Penny pressing machines...

[Happyathome]

Does anyone know if there's an extra fee for the penny pressing machines? Do you just put your penny in, or do you need to add extra money to get it to work?

DD (whose 7) thinks this might be fun with her allowance she's been saving. I just want her to be prepared if it'll cost more than the penny she's figuring!

Thanks!

 

[DizneyKrazed]

The machines actually cost $0.51 ... 50 cents to operate the machine and the penny that is pressed

 

[sk8ingmom]

A pressed penny costs 50 cents. The machines take 2 quarters and a penny - you get the penny back, just not in spend-able form!

My kids love 'em and I avoided autograph books (and lines for autographs!) for many years!

 

[Happyathome]

I will remember to take quarters!!!

 

[TDS373X]

We also noticed there are pressed quarter machines. they were like 1.25. DD6 just got into the pressed penny thing this trip so when we go back in May we are already saving the brightest pennies since they work best

 

[DizneyKrazed]

In case you are interested...

Both vinegar and lemon juice are excellent at cleaning pennies and getting them all ready for their pressing. I did this with a roll of pennies before our last trip and was sure glad I did. The dull, tarnished pennies just don't hold a candle to the shinny and bright pennies. Just soak the pennies for 5 or 10 minutes, and rinse.

Also, I have been able to go to my bank and ask for a roll of "new" pennies, to save myself the trouble of cleaning them myself.

Either way, I recommend using the highest quality pennies available because the final result is just so much nicer

 

[peep1971]

In case you are interested...

Both vinegar and lemon juice are excellent at cleaning pennies and getting them all ready for their pressing. I did this with a roll of pennies before our last trip and was sure glad I did. The dull, tarnished pennies just don't hold a candle to the shinny and bright pennies. Just soak the pennies for 5 or 10 minutes, and rinse.

Also, I have been able to go to my bank and ask for a roll of "new" pennies, to save myself the trouble of cleaning them myself.

Either way, I recommend using the highest quality pennies available because the final result is just so much nicer

Thanks for the tip - it beats going through the change jar looking for the best pennies!!!

 

[MareQ]

Is there a website that lists the locations of the penny machines?

 

[DizneyKrazed]

http://home.earthlink.net/~presscoins/news.html

This website is awesome

 

[mistydoodles]

I think there are some out there but I know my brother in law stopped at the front desk of our hotel and they were able to print him out a list, free of charge.

He was so excited!!!!!

 

[Hanover]

Our boys had a great time collecting their pressed pennies/quarters on our last trip in August. We've been to WDW many times and we didn't want to come home with more of the same souvenirs we've already purchased on past trips. We actually bring their multiple mouse ears, spinning Buzz Lightyears and swords from Fantasmic back each trip so we don't have to buy them all over again. They weren't into trading any pins (buying yes, trading no) so we figured it would be fun to collect the pennies/quarters.
I second the bring clean pennies idea. We didn't have many shiny pennies and would ask at the cash registers in each store to trade a dull one for a shiny one. We didn't always get shiny ones, and the dull ones are well, rather dull looking. We are going to take our shiniest pennies/quarters on our next trip (next week) to redo the dull ones we have. The detail in the shiny ones appear much better. Both our boys really enjoy looking at their albums with the pressed pennies/quarters and have even taken them into school/pre school for show and tell.

 

[sk8ingmom]

We always have 2 old film canisters in our day bag - 1 full of quarters, one full of pennies.

My kids love to crank the machines!

 

[pezpam]

Shiny NEW pennies can be a problem. Pennies from 1982 and on actually have a zinc center with a copper shell. When you press them, the zinc often shows through as silvery streaks. Not such a huge deal until the zinc tarnishes to black....ick.... If you want shiny pennies, cleaning up pre-1982 pennies is a better bet.

 

[slp87]

Instead of film canisters, we used the mini M&M canister. My DD put in 2 quarters, 1 penny, 2 quarters, 1 penny up to the top. When she got to the machine we were only messing with 1 canister. We would reload each evening if necessary. There is also a pressed penny book that you can buy to put them in.

 

[EAP'sDAD]

When the family went down in 2004 my DS really got into pressed pennies. Any where we go the first question is "are there any penny machines". On our last trip he found the little books that hold the pennies and now we have 5 books filled with pennies

 

[Fryan08]

Where can you buy the pressed penny books. We were down in June 2005 and I did not see any books. Maybe I was not really looking either!! Can I buy one before we go down again this June?

Thanks
Frances

 

[goofy4tink]

You can buy them most everyplace. Look in the gift shops.
Another hint....be careful when flying with them. I had a roll of quarters once and put it in my carry-on, for obvious reasons. They went crazy trying to figure out what they were seeing. And I completely forgot they were in there!! I ended up having to completely empty my bag in order to get to the 'contraband'!!!

 

[TDS373X]

Thanks for that tip pezpam I've got a ton of old pennies in a large plastic Red Dog bottle in the closet and plenty of time between now and May to start cleaning!!
I was able to buy the pressed penny books on Ebay. I had bought 2 as stocking stuffers the last thing before we left stuck them in the outside pocket of the suitcase and when we got home the pocket was open and they were gone We got home at 12:30 am on friday(12/16) morning so I did not notice until I was unpacking on Saturday. I got online and found them ordered them on Sunday AM and had them in plenty of time for Santa to deliver. I actually liked these better than the ones I'd gotten at the park as these had lots of characters on the outside. The ones I'd gotten and lost were from the Happiest Celebration and I think only had Mickey and Minnie. Disaster averted. I'm thinking I got them from Chelsealane on Ebay but not sure.