These are some of the first and most collectible onstage Disney pressed nickels in the world. But attribution can be difficult especially between the DL0058-58a and DL0059-59a. For identification, the pictures above, especially of the two Mickey Mouse elongated nickels and two Minnie Mouse elongated nickels speak to the slight differences between the first and second versions of these coins. These coins were first introduced by Disney at the Disneyland Resort in 1995, modified February 12, 2004 and retired February 16, 2004. Soon after the Disneyland Resort Seasonal Nickels collection debuted. However, no post-pandemic machines have offered Disney elongated nickels. Sadly, given the last Disney pressed nickels were issued in 2020, it is likely that the original Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California was the only park to have ever offered them. Now as time passes, they are becoming harder to find and even more fun to collect.
If you have an interest, some rambling about this set follows with the hope that others will avoid the mistake made by these two "unknown collectors" when collecting pressed coins.
As advanced collectors know, this pressed coin machine was on stage for nearly a decade with the original DL0058, DL0076, and DL0060 set of coin dies. Age and lots of use took it's toll. Then in 2004, the machine was taken offstage. When the machine returned, the machine, marquee and coins appeared to be unchanged, but the coins were rolling a bit short. A collector and his daughter, who will remain anonymous so as not to embarrass myself or my daughter, saw the short rolls from what appeared to be the old, "everyone has this set machine". We, er ah they quickly advised Alice, the cashier of the needed adjustment. Alice was kind enough to mark the machine as out of order and called in a repair request. The unnamed collectors returned to the park a few times over the next three or four days only to find the machine still marked "out of order" or when "inadvertently used", pressing short. Later while placing the coins in our... I mean "their" trades box, it was noted that the coins had changed! A trip to the park the next morning found the machine off-stage, presumably for repair or adjustment. The machine never returned. A poll of fellow collectors at the time found that the machine had been seen, but ignored as it appeared to offer the original set of coins.
Apparently to improve the reliability of the nickel press, the grippers were covertly touched up on all three nickel dies. At the same time, significant enough changes were made to the DL0076 die to warrant a new guide number, DL0225. Because of this, all three coins, the DL0058a, DL0059a and DL0225 are very hard to find. But, it is probable that park guests pressed these coins over those few days and may not know the coins are so scarce. (Unless they are ParkPennies visitors. :-) Checking auctions, garage sales and small casual collections of coins pressed at the time could uncover one of these little treasures.
Top Hat Mickey elongated nickel attribution of the DL0058, DL0058a onstage coins vs. the DN0019 prototype can be difficult at first. (As if finding examples of each isn't?) This guide entry offers some of the notes and references I hope will be of use to fellow collectors. As shown by the images, the DL0058 is the original state of the die, the DL0058a is the same die with a modified coin grip, and the DN0019 is the original prototype, a die that was cut "penny-sized". Many DL0058's were pressed at the park, few DL0058a's and the only DN0019 known to us were test rolls, very scarce. As in most guide descriptions, click on the images to see larger scans or detail pages. Images can be held in most browsers via opening new "tabs" or using the ParkPennies.com "Frames" option at the top right corner of this page.
DL0058a Retired Top Hat Mickey
Pressed Nickel is from the same die as the DL0058, except it is a coin pressed after the modification of the coin grip which was made larger and higher / deeper than the DL0058's.
First on-stage February 12, 2004. Removed from stage February 16, 2004.
This pressed coin set was originally located at The Main Street Penny Arcade, button "A". The DL0058a, DL0060a, and DL0225 were onstage for only a few days, during which, the machine was pressing "short" and stickered out of order most of the time. The machine had been off stage for maintenance in 2004 and when it returned, the few collectors that noted its return believed that the coins were still unchanged since their debut in 1995. Only after the machine was taken off stage for the last time, a few days later, were the coin changes noted. Therefore, the DL0058a, DL0060a, and DL0225 are unusually scarce for onstage coins. Larger pressed penny image in frame or window # 123 Detail comparison of the nickel-sized (full-sized) DL0058 / DL0058A elongated nickel vs. the scarce DN0019 prototype pressed nickel with a smaller or "Penny Art" sized image. The easiest way to identify these coins is by the larger margins on a nicely pressed small image DN0019. Wide margins are only apparent on a DL0058 if it is "pressed long".
Conversations over the years 1999 to 2005 with the manager and also a longtime Cast Member associated with the craft that was in charge the penny presses at the time, confirmed to Robert Hoff, of www.ParkPennies.com, that the dies were originally ordered and intended to press "nickel-sized" coins. However, possibly because these were the first nickel-sized dies ever ordered by Disney, they were engraved "penny-size" in error. When coins were pressed, their images were found to be too small. The dies were replaced before the machine was placed onstage.
Detail comparison of the nickel-sized (full-sized) DL0059 elongated nickel vs. the scarce DN0020 prototype pressed nickel with a smaller or "Penny Art" sized image. The easiest way to identify these coins is by the larger margins on a nicely pressed small image DN0020. Wide margins are only apparent on a DL0059 if it is "pressed long".
Conversations over the years 1999 to 2005 with the manager and also a longtime Cast Member associated with the craft that was in charge the penny presses at the time, confirmed to Robert Hoff, of www.ParkPennies.com, that the dies were originally ordered and intended to press "nickel-sized" coins. However, possibly because these were the first nickel-sized dies ever ordered by Disney, they were engraved "penny-size" in error. When coins were pressed, their images were found to be too small. The dies were replaced before the machine was placed onstage.
The Minnie Mouse with purse elongated nickel attribution, the DL0060, DL0060a onstage coins vs. the DN0021 prototype, can be a challenge without images / examples to compare them with the other similar elongated nickels. As with the DL0058 guide entry, this guide entry offers some of the notes and references I hope will be of use to fellow collectors that want to confirm a find. As shown by the images, the DL0060 is the original state of the die, the DL0060a is the same die with a modified coin grip, and the DN0021 is the original prototype, a die that was cut "penny-sized". Many DL0060s were pressed at the park, few DL0060a's and the only DN0021's known to us were test rolls, very scarce. As in most guide descriptions, click on the images to see larger scans or detail pages. Images can be held in most browsers via opening new "tabs" or using the ParkPennies.com "Frames" option at the top right corner of this page.
DL0060a Retired Minnie Mouse
Pressed Nickel is from the same die as the DL0060, except it is a coin pressed after the modification of the coin grip which made larger and higher / deeper than the DL0060s.
First on-stage February 12, 2004. Removed from stage February 16, 2004.
This pressed coin set was originally located at The Main Street Penny
Arcade, button "C". Exchanged annually during Holiday
Season with "Seasonal Nickels". See also DN0021 and the Nickel comparison page.
Larger pressed nickel image in
frame or window # 123
Detail comparison of the nickel-sized (full-sized) DL0060 / DL0060A elongated nickel vs. the scarce DN0021 prototype pressed nickel with a smaller or "Penny Art" sized image. The easiest way to identify these coins is by the larger margins on a nicely pressed small image DN0021. Wide margins are only apparent on a DL0060 if it is "pressed long".
Conversations over the years 1999 to 2005 with the manager and also a longtime Cast Member associated with the craft that was in charge the penny presses at the time, confirmed to Robert Hoff, of www.ParkPennies.com, that the dies were originally ordered and intended to press "nickel-sized" coins. However, possibly because these were the first nickel-sized dies ever ordered by Disney, they were engraved "penny-size" in error. When coins were pressed, their images were found to be too small. The dies were replaced before the machine was placed onstage.
