 +- shipping for his in 2003, and the guy in Ontario is asking $700-$800. Right now, that price is pretty high, and you can’t judge the aggregate value by what one collector paid but Ron paid it before and asked me about selling mine, so to the right person even $700 could be possible.

Rick probably has a little bit of an edge on his because he still has the box to make it NIB. An empty box holds a lot more weight than a really good story, hence why the guy just north of me in Demotte, IN hasn’t been able to sell that nice looking Pengo for over 6 months at a price point of $375. Doesn’t help the story when the overlay is missing 😉

Even if my Pengo isn’t one of a kind, at least the Alternate NOS Pengo sideart is, and that is priceless for me.

Here are some similar arcade posts

• One of the 3-4 HUO Pengo’s is up for sale
• Pengo on Ebay in Indianapolis Area
• “Arcade away from home” Part 3 – HUO Pengo!
• A photo glimpse inside GCC – Quantum & Food Fight
• First Pengo overlay installed

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