Conversation hearts are sold every Valentine’s Day in enormous quantities, with messages like “BE MINE” and “LOVE ME.” And it’s been that way for as long as you can remember. Would it surprise you to know that it’s been that way since 1866? That’s one year after the Civil War ended! That’s when NECCO started printing messages on their candies, though the candies were different shapes back then: baseballs, watches, postcards and horseshoes. NECCO started printing their Sweethearts conversation hearts in 1902.