This is an early DRAFT page featuring extra typos and fumbles! :-)
Your tips are most welcome... to share them here Contact Boomer
Earliest Known
Coin-Op Penny Press Machine
Modern
Coin-Op Penny Press Machine
Pressed pennies date back to the 1800s. But, the real boost in pressed coin popularity took place with the invention of the coin operated pressed penny machine by Vance Fowler in the 1970s. With the introduction of his "Automatic Coin Rolling Vendor", penny presses could be placed in souvenir shops, amusement parks, zoos, tourist points of interest... All without the need for an attendant to accept payment or press the coins. Given convenient high visibility locations, curious "innocent bystanders" :-) as well as avid pressed coin collectors could just place their coins in these new arcade style machines and make fun, collectable souvenirs. And they did! Because of the innovation and popularity of the new automated penny press machines, millions of people have watched their coins being squeezed into priceless keepsakes before their very own eyes... as this wonderful hobby has been embraced by both the young and old around the world! Related: The Early History of Disneyland Pressed Coins
Talking about jewelry....
From the opening days of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World,
sterling silver souvenir spoons are finding a new life.
Pressed pennies have become a very popular collectable around the world. For many people it's because these tiny keepsakes are fun, inexpensive , durable, easy to store and display.
Of course, in some locations coin smashing machines press foreign coins or planchets (tokens / slugs) because of local laws, customs or cost. But, "penny press" machines can be found in places around the world you might not have even thought of like Hong Kong, Shanghai, France, Japan... And those are just the Disney pressed coin machine locations! :-) Check the expansive list of world locations offered by the good folks at the PennyCollector.Com.
How to store and display pressed pennies? Personally, I like to see a pressed penny in a scrapbook next to a picture. They can bring back great memories. Even young children will often remember the first time they pressed a penny. Sometimes, even many years later, the penny will remind them of that day and place. But, once you've "caught the pressed penny bug", it is surprising how quickly and how many pressed pennies one can accumulate. So scrapbooks may be just the start. Framed pressed penny sets, pressed penny collecting books, and Pressed Penny Jewelry all have gained interest in recent years.
They make for a great way to display, share, and enjoy your pressed coins...
Are there pressed penny online forums, apps, and web sites :-) ? Absolutely! Links to some Pressed Penny Collecting Groups are here at ParkPennies. You can also Google the ParkPennies web site in the search box above to find lots more fun stuff like pressed penny articles, guides, news... We hope you'll enjoy this amazing, fun, inexpensive, family hobby and share it with others. Happy collecting, Boomer.
