The 50th Anniversary Magical Milestones coins are gone.
They may mark the end to an era.
Before the park had been open 15 minutes today, a fellow collector’s phone call confirmed an email from ParkPennies frequent visitor and avid collector Josh. Yes, the Magical Milestones machines were off-stage and retired!
What replaced them? Well, needless to say, Boomer was in his car and headed for the park before the phone’s receiver hit the floor. While the over heated breaks cooled on his Avalon, he ran the previous Magical Milestones locations and found six new coins in Raja’s Mint at the Adventureland Bazaar! (Machine Location Guides will be updated soon.)
These coins are new to Disneyland as of today, but may look familiar to avid Disney elongated coin collectors. Some of the "stock" art used for these coins is featured on coins in other Disney parks. Also, just as the latest arrivals at Walt Disney World, these coins have no borders, no backgrounds, little fine detail and have the "puffy" look of computer cut dies.
We hope this is not the look of future elongated coins at Disneyland.
There is good news. These Disneyland issues feature stampbacks with the character’s name and the resort logo. Very cool and something you see only at Disneyland.
Here’s a look at coins. (Click the image to see a close up of them if you are really sure you want to. )
No, your eyes have not failed you. There are three Mickeys and three Minnies!
Boomer is going to take a nap now. He is getting really cranky and is afraid he may say something bad.
I’m sure more news will follow. Check back soon. Happy collecting, ParkPennies.com.
10/02/06 Tokyo Disneyland Coins of the month released for October! Scans soon on the Tokyo Disneyland News page.
10/05/06 No new coins to report at The Disneyland Resort as of 10/04/05. We will post today’s findings this afternoon, if a new machine is found.
10/05/06 An eBay auction featuring the now retired Magical Milestones penny collector book recently ended. The winning bid was $58.00+. You can view the auction here.
10/05/06 A DL0008n, off-denomination nickel Engineer Mickey elongated coin, has generated several emails to ParkPennies.com over the past week or so. Most recently, emails were inspired by another web site’s announcement of the coin as a "new discovery" which was posted to a couple of Yahoo groups.
Here is the bit we know about the coin for those that have asked or would like to know more about it.
We have not forgotten that per the ParkPennies Terms of Use page:
"Some elongated coins may have a cent, nickel, dime, quarter or other denominational variation from the same die that may not be listed. Some prototype coins known to exist may have been omitted by request."
However, you know us. Given the high interest and values these denominational variations bring, we couldn’t help but occasionally write about them in the past and today! Longtime collectors reading this will remember first seeing examples of these unique coins in a top collection or two starting back when the penny presses were first on-stage in the late 80’s. Once in a great while, one of these cool coins might even be spotted on eBay. Off-denomination coins, like this nickel, are from what we have seen, made in random machines at various Disney parks. They sometimes include examples that are not perfect presses, e.g. test roll coins that are long or short rolls etc. One vendor at a Southern California Disneyana show in the early 1990’s said that such coins were sometimes found by "dumpster diving" in the old days. . Personally, I’d rather think of the off-denomination coins that were found among the Wishing Well coins.
Our first notice of this particular DL0008 nickel was on April 24, 2006 when it was put up for auction and later won by a lucky bidder for only $46.00. Since then, this coin appears to have enjoyed some travel. Yes, as many readers know, unusual coins often have long lines of provenance. This very collectible coin is no exception and appears to have changed hands a time or two recently. We do not know who owns this coin currently However, if it was us, it would not be going any where else soon! Read about other "nickel variations" in the ParkPennies.com archives, under "News & Articles" above.
Don’t forget to check back often for news about new machines at Disneyland! Did you just find a new machine? Share the find with fellow collectors and see your name in print here! Just contact Boomer.
10/05/06 No new coins found at the Disneyland Resort, Anaheim as of late afternoon today.
10/07/06 Just ’cuz ya don’t see a post doesn’t mean we ain’t lookin’ and listenin’!
From today on, we will as usual, only post when new machines are found / reported. We will not post when no machines were found. We anticipate many if not all of the recently retired machines will eventually find their way back on-stage, however, it may be over a long period of time.
If /when you spot a new machine, do share the news with fellow ParkPennies.com visitors. Happy collecting!
10/09/06 Official word: 12 more machines coming soon. Yes, two are currently back on-stage, 17 were taken off-stage, so 15 are still in storage? Maybe a few more machines will be added to the list of 12 later?
10/10/06 Well known collector Dee D. reported an unlisted variation of the HKDL0506, Hong Kong Disneyland Chip ’N Dale elongated Magical Coin. This new HKDL0506 Type II, coin has been added to the Hong Kong Disneyland Guide.
10/11/06 We were at the park for most of the day. We found one new machine was placed on stage over night. However, the machine was not functioning properly and was signed "out of order" before the Main Street rope drooped at 10:00. No other new penny press machines were found. Descriptions and scans of these coins will follow. If the machine is working 10/12/06 we will post it here before noon.
10/11/06 The piece of eight "Stamper" is back! Yes, the Piece of Eight medal stamper from days gone by is back in New Orleans Square! It is located inside the Port Royal Curios and Curiosities Shop (Previously known as Le Bat En Rouge, One of a Kind Shop etc.) For $2.00, you may stamp your own words on a heavy piece of eight replica coin souvenir.
The current "Piece of Eight" is pictured above. Although first coin has no inscription, your choice of typed letters could circle the center picture as in the bottom image. (Maybe I didn’t do a very neat job of it, but, I did have fun!. )
We have added a Disneyland Pieces Of Eight Medallion page. It has a sample of current and past Piece of Eight replica medallions as well as the very rarely seen brass "Golden Piece of Eight" from WDW.
10/12/06 Another new machine today! Here are the coins released since 10/02/06. Just click on the small image to see a larger one. Numbers with "r" suffix are the backstamp or reverse for that coin. Two machines re located at Rajah’s Mint in the Adventureland Bazaar and two are in the Main Street Penny Arcade. The guides and machine location pages will be updated soon. Happy collecting!
10/13/06 The latest section of the Disneyland Park Guide has been updated with the last 12 coins.
10/17/06 It’s getting to be that time of year again! Seasonal Nickels Time!
Yes, many collectors look forward to what has been a tradition at Disneyland since 1995. The set of three, usually dated pressed nickels at Disneyland. Some people like to send them in Christmas cards and some folks want to press a set of nickels for their scrap books. Not to mention that many collectors visit the park each year around Christmas time looking for this terrific souvenir that, even at Disneyland, costs only eighty cents each. Like we could stop at just one?!
If you are thinking about stating a collection of these fun Disneyland seasonal nickels, here is a thumbnail image of all the past issues. Just click on the small image to see a larger image. Are they cool or what?
Lately people have been asking us if the nickels have arrived yet or... if there will be any nickels this year. As you may know, nickels are one of our favorites here at ParkPennies. So you know we will keep an eye open for their hopeful arrival. And share the news here as soon as we know they have arrived.
Until then, if you’d like, you may view all Disneyland elongated nickels, seasonal, prototype, Cast Member, tribute nickels etc. on the ParkPennies.com Disneyland Elongated Nickel Page.
10/18/06 The very savvy collector, John W., contacted us with an update to the 10/11/06 news post about the Piece of Eight stamper’s return. He noted that both varieties of medallions are currently being vended from the machine, randomly. Both the older variation and newer variation medallions are, at this time, in the machine!
While at the park this morning, we stamped six coins, five were the latest variation of the medallion and one was indeed the "rounded corner" variation from the past. You can see these replica piece of eight coins and others on the Disneyland Pieces Of Eight Medallion page. If you want to start a collection, now is a good time to try your luck.
10/18/06 We were at the park nearly the entire day. Ok, maybe we didn’t spend all the time pressing pennies. You know, the Haunted Mansion is all decorated for Halloween.... Pirates is extra cool with new stuff, Thunder Mountain... Hey, gotta do something while waiting for new penny presses! When we returned to make our report, several messages were waiting already asking about and or reporting a new machine at the park! You guys really keep us on our toes! Well, here is what we found... As of this evening, there are two new machines at the Penny Arcade! Each offering three new pressed pennies. We did a really quick scan of the coins and stampbacks so you can see them tonight. Better scans to follow. The machines are working great. The weather is wonderful. The park has Halloween decorations throughout... good time to visit! Happy collecting.
10/19/06 Here are the most recently issued Disneyland elongated coins and stampbacks including the most recent six coins.
New Disneyland Coins 10/02/06 - 10/12/06
Click on the images to open larger images.
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Longtime collectors reading this will remember first seeing examples of these unique coins in a top collection or two starting back when the penny presses were first on-stage in the late 80’s. Once in a great while, one of these cool coins might even be spotted on eBay. Off-denomination coins, like this nickel, are from what we have seen, made in random machines at various Disney parks. They sometimes include examples that are not perfect presses, e.g. test roll coins that are long or short rolls etc. One vendor at a Southern California Disneyana show in the early 1990’s said that such coins were sometimes found by "dumpster diving" in the old days. 
