Best way to shine pennies?

[tchrrx]

This website has a list of the pressed penny machines at WDW.

http://www.parkpennies.com/wdwwaltdisneyworld/wdwpennies.htm

 

[samepoohdifferentday]

I have heard (a few times) that pressed penny machines DO NOT actually use the penny you supply. They use a cheap cooper slug.

Maybe not??? Don't know....

 

[Panna]

I have so many pressed pennies, I got two sets of everyone I could find when I was there in 1999. Now I am taking my daughters to share in this fun and they are so excited. Thanks for the link to the list I have been looking for one.

Which is the best way to put the penny in the machine? Face of the penny facing left? I thought that was what we had decided on for a clearer picture.


As for it using a penny that you have not supplied, that has never been my experiance.

 

[Sleepy]

I have heard (a few times) that pressed penny machines DO NOT actually use the penny you supply. They use a cheap cooper slug.

Maybe not??? Don't know....

This is not true. You do get the very penny you supply.

If you are not concerned with the pre 1982 pennies, it is much easier to just go to the bank and ask for rolls of new pennies. We often just went into a gift shop right in the parks and asked for new penny rolls. They always had them and knew why we were asking.

 

[jetprincess]

But wait...does it cost 25 cents or 50 cents to press a penny? I have read 2 different things here(not in this post)

 

[marathonmommy]

But wait...does it cost 25 cents or 50 cents to press a penny? I have read 2 different things here(not in this post)

I believe it is 50 cents plus your penny.

 

[reeeoga]

Random penny facts:

I am looking at my Pooh 6 of 7 now.

Cost to press: 50 cents plus my penny.

It does actually use your penny, you can still see the markings in the back.

"Mythbusters" used cola to remove crud from pennies. It worked.

New pennies have a silver background when pressed.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

Well, we went through all of our pennies and found all the pre-1982 ones. I bought some Brasso and my son and I cleaned up 108 pennies (there are 36 slots in the pressed pennies books, correct??) so 36 x 3 kids = 108 pennies. They cleaned up really nicely. We tried vinegar first and it didn't really clean them that well. I was going to get the clr, but it was like $6 and the Brasso was $3 and it shined them up really nice! We also counted our change and we've almost got enough quarters for one book and we aren't going until August, so we should have that done rather quickly.

 

[angel's momma]

Can anyone give me an idea how long to leave the pennies in the vinegar?

Thanks!!

I put ours in a single layer for a couple of hours, then turned them over & soaked them for a couple more hours. Then rinsed & dried them. Worked well, but there may be a better way.

 

[FairyAuntMother]

Thanks!

I gave my pennies a vinegar bath twice - they are getting a little better but not much. I'm going to give the cola a shot - or maybe the ketchup.

My Mom thinks I'm nuts!

The things I do for my nieces . . . lol!

 

[Sleepy]

if you did all of the machines in the parks??? Is there a place that shows the locations?? My daughter was thinking about doing this, and as I'm on a serious budget, want to make sure I have enough for her Thanks!

http://www.presscoins.com/Listings/WDWListChanges.pdf

According to this, there are 494 pressed coins available at WDW right now (many in DTD and the resorts). Even if all of these were pennies, which they are not, it would cost you $247 for the quarters required to operate the machine, then your additional pennies to be pressed would be another $4.94. So, your souvie would cost about $250 if you got all of them. But, some of them are quarter presses, so that figure would be more. Luckily I do have several from previous years, but they changed the machines and I need to get ALOT of coins. I will be busy. It is a fun souvie to get though.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

http://www.presscoins.com/Listings/WDWListChanges.pdf

According to this, there are 494 pressed coins available at WDW right now (many in DTD and the resorts). Even if all of these were pennies, which they are not, it would cost you $247 for the quarters required to operate the machine, then your additional pennies to be pressed would be another $4.94. So, your souvie would cost about $250 if you got all of them. But, some of them are quarter presses, so that figure would be more. Luckily I do have several from previous years, but they changed the machines and I need to get ALOT of coins. I will be busy. It is a fun souvie to get though.

Thanks,
we are just going to do one book for each kid, so that holds 36, so 36x 3, so just that many pennies.

 

[marathonmommy]

Thanks,
we are just going to do one book for each kid, so that holds 36, so 36x 3, so just that many pennies.

The book I have holds 36 and then there is another "page" that has some bigger slots. I think it holds 6 additional coins . . .

 

[DisneyL8T]

I just use shower power to clean my pennies. I just soak them for a couple minutes, check to make sure they are clean, take them out, rinse them in water and then set them out to dry. It doesn't take too long depending on how many you soak at one time, but it makes them really shiny. Also if anyone is interested, there is a really nice 50th anniversary set of pressed pennies to collect at Disneyland. I have them all. It's a really nice set and collectors item that's not too expensive.

 

[tmtg]

Can someone please clarifly exactly how pressed pennies work? Is there just a machine sitting in a corner somewhere that you place a penny in (with 50 cents) and then it pops out a pressed penny? And does it also take canadian pennies?

thanks for the info in advance!

 

[WeluvDisney2]

I clean my pennies with playdoh. The kids like to play with the playdoh, and the pennies get clean at the same time!

 

[Panna]

Can someone please clarifly exactly how pressed pennies work? Is there just a machine sitting in a corner somewhere that you place a penny in (with 50 cents) and then it pops out a pressed penny? And does it also take canadian pennies?

thanks for the info in advance!

Yup, that's basically it. You place your penny in one slot, and your quarters in other slots and the machine turnes on and pulls your penny through the machinery and out comes a stretched penny with a new picture on it.

 

[mikey13v]

It's a rather harsh agent, but I use tarnex. It'll have those pennies shining within seconds. Rinse with hot water, then dry completely.
We always use 1982 and earlier pennies (100% copper).
There are over 350 pennies at WDW, and they do not change those designs too often.
The quarter press designs are changed with each celebration, or about every 2 years. They will usually have a theme, and almost every quarter press will be changed near the same time at the start of the celebration (100 years of magic, 50 years celebration, ect..).
Also, we use pre 1965 washington quarters (90% silver), they run about $1.25 per coin. Be warned that these coins do not press as perfectly as the modern nickle/copper quarters, and there will be some imperfections.
If you become an obsessive collector, expect to spend $200 per year to keep up. It can get out of hand quickly!!
One final note. The coin holders that Disney sells are nice, but the rubberized plastic used in them can promote oxidation of the copper in the coins. They will begin to turn green. We use those folding cardborad/plastic coin collecting holders. The half dollar size fits well for pressed pennies.

Wow, I need help!!

 

[mlwear]

Vinegar and salt works well.

I knew it had something to do with vinegar and something very common, salt it must be! (or maybe it was baking soda as someone else wrote I remember shining pennies as a science experiement in primary grades of elementary school. I use Bar Keepers friend on my copper pots, I imagine it would work on pennies -- but you have so many ideas to try now.
Last year we saved pennies with the current year's stamp. I drove my extended family crazy with this idea.
I read this tip from the Dis and it worked great: an empty mini M&M's tube filled with quarters and pennies -- stack in layers of 2 quarters and then a penny. It was really handy!

 

[cinderanna]

I am just going to go to a coin store and buy a roll of pre 1982 uncirculated pennies so I don't have to clean them. I called and they said they only cost $1.00-$2.00 depending on the year. That extra $1.50 is worth it to me to not have to clean a bunch of pennies!