Soil from Dracula’s Castle was a novelty sold by Warren Publishing, through ads in their magazines such as Famous Monsters of Filmland, Eerie and Creepy.
Launched to coincide with the ‘year of Dracula’ in 1979, this was a coffin shaped pendant on a chain that featured ‘authentic’ soil from Dracula’s castle. Except of course, the Dracula in question is a fictional character. It’s actually a bit of dirt taken from the supposed castle of Vlad Tepes, the inspiration for Bram Stoker‘s character. Each pendant contained a gram of soil, and was probably a sure fire way of getting beaten up at school.
The ads state that “no mystic powers are claimed for this amulet” – quite the disclaimer – though it does suggest that it will make you the envy of fellow vampirians (a word that is not used enough).
Sold at $9.95 – no small price in 1979 – the piece was supposedly limited to 5,000 editions, and came with a certificate of authenticity (who authenticated it, and as what, is unknown). The fact that it was still on sale two years later suggests that they weren’t exactly flying out. It is, of course, now a collectable item.
David Flint, MOVIES & MANIA
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