Pressed pennies and M&M tubes???

[myAAbatteries&aTD]

This will be our first time doing pressed pennies and the girls are so excited about it! For those w/ experience, how many mini M&M tubes do I need to have filled w/ quarters and pennies? I'm guessing that each dd will want to make them at each machine we find (and probably my ds, too but I can easily fool him since he really won't know the difference... unless I should save them for him later - thoughts on this???) so I'll need to be prepared for at least 2 (maybe 3) sets at each stop..... Any estimates as to how many quarters/pennies we might go through in 5 full days at the parks??? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Robo]

This will be our first time doing pressed pennies and the girls are so excited about it! For those w/ experience, how many mini M&M tubes do I need to have filled w/ quarters and pennies? I'm guessing that each dd will want to make them at each machine we find (and probably my ds, too but I can easily fool him since he really won't know the difference... unless I should save them for him later - thoughts on this???) so I'll need to be prepared for at least 2 (maybe 3) sets at each stop..... Any estimates as to how many quarters/pennies we might go through in 5 full days at the parks??? Thanks in advance for any help!

A whole lot.

Here is a pdf document with the pressed-coin locations.
It is a bit old, but it is 16 PAGES in length.

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

A link to another list-

http://www.allearsnet.com/btp/pennylist.htm

 

[I believe]

Hi myAAbatteries&aTD,

We just did the pressed pennies with our girls for the first time (since I was a child). They loved it. We went for a week, with no particular plan for finding the machines. Anytime they spotted a machine we went to it and let them press their penny. Finding them was really fun for them. A few times they spotted them in a window or through a door and they became very proud that they found the machine. There were some crank style ones in Epcot, near Mexico, that I think I used when I was little. Those were expecially fun for me.

We gave them each a mini M&M container filled with coins already set up in a 2 quarter 1 penny pattern. We only pressed at the 51 cent machines. We went for 7 days and we needed some more change the day before we left. Each child used about 1.5 mini M&M containers worth of change. Most of the machines are not stand alone. When we would find a group they would each pick 1 or 2, but they didn't each do them all. If you let your kids each do them all I would double my estimate and bring at least 3 containers for each child. Many people had printouts showing where the machines are. I was told I could even get one from the hotel lobby desk. There is a website set up to list all of these details. We just pressed pennies at machines they spotted. I figured what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. They had a great time with the machines they found.

Did you know that they sell little "books" with slots to keep the pressed pennies in? The book displays them nicely!

Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[miksilver]

Don't worry...if you run out of pennies or quarters there are always friendly CM's who will make change for you. Some of them will even digg out the shine-y pennies for you -- just tell them you need it for the pressed penny machine. My DD was so into pressed pennies last trip that we had to re-fill the tube a number of times...

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

my son is also into the pressed pennies. He often takes out his little book full of them!! LOL We take atleast $20 in quarters. He doesn't get many souvies so we don't mind doing the pressed penny thing. THey are so neat to find. We don't go with specific ones in mind, but if he sees one he likes, we do it.

 

[M2DD's]

Did you know that they sell little "books" with slots to keep the pressed pennies in? The book displays them nicely!



Do you know where you can find the "books" and around the cost?
Also can someone explain the M&M tube thing

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

M2, yes, my son has one of those, but I think we will have to get another on our next trip!! LOL We got ours at one of the Disney shopping outlets outside of Disney and I remember it being cheaper than the ones in DIsney. I don't remember the exact price though.

You know those mini M&Ms that come in the tube canisters??? Those are perfect for holding quarters!!!

 

[laurafergie]

We pressed pennied with DD4 and DD8 - They had a blast just for the "treasure hunting" aspect of it, especially when at the end of the day when they were getting cranky - it perked them right up!

The display books are sold everywhere. I think we actually bought ours in Toontown for $6-6.95? Something like that. The girls loved it, and it is great way to not only display, but keep all the pennies together.

I wasn't as organized as to have a Mini M&M container, just had a ziplock bag in my backpack. We spent about $20 in quarters in 6 days.



ps- The only other souvenirs we bought was 2 Minnie Mouse Hats, a small stuffed Stitch and a bag a polished rocks. Total expense for souvenirs (including pennies) was about $65 for the whole stay. I found that if we got the pressed pennies, where ever we saw them, the asking to buy stuff, went WAY down.

 

[Marniescrapbooks]

My DH loves to find pressed penny machines. I think he must have found everyone. Not really, but he did seem to spot them easily. We have 4 complete books filled with pressed pennies.

 

[mousiemom]

This will be our first time doing pressed pennies and the girls are so excited about it! For those w/ experience, how many mini M&M tubes do I need to have filled w/ quarters and pennies? I'm guessing that each dd will want to make them at each machine we find (and probably my ds, too but I can easily fool him since he really won't know the difference... unless I should save them for him later - thoughts on this???) so I'll need to be prepared for at least 2 (maybe 3) sets at each stop..... Any estimates as to how many quarters/pennies we might go through in 5 full days at the parks??? Thanks in advance for any help!

this is what we do and we've filled up 2 penny books so far. go ahead and start saving your shiny pennies. we even shined ours. we use the film containers and put our quarters in one and pennies in the other. buy one of the little books. we put our pressed pennies in a ziplock and then our 7yr dd loves putting them in the books at the resort that night. we are looking forward to pressing pennies in disneyland in june. it's the best souvenir!!
have fun!
mousiemom

 

[iheartdisney]

One note if you are flying...
have your M&M tube easily accessable. My mom had a few of the bigger tubes full of quarters in her bag, and it required a closer look by the TSA. Maybe they thought it was a billy club or concealing something, but it was pretty funny! We gave my mom a hard time that trip about attcking someone with her quarters!

 

[alyssa810]

We also use 35mm film canisters (what are those???) for small amounts of quarters and pennies. They seem to work well for us.

 

[MrsSilvaStrat]

We are goign to be using the M&M containers this time too

I found great labels for them on the DISigns board.

We did a few last time whenever we had change. It was a lot of fun and when we got home, I glued them into the scrapbook

 

[beckyb29]

I agree with the PP....if you are flying, you may want to wait until after you have gone through security to arrange your M and M container! We got held up in line because they couldn't figure out what in the world I had in my carry-on bag. It was taken out and examined, and we went through, with a few funny glances from the TSA agents! LOL

The M and M tubes work great...it's an easy way to keep up with the change without having to scramble through a bag or wallet every time you see a machine.

A few years ago when I started pressing pennies, I had read that the more dull, older pennies worked better (because of what they are made with?) ....WRONG!! Use the newest, cleanest ones you can get...they come out so much better!

Have fun!!!

 

[megal0331]

I agree with the PP....if you are flying, you may want to wait until after you have gone through security to arrange your M and M container! We got held up in line because they couldn't figure out what in the world I had in my carry-on bag. It was taken out and examined, and we went through, with a few funny glances from the TSA agents! LOL

The M and M tubes work great...it's an easy way to keep up with the change without having to scramble through a bag or wallet every time you see a machine.

A few years ago when I started pressing pennies, I had read that the more dull, older pennies worked better (because of what they are made with?) ....WRONG!! Use the newest, cleanest ones you can get...they come out so much better!

Have fun!!!

Do you think it would still be okay after I have cleaned them all? I have 130 pennies, I soaked them in vinegar and salt and wiped each one by hand (I'm so neurotic)...anyway, they are copper colored but obviously not *new*...so would you suggest just going to the bank and getting a roll of new pennies? I'm torn.

 

[Taylor'sMom]

The newer ones have a different metal make-up than older ones. The older ones actually work BETTER because the new ones often leave a dark streak. Not sure on the date when they switches, but I'm sure someone knows.
Just CLEAN the older ones.
Also, I'd suggest bringging a few M&M's containers to your hotel room but sharing 1 tube each day... they get VERY heavy to carry around!

 

[beckyb29]

I haven't personally seen the streak on any of my pennies, but the old ones cleaned should work just fine! No need to start all over since you have that many saved! If anyone else is trying to clean older ones, I have also read that Pepsi will help clean the dirtiest pennies...kind of scarey, but who knows! LOL

Just a warning about the machines...you will ocassionally run into the "press a quarter" machines too. They do cost more...about $1.25 worth of quarters I believe?? They are just as neat, but thought you may want to know in advance! BTW, there is room in the newer books for a few of the quarters along with tons of space for the pennies.

 

[iheartdisney]

Kaboom's BAM! works great for penny shining...just like the commercial.
The older (1982, i think) pennies that are pure copper worked better, since copper is a softer metal than zinc (which pennies are made of now since it takes more than one cent's worth of copper to make a penny) The "dark streak" some people speak of is the zinc, which is silver, showing through the copper plating when it is squished. Honestly, if you are the average citizen making cute keepsakes for your family, its not enough to make a difference.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I suppose it depends how many you want and how much you use cash. Usually, we are able to get quite a few just with the change in our pockets - and not bringing the M&m's tube at all. I think the M&M's idea is cute, but I really odn't think I'd bring more than one - UNLESS - you want lots of quarters for laundry as well, in which case I'd consider getting a roll of quarters at your local bank before you go.