The dated Chip and Dale pressed penny collection is a fun set to collect. All the coins are easily identified, they were all available without paying admission to any Disneyland Park, and they all feature Chip N Dale! Not to mention, for the "Indiana Jones Type Collectors" amongst us, there is also a rumored, 2009 Chip N Dale coin that was never onstage.
Do check back for future updates to this page.
The Controversial Disneyland
"Chip-Pen-Dale" Pressed Penny
All you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask about this Disney elongated coin or pressed penny awaits you. It's a machine vended souvenir that due to coincidence, error or mischief, has a detail that is controversial to at least some of the people that have viewed the coin. The subject matter and images in this article are in the opinion of some readers, "not up to Disney standards". You may want to return to the Home Page and select any one of our other articles. Not because any other article would be any better, but, because a few readers have asked us to say that and we respect the diversity and sincerity of their opinions. (Also I prefer to answer happy emails.) If you also wish to comment about this coin, at the bottom of this page is an advisory, links to some popular message boards that have or had discussions about this coin, and a poll of emailed opinions.
The long awaited DR0099 2006 Chip ’N Dale pressed penny "error" coin quickly became one of the most controversial elongated coins ever issued by Disney. Collectors, eager to press the 2006 version of the traditional Disneyland Grand Hotel Chip ’N Dale elongated coin, had been waiting patiently for about three weeks since the 2005 penny press was first reported off-stage. Speculation was that the 2005 dated coin die would soon be replaced by a 2006 dated coin die. But, no machine was to be found. Then, on January 23, 2006, the machine finally arrived and at its usual location, the Grand Californian’s Acorn Gift Shop.
News spread quickly that the machine had returned. Usually, the reports about a new coin would focus on its design and the location of the penny press machine. However, with this coin, the news focused around an "error" in its design and the error’s location. Some found the unusual um... "design element" a normal part of the anatomy, others found it objectionable, some didn’t find it at all and many found it hysterically funny.
We probably don’t need to say that this coin brought some complaints from Disney Fans and elongated coin collectors that contacted ParkPennies as the nearest place to let out some steam. Often correspondents wanted to know why the machine was put on stage or why it was left on stage.
To be honest, at first, before we'd seen the coin personally, we thought someone might just be kidding us. So we were cautious about how the initial news "rumor" was posted. Before long we had confirmed the reports. We also heard, about two or three hours after the Gift Shop opening, that the machine was reportedly fitted with an "Out of Order" sign, over what one Disneyland Cast Member called "issues" with the machine. When that news was received, we believed the machine was out of service for the rest of the day and didn’t think it would ever return based on the pile of complaints we had already gotten here. Much to this reporter’s surprise, the following day, based on visitor email, ParkPennies posted that the machine was up and running again. Within hours, collectors from near and far met at the site of the machine to press coins and more coins and more coins. For the remainder of 1/24/06 on, most reports indicated that the machine was still operational, occasionally signed as "out of order" and probably wearing out fast.
Surprisingly, the "flaw" as at least one Disneyland Cast Member described it, (Sorry Chip) was in some ways a help. First it made the coin the talk of the collecting community and may make Disneyland pressed penny collecting a topic in forums that didn’t talk about Disneyland elongated coins before. (Not sure that’s good news come to think of it. ) Also, the tiny "flaw" (Sorry again Chip) did take collector attention off the rest of the coin’s er ah, "unfortunate interpretations" of the original Disney art. Some might say that if not for the "flaw", people may have focused on the peanut half shells which are very easy to identify in the Disney marquee art. However, on the pressed cent, viewers thought they were "maybe logs or twigs" or "lawn ornaments". (Yes, I know what they meant by lawn ornaments!)
All in all, we think this coin would have made a very nice dated Disney collectible souvenir if only it had benefited from the skills of a professional engraver rather than apparently being abandoned to the whims of a computer. Even as it is, of course we’re going to add it to our collections and the ParkPennies.com guides. However, out of respect for those that have asked, we’ll add a little tiny fig leaf first. (Sorry again Chip.)
ParkPennies.com often features close-ups of very scarce error coins. However, to a good percentage of our very diverse visitors, it is also "controversial", ParkPennies.com respects their concerns. We hope you will be also. Darn! Wish we could post some of the ChippenDale jokes you've sent in!
The 2006 Chip N Dale Pressed Penny
"Error"
Comparison
Although ParkPennies did not solicit comments about this coin, some were received. Many of them before this ParkPennies article was written. (Not at all scientific, your mileage may vary etc.)
A Non-Scientific Sample of Visitor Opinions as of 2/10/06
General Comment or Thought
(Most also wanted the coin for their collection.)
Number of
Comments
Percentage
of Total
No flaw at all! (Plus naughty words.)
1
1%
They did Chip proud.
1
1%
The flaw is not objectionable. /
Shouldn’t be at the park but don’t care if it is. /
Ok for kids.
30
23%
Way too funny! I want one before the machine is removed.
21
16%
It’s wrong. / Should be gone.
57
43%
How did it get past the inspections. / Why wasn’t it taken off stage?
UPDATE: Thank you for visiting ParkPennies.com. We have gotten a LOT of email about this coin. However, we have no control over Disney policies. If you would like to voice your opinion about the coin being on-stage or ask if there is or will be a Pirates Of The Caribbean™ Orlando Bloom / Johnny Depp version of this coin etc., please contact Disney directly. ParkPennies does not represent Disney nor are we sponsored or supported in any way by Disney. (This is one time we are happy that we can say that. )
"Why even mention this coin?" As you can tell by the extensive ParkPennies.com guides, we want to provide complete guides to all Disneyland coins. To that end, we have covered this "error" coin much as we have covered other Disneyland error coins. (Although this is the first error coin we’ve ever had to "cover" with a fig leaf. ) Interestingly, this is also the only error coin we can remember that has caused such a "controversy" or that was left on-stage after the error was reported. Needless to say, we think this coin and the way it has been managed are very unusual and worthy of mention.
"Does ParkPennies sell this coin?" No. As you can see, ParkPennies.com has no items for sale, no paid advertisements, no "click revenue" and no ownership interest in any penny press company.
Our modest staff is made up of volunteer "Advanced Collectors". We enjoy the hobby and maintaining this web site for fellow collectors. We appreciate your support via your links to this web site and your submission of news and reports for us to share with other Disneyland pressed penny collectors.
"What about The ParkPennies Auctions?" The ParkPennies.com Auctions List gives our readers the opportunity to list their eBay auctions per the ParkPennies partnership offer at no charge.
) Also, the tiny "flaw" (Sorry again Chip) did take collector attention off the rest of the coin’s er ah, "unfortunate interpretations" of the original Disney art. Some might say that if not for the "flaw", people may have focused on the peanut half shells which are very easy to identify in the Disney marquee art. However, on the pressed cent, viewers thought they were "maybe logs or twigs" or "lawn ornaments". (Yes, I know what they meant by lawn ornaments!) 
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