I first began my small yet growing pressed penny collection when I was a very young girl. My parents got me into it and my interest in collecting elongated coins has never wavered. Did you know that pressed pennies first appeared in 1892! People liked them so much that some tried to make their own on train tracks; a few have even died trying (1)! Though I would never go that far in getting a pressed penny, I find them to be an old-fashioned yet timeless treasure. Over the years, my collection has grown to thirty pressed pennies of differing design and I love each and every one for the memories they hold.
If I had to pick my five favorite designs out of my collection though, I would have to say my Rocky one from Philadelphia, my London Eye design straight from London, the “My Lucky Penny” design (you can never have too much luck!), my bust of William Shakespeare with the quote, “It’s not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves,” and lastly my Pocono Mountains penny for the beautiful scenery stamped into the coin. I was absolutely elated when I discovered that penny machines are not just an American tradition. During my first trip to the United Kingdom, I scoured every tourist attraction and town I visited to add unique designs to my collection. In the United Kingdom, a pressed penny costs one pound and pence coin, a little bit pricier than the 50c and a penny that is common in America but totally worth it. Elongated coins make the perfect souvenir as they are inexpensive, easily packable and allow you to keep track of all the places you have visited. The only risk is that not every place you visit will have a penny machine, but you can always supplement with a post card or two!
At penny collector.com, you can find the locations of every penny machine in the world listed by country. The website even has pictures of some of the designs available at your chosen location (2). I cannot wait to share the new pennies I will add to my collection while abroad in a few short months!
Wishing you warm drinks and new adventures,
Maria
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