The original Mr. Potato Head set cost $0.98 and included toy hands, feet, ears, two mouths, two pairs of eyes, four noses, three hats, eyeglasses, a pipe, and eight felt pieces resembling facial hair. The original kit included no potato "body", relying on parents to provide a potato, into which children could stick the different pieces. Shortly after the toy's initial release, an order form for 50 additional pieces was enclosed in every kit

Those playing with the game were expected to stick the various pieces into actual vegetables. The toy underwent a revamp in the 1960s after people began complaining about rotting vegetables and the safety of the sharp pieces that were used to adorn raw veggies. It was only then that the toymakers began including a plastic potato in each box.

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