Pressed pennies - what to do with them

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I brought back a few pressed pennies from our trip to WDW and Sea World. The coins have been in my handbag (in the little back pocket so they don't get lost) and the copper is wearing off.....I guess that's not really my penny that was squished. Anyway, I had wanted to use them in my scrapbook and now they are flawed. Have you ever painted or don't anything to alter the finish of you pressed coins?

[hopemax]

and the copper is wearing off.....I guess that's not really my penny that was squished.

Pennies minted after mid-1982, actually have a zinc center, and a copper coating so when you press them you can see the zinc. So pressed penny collectors try to use pennies minted before 1982, because those are all copper. You can take them home, clean them (vinegar or hot sauce works well for a cheap solution) and then they will be shiny like the new pennies people try to use instead (and then end up with the "ugly" zinc showing through).

As for what to do with them, I have bought pressed penny coin holders through the internet, and so now I have about 4 binders full of them.

[flying_babyb]

Got any ideas for displaying them? I got a thing for them (am excited to know I can do these in DL and seaworld). I have one so far from Washigton D.C

[Frincy]

I plan to make mind into magnets and display them on the fridge while they hold up photos. :)

[Pixieshouse]

I like the idea of making the magnets!

I smash pennies and then put them in my scrapbook. Either in little envies that I make or in penny holders. You can go to a coin store and find holders for elongated pennies. There are also sites that you can purchase these from

[pezpam]

I like the magnet idea. We go very low-tech. DD likes going through them, so I have a small, attractive wooden bowl filled with our smashies. It usually sits in the middle of the table, but is easy enough to move if need be. It's just kinda fun to be able to run your hand through them and see which memories you pick up. :)

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

But has anyone tried to paint or otherwise alter their pressed pennies? As mine are now scratched, they're not nice enough to display in my scrapbook as-is, like I had planned.

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

i am currently putting them in a scrapbook for my father.

He bought them all for me about 10 yrs ago on a trip we went on and now i am throwing his Surprise 50th bash and i am putting some of them in the book! i hope he remembers where they are from!!

[Dashzap]

I adore smashed aka pressed pennies! I started collecting by getting them at WDW. Now I have all kinds of Disney ones, plus some from museums, zoos, aquariums, planetariums, Sea World, Mt Rushmore, Sears Tower and Navy Pier in Chicago, WTC in NYC, Disneyquest Chicago, FAO Schwarz, Rainforest Cafe, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, Napersettlement, etc.

I keep them in a box. There are too many to put them in books, even though I limit myself to location specific ones (ie. I'd only get a Mickey penny if it had a location written on it, too)

Pressed pennies are great souvenirs. They don't cost much and take up very little storage space. :banana:

[dee slack]

have you tried a Krylon pen to colour them? They seem to cover most things, incl metal objects.

I punched a small hole in each end of mine then thread ribbon or fibres thru to create a 'ribbon slide' effect in my scrapbooks.