Penny Press Question

[mom23boyz]

We are surprising our kids with a trip and want to put rolls of new pennies in their stockings to use in the penny press machines. My bank does not have brand new pennies...any suggestions on where to get rolls of new pennies?

 

[Annette_VA]

Grocery store - just ask at the customer service desk

 

[mom23boyz]

Thanks, I'll try that. Darling pic!

 

[KristinU]

Actually for the penny presses many people prefer older pennies. In 1982 they started adding a zinc center to pennies instead of all copper, so when the newer pennies are pressed they usually show a zinc "smear". I look for pre-1982 pennies for pressing (from my understanding some of the 1982 have zinc and some don't but I don't know how to tell the difference.)

All Ears Net has a page on pressed coins and a link to a site that lists locations: Pressed Coins

Happy Pressing!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

DS likes the older, less shiney pennies. Add a penny press book too, they are really neat, and don't forget to add a few rolls of quarters, those add up fast. DS really enjoys the penny press collecting.

Jordans' mom

 

[Beth8266]

So how much to you budget for this project? My kids are interested in doing this. I looked at the list at all ears and its a very long list!! What do you think is reasonable??

 

[Buttercup26]

We are surprising our kids with a trip and want to put rolls of new pennies in their stockings to use in the penny press machines. My bank does not have brand new pennies...any suggestions on where to get rolls of new pennies?

My dd (11) LOVES the pressed pennies, her favorite souvenior!!! The older pennies (we look for 1980 and older) work best. Clean them up by soaking them in some vinegar, throw in a little baking soda for fizzy fun. The kids will love shining their pennies.

A great trick I read on another board is to put your pennies and quarters in an M&M Mini's tube, put in 2 quarters, 1 penny, 2 quarters, 1 penny, etc... so that they are ready to use when the kids are in the parks.

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

We love pressed pennies! It's my son's favorite souvenir now! As for budgeting for this, we just take two or three rolls of quarters each trip. And then we make the list of what we have when we get home. Then we add to it each trip.

Also, you'll want some of the quarter presses. They are more expensive, and don't fit in the penny press books, but they are still really nice to have, and still a bargain for a Disney souvenir!

 

[hezreck]

The Disney Pressed Penny books have spaces for pressed quarters also. They hold 36 pennies and 6 quarters.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

So how much to you budget for this project? My kids are interested in doing this. I looked at the list at all ears and its a very long list!! What do you think is reasonable??

What I do is save my quarters and pennies all year ... I was putting them in the mini-M&M tubes (2 quarter, 1 penny, 2 quarters 1 penny, repeat) ... but this last trip we had trouble with the lids popping open, so I've switched to putting the pennies and quarters into pill containers. I also have a container or two of just quarters for smooshing quarters.

Also using the pill containers lets the airport TSA agents see that it's really just coins that they are seeing on the X-ray machines and they don't need to dump the tubes out to check ... yep at least one of the kids gets pulled every flight.

Once in Disney I buy them a smooshed penny book and when it's filled they're finished collecting (for that trip).

Cost:

$6.00 — pressed penny book
$18.36 — 36 smooshed pennies (51¢ each)
$7.50 — 6 smooshed quarters ($1.25 each)
$31.86 total cost