Crayon Hall of Fame

The first years of Crayola saw experimental colors that didn't survive the company's first decade. Some were pigments too expensive, some too close to other colors, and some — like Gold, Silver, and Copper — were simply too niche for the classroom.

On August 6, 1990, Crayola retired eight colors at once — the first major change in 32 years. The company called it "retiring into the Crayon Hall of Fame." Four of them (Maize, Lemon Yellow, Raw Umber, and the original Violet-Blue) had been in continuous production since 1903. The eight new colors included Vivid Tangerine, Dandelion, Jungle Green, and Cerulean.

Indian Red, a name since 1903, was renamed Chestnut in 1999 — the company cited confusion that children would associate it with Native American skin tones rather than the reddish pigment from India. Thistle, produced since 1949, was replaced by Indigo in the same year. It is the only color discontinued after 1990 that Crayola does not recognize as "officially retired."

Crayola's 100th anniversary brought four new colors — Mango Tango, Inchworm, Wild Blue Yonder, and Jazzberry Jam — chosen by public contest. To make room, four old colors were retired. An internet poll let fans save one of five nominated colors; Burnt Sienna won. The retirements took effect October 11, 2003.

Dandelion, introduced in 1990, was retired in 2017 and replaced by Bluetiful — a blue inspired by YInMn, the first new inorganic blue pigment in 200 years. The irony: Crayola replaced the warmest yellow with a blue that was, itself, a replacement for a color that didn't exist in nature. In 2026, Dandelion was brought back.