Pressed Penny Machine Question?

[shaycamp21]

Can you use Canadian pennies in the pressed penny machines? I have been going through our pennies to get reay for our Aug trip and the only clean ones I have are Canadian. I don't think we can get a roll of US pennies here and I won't be able to stop at any US banks on the way. Last year we rarely had clean pennies so most my dd's made didn't look that nice.

Disney Wonder / Vero Beach March '06
POFQ Aug' 05
Plus numerous trips to Disneyland 1972-1992

 

[Cruiser1969]

Here's some info from an earlier discussion:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=965406&highlight=pennies

Look like you can use Canadaian pennies, but the US ones turn out better

 

[almacdonald]

I accidentally used a canadian penny and it didn't turn out at all, what a waste of 2 precious quarters! Take all your american pennies and soak them in vinegar and salt, it cleans them right up! And if you have time to make a couple of trips to the bank, ask what day they send out their american money and try the day before to get a roll of pennies. Lots of times people trade in whole rolls so they can get the exchange premium. (My friend is a bank teller for RBC, this is where my info came from)

 

[donkthemagicllama]

Not that I (or anyone as far as I know) really care, but I seem to remember hearing it's technically illegal to press Canadian pennies. Something to do with defacing the Queen's image? I don't remember the details... maybe someone else knows?

 

[donkthemagicllama]

Ok... for interest's sake (please don't get the impression that I'm at all concerned or bothered that you may be breaking some obscure law that's never enforced!), I looked it up... here we go, from http://www.tecnews.org/modules.php?name=FAQ&myfaq=yes&id_cat=1&categories=Elongated+Coins+-+General :

Section 11(1) of the Currency Act states that "no person shall, except in accordance with a licence granted by the Minister [Minister of Finance], melt down, break up or use otherwise than as currency any coin that is current and legal tender in Canada." Furthermore, Section 456 of the Criminal Code of Canada makes it a criminal offence to deface circulation coins: "Every one who: (a)defaces a current coin, or (b)utters a current coin that has been defaced, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction." The offence is not dependent on fraudulent intent.

With American or British currency, there's no problem. That said, I've flattened many a Canadian penny underneath train cars myself (I know, I know, and I won't let my kids do it ).

For what it's worth, according to some other website I ran across, pre-1997 Canadian pennies will work well. Around that time the government realized that they were spending more than $0.01 in materials to make a penny, so they modified the alloy to make it cheaper.

- donk

 

[tribus121]

older canadian pennies will work fine new ones wont like donkthemagicllama said

pre-1997 Canadian pennies will work well. Around that time the government realized that they were spending more than $0.01 in materials to make a penny, so they modified the alloy to make it cheaper.

( after they are presed no one will know the differance )