Crayola Retired Colors Limited Edition: Crayons, Markers, and Colored Pencils Reviewed

Introduction

Crayola recently re-released a handful of retired colors, the shades it stopped making years or even decades ago, in a limited edition collection. The announcement generated an immediate scramble: online listings showed out of stock or coming soon, and finding the packs meant actually visiting physical stores. In practice, the hunt was easier than expected, with the products turning up on an end cap at the very first store checked, even when inventory systems suggested otherwise.

There are three ways to buy into this release: an eight-pack of crayons featuring all eight retired shades, a matching eight-pack of markers, and a limited edition colored pencil collection. This review covers all three, including how faithfully the colors translate between mediums.

Why Retired Crayola Colors Have Such a Following

The most beloved of these shades is almost certainly Dandelion. Developed in 1990, the golden yellow built a devoted fanbase, and when Crayola announced in 2017 that it would be retired from the 24-count box to make room for a new blue, the reaction was genuine. Fans held what amounted to a retirement tour, collectors stockpiled the crayon, and one particularly devoted fan went viral for a large shrine to the color. That same fan was invited by Crayola to celebrate Dandelion coming out of retirement in New York City.

The backstory is interesting: in 2009, Oregon State University discovered a new blue pigment, and Crayola used it for a crayon destined for the 24-pack. Something had to go, and Dandelion was the choice. This re-release is not permanent, though. These colors are back for a limited time only.

The Eight Retired Colors

The pack contains eight shades, each wrapped in the same paper sleeve, and each with its own history. Blizzard Blue was released in 1972 and retired in 2003. Magic Mint, apparently a fluorescent color, was also retired in 2003. Mulberry was released in 1958 and retired in 2003. Violet Blue, released in 1958, was retired in 1990 and replaced by Fuchsia. Orange Red, also from 1958, was retired in 1990. Lemon Yellow dates all the way back to 1903 before its 1990 retirement, and was replaced by a teal blue, continuing Crayola’s curious habit of replacing yellows with blues. Raw Umber, from the original 1908 sets, was retired in 1990. And finally, Dandelion.

For many people, this box is less a stationery purchase and more nostalgia in a box. With over 500 retired Crayola crayons in total, some overlapping in appearance, these eight represent a carefully chosen, sentimental slice of that history.

How the Colors Translate Across Mediums

Swatching all three sets side by side revealed one of the most impressive aspects of this release: the colored pencils match the crayon colors almost exactly. Different mediums usually shift a color slightly, but here the shades read as identical, which is genuinely well executed.

The markers are mostly cohesive with the other two sets, with one exception. The Lemon Yellow marker runs warmer than the crayon and pencil versions, a noticeably different tone. Interestingly, it is actually the more attractive version of that particular shade. The marker set itself has a charming retro look that many will wish Crayola used permanently.

As for the colors themselves, Dandelion is a genuinely lovely golden yellow, and it is easy to see why the fanbase exists. Violet Blue and Orange Red are the other standouts, with Orange Red looking like the proper brick red that many people felt was always missing from their childhood sets. Lemon Yellow is the weakest shade in the pack, and the pale blue and wishy-washy greens feel like colors that were retired for good reason.

Using the Crayons for Real

Putting the crayons to work on an underwater scene coloring page showed both their strengths and their limits. Blending is famously difficult with crayons, and these are no exception; combining the pale blue and Raw Umber proved nearly impossible to do smoothly. A more successful technique was scraping: using a plastic mixing knife to remove the weak Blizzard Blue layer revealed a warmer, richer brown underneath.

Raw Umber carries its own story. It was one of the first Crayola crayons, present in the original 1908 sets, and it has been re-released several times over the decades, including in limited edition packs in 1991, 1998, 2003, 2008, and now 2025. So it is not quite as rare as its age suggests, but the vintage appeal is undeniable, even if dozens of brown crayons look much the same.

The overall result was a simple, satisfying coloring session with a distinctly vintage palette. Even for someone who normally prefers other mediums, the experience was genuinely enjoyable.

Should You Buy Them?

These sets make sense for a few different buyers. If you want the full nostalgic experience and the classic crayon feel, the eight-pack of crayons is the core of the release. If you prefer the retro marker design and the most color-accurate marker experience, the marker set is a charming companion, particularly with its vintage styling. And if you want the most precise color fidelity to the original shades, the colored pencils are the standout, matching the crayon colors almost perfectly.

Crayola’s move here is commercially clever: bringing back classics people could not buy is a highly effective way to sell crayons people do not strictly need. But the quality of the color matching and the genuine charm of shades like Dandelion make this more than just a nostalgia cash grab. It is also one of the few still relatively affordable creative purchases, and practically impossible to recreate with other brands.

Conclusion

The Crayola Retired Colors limited edition collection succeeds because it delivers on both halves of its promise: authentic nostalgia and genuinely pleasant colors. Dandelion earns its reputation, Violet Blue and Orange Red are delightful, and the colored pencils in particular show impressive color matching across mediums. Lemon Yellow and the washed-out pale shades are forgettable, but that is part of the history too. Whether you display the packs pristine on a shelf or color every last page with them, this is a fun, affordable piece of Crayola’s century-long story brought back for a limited time.