The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. While the Montvale-based company continues to benefit from its reputation as a modern, dependable supermarket, A&P's long and rich history remains an integral part of its makeup.

The A&P Historical Society takes great pride in the company's past, so much so that this year they produced the fourth in a series of limited edition collectible trucks. The A&P 150th anniversary truck/coin bank, which is now available in most northern New Jersey stores, is an exact replica of the Chevrolet panel delivery truck used in 1928.

The meticulously designed and constructed truck features authentic A&P logos and advertisements. The coin bank also has a secret key that is used to open a secret door on the truck. The truck was limited to a production run of 1,500 and is a continuation of the series first introduced by the Historical Society in 2001.

I think this is a great Christmas gift, said Craig Grybowski, the business development manager for customer relations and marketing at A&P. He's also a member of the historical society. The exhibit is great. Everyone has a story about A&P, whether it's from when they were a kid or through their grandparents. A&P has been a big part of a lot of people's lives. It's part of American nostalgia and we modeled the truck after the one that is in the Ridgewood Fourth of July parade.

The truck is also a focal point of a Paterson Museum exhibit marking the 150th anniversary of A&P. The exhibit, which opened in November and runs through January 17, has the truck after which the collectible was modeled on display. The truck greets visitors at the museum's entrance before they move on to large-scale exhibits and scores of photographs.

We have a lot of memorabilia to compliment the A&P story, said museum director Jack DeStefano. The exhibit starts with the Great American Tea Company, through buggy days to corner stores to the big supermarkets. We even have a mini old-time corner store set up with authentic wood shelves from the 1930s. It's fun.

The truck is priced at $19.99 plus tax. For more information about the truck and at which A&P stores it can be purchased, contact grybowsc@aptea.com or call 201-571-4841.