It is said that the Disney VoluntEARS program dates back to Walt Disney himself, who was known to visit children's hospitals and bring along some of his Disney friends. The tradition continued on with Disneyland Cast Members. Then in 1983, the first Disney employee volunteer program, called DCAT or Disneyland Community Action Team, was started by a group of Disneyland Resort Cast Members. By the early 1990s, DCAT was renamed Disney "VoluntEARS". Walt Disney World joined in about the same time.

In early 2005, the desire of Disneyland Cast Members to help victims of disasters joined with the popularity of coin press machines. A set of three 2004 dated pressed quarter coin dies featuring Fireman Mickey, Nurse Minnie and Security Mickey became available. These coin dies were set up to press nickels and the first VoluntEARS pressed coin machine was born. The machine offered those with access to the location a chance to press some coins for the benefit of Red Cross Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami relief. Win Win! Then in 2010, possibly after the success of the 2004 dated coins, a dedicated specially themed nickel press was made and placed at The Team Center at Harbor Point. (A "Backstage", Cast Member only area that can be seen from the Disneyland Monorail as it travels parallel to Harbor Boulevard.) The machine offered new undated Fireman Mickey, Nurse Minnie and Security Mickey pressed nickels coin dies. This is the machine that became known to many Cast Members and pressed coin collectors as "The VoluntEARS coin press.

Over time, the VoluntEARS pressed coins helped fund Red Cross Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami relief, Haiti Relief in 2010, Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Relief in 2011, American Red Cross Disaster Relief in 2013 and to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Disney VoluntEARS in 2013. For all campaigns following the initial dated set, the same three obverse coin dies were used. However, several campaigns inspired a new stampbacks and sometimes even a change from pressed nickels to pressed pennies. Some coins were available for a long time, others for very limited time as the machine moved from one location to another. Often The VoluntEARS coin press was located inside Cast Member backstage areas of the Disneyland Resort. However, it was once outside the Disneyland Resort inside Company D, the Cast Member Store in Anahiem. Later, the machine even made it out to the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California!

Given that most of these collectible souvenirs share the same three obverses and sometimes also share very similar coin reverse engravings, attribution can be a challenge. (I feel your pain. :-) This supplemental guide page hopes to help. Please keep in mind these locations, coins and reverse designs were not made available officially. So dates the machines were made available or removed are "crowd sourced" from fellow ParkPennies visitors, pressed coin collectors and industry related friends. Accordingly, some dates may be based on "first reported observations" and may not be exact. We hope you will share any corrections / additions by contacting Boomer.

Coin Reverses or " Reverses" are the
Key to Attributing the VoluntEARS Collection

CM0022-24 The First VoluntEARS Coin Press.
For the benefit of Red Cross Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami Relief
View the guide listing for the CM0022-24 VoluntEARS 2004 dated nickels (Pressed on converted DL0258-260 quarter press coin dies.)
The coin obverses in this set are dated 2004 all other VoluntEARS coins are undated.
Reverse: Disneyland® Park.
First rumored in early February, 2005.
Located "Backstage" in a Cast Member only area.
The time this machine was available is still unknown.

CM0029-31 Haiti Relief Pressed Nickels
View the guide listing for the VoluntEARS Haiti Relief pressed nickels, #CM0029-31
Reverse: SCARCE LARGE SIZE engraving. Mickey Mouse classic pose, Disney VoluntEARS , DISNEY -small ABC logo- ESPN
3/17/10 - 3/26/10
Team Center (Harbor Point) a "Backstage", Cast Member only area.
Replaced by the CM0032-34

CM0032-34 Haiti Relief Pressed Nickels
View the guide listing for the VoluntEARS Haiti Relief pressed nickels, #CM0032-34
Reverse: SMALL SIZE engraving. Mickey Mouse classic pose, Disney VoluntEARS , DISNEY -small ABC logo- ESPN
3/26/10 - 4/02/10 The Eat Ticket Restaurant at Team Disney Anaheim a "Backstage", Cast Member only area.
4/02/10 - 4/09/10 DCA Cafe a "Backstage", Cast Member only area.
4/09/10 - 5/07/10 Company D a store open to Cast Members and invited guests. (Guide #DO0011-13)
Replaced by the CM0036-38

CM0036-38 Pressed PENNIES
View the guide listing for the VoluntEARS Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Relief pressed pennies, #CM0036-38
Reverse: Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund, Mickey Mouse classic pose, Disney VoluntEARS , DISNEY -small ABC logo- ESPN.
4/27/11 - late 6/11
Location assumed, The Harbor Point Team Center a "Backstage", Cast Member only area. Replaced by CM0042-45

CM0042-44 Pressed PENNIES
View the guide listing for the Disney VoluntEARS American Red Cross Disaster Relief pressed pennies, #CM0042-44
Reverse: SMALL SIZE engraving. Mickey Mouse classic pose, Disney VoluntEARS , DISNEY -small ABC logo- ESPN
1/06/12 - before 5/01/2013
The Harbor Point Team Center a "Backstage", Cast Member only area.
Replaced by the CM0045-47

CM0045-47 Pressed PENNIES
View the guide listing for the Disney VoluntEARS Celebrating 30 Years of Magic pressed pennies, #CM0045-47
Reverse: Mickey Mouse classic pose, Disney VoluntEARS , Disney, Celebrating 30 Years of Magic, VOLUNTEARS, Disney-small ABC logo- ESPN
May 1st, 2013 Event
The Disneyland Resort "Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Disney VoluntEARS" an invitation only event.
Replaced by the CM0045N-47N

CM0045N-47N Pressed NICKELS
View the guide listing for the Disney VoluntEARS Celebrating 30 Years of Magic pressed nickels, #CM0045n-47n
Reverse: Mickey Mouse classic pose, Disney VoluntEARS , Disney, Celebrating 30 Years of Magic, VOLUNTEARS, Disney-small ABC logo- ESPN
May 23, 2013
The Harbor Point Team Center, a "Backstage", Cast Member only area.
By 2015 the machine was moved to the Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, CA, a Cast Member and invitation only location. (#DO0015-17)
The arrival and possible retirement dates at this location are currently unknown.