Would YOU buy pennies?

[dgthree]

I know we want to get at least one roll of pennies to press while in the parks. Doing the math that will be 25.00 in quarters and .50 in pennies. To me a very reasonable, fun things to do while there.

So.....PLEASE tell you thoughts and ideas on this!! Thanks.

lol - I have seen some pretty fun mixed media jewelry made using pressed pennies, and honestly wondered if you could just use a 3/4" disc in those machines. Yes, they would cost more than using just pennies, but they would be pure copper (and could then be patinated, polished, etc...). So buying pennies doesn't sound all that bad to me - I was seriously contemplating paying 50¢ per disc. =)

 

[disney fan4]

lol - I have seen some pretty fun mixed media jewelry made using pressed pennies, and honestly wondered if you could just use a 3/4" disc in those machines. Yes, they would cost more than using just pennies, but they would be pure copper (and could then be patinated, polished, etc...). So buying pennies doesn't sound all that bad to me - I was seriously contemplating paying 50¢ per disc. =)

We did lots of Princess presses. I want to make a charm bracelet out of them for my daughter.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Just a note on hoarding pre 1982 pennies.

Most people hording do not know this. it is illegal to melt down coins, or sell... or export them to be melted down.. ( I believe this law went into effect late 2006/early 2007?)

 

[vicki_c]

Just a note on hoarding pre 1982 pennies.

Most people hording do not know this. it is illegal to melt down coins, or sell... or export them to be melted down.. ( I believe this law went into effect late 2006/early 2007?)

If you read the article, it discusses that these people are buying as a future investment towards when the US stops minting pennies and allows them to be sold for their metal, so it won't be illegal if that happens.

 

[Friendly Frog]

If you read the article, it discusses that these people are buying as a future investment towards when the US stops minting pennies and allows them to be sold for their metal, so it won't be illegal if that happens.

I am not sure what article you are talking about, I must of missed that, but yes, that is true. I had actually put in my post that it is driven on speculation and any monetary benefits will probably be more due to that speculation than on actual melting of the coins....but I deleted it to keep the main statement simple.

I can see the government stopping the manufacture of pennies, but I don't expect to see it ever become legal for the public to melt them. Big G will want those pennies back so that they can melt them. Keeping it illegal for the public to melt them is in the government's best interest. The coins will either come back in or will be taken out of circulation. Win-win for the big G.

Of course it can still be a "doomsday" investment, much like silver coins are now.

Edit to add. If I was a person who pressed pennies, I don't think I would mind paying a little more for better pennies. I would just consider it an investment in materials.

 

[imktdqt810]

WOW...that is very interesting about the pre 82 pennies. I watched the tv feed and chuckled to myself that here I was asking about "buying pennies" and I was thinking about doing this with the newer pennies. I think now I will look again into what we have and try to do some pre 82 pennies. I work in a retail store and get rolls from the bank so I will just buy two rolls from work and look through them. Crazy me....going to buy pennies worth a penny and not a possible 2+ for the coppper ones. LOL.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I'm curious -- why is it illegal to melt down pennies, but not to press them into flat oblong shapes with Disney characters imprinted on them?

PS the article also stated that it is illegal to bring more than $5 in pennies across the border...weird!

 

[vicki_c]

I am not sure what article you are talking about,

Post #11 contains a link to an ABC news story on it.

And yes, not an "investment" strategy I would follow, but just relaying what it was about. I thought your comment in particular was in reference to that, but apparently not.

 

[Minnie-Mickey]

DH has been collecting pennies for 20+ years. WHO knows why? The buckets are huge and weight a ton. I figure one day they will fall through our floor with all the weight as our house is 100+ years old. I used to "thin the herd" so to speak with his pennies but he gets so upset I now just let it be. I am sure there is alot of people out there like him. Hoarding pennies just because for no rime or reason. DS bought a coin book and is now looking through the buckets. Apparently, there are some very valuable pennies out there.

As far as finding pennies with your son's birth year. Don't bother. We have pennies from all over the country. Once they are squished very rarely can you make out the date. Depending upon which way you insert them into the machine is which side the picture appears.

They also have quarter presses in the parks BUT they are generally almost too big for the pressed penny books (if they even sell those anymore)

 

[TifffanyD]

I'm curious -- why is it illegal to melt down pennies, but not to press them into flat oblong shapes with Disney characters imprinted on them?

PS the article also stated that it is illegal to bring more than $5 in pennies across the border...weird!

A long time ago there was a sign up at a pressed penny machine I went to about this. It said something about how you can alter money as a souvenir or something but not for any other reason?

 

[TifffanyD]

OK I found this blurb:

As you are already aware, a federal statute in the criminal code of the United States (18 U.S.C. 331), indeed makes it illegal if one "fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens" any U.S. coin. However, being a criminal statute, a fraudulent intent is required for violation. Thus, the mere act of compressing coins into souvenirs is not illegal, without other factors being present.

From this site: http://www.parkpennies.com/pressed-penny/penny-pressing-legal.htm

So it looks like penny pressing is OK bcz it is not done to defraud anyone.

 

[Suz D]

Sort of off topic, but when we did pressed pennies on a visit I did a fun thing. I bought several plastic mini M&M tubes and ate the M&M's I then decorated the empty tube with a piece of Disney scrapbook paper. I put in 2 quarters/1 penny, 2 quarters/1 penny etc. and filled up each tube. They were heavy, but when we saw a pressed penny machine it was easy to take 2 quarter and 1 penny right out of the tube. Our kids loved it.

 

[dragonfly57005]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

My dad collects pre1982 pennies and always is trading us for them when we visit. It will be interesting to see in the future if his jars pay off for him.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

I agree. I've also heard of people cleaning them with ketchup, which I guess is mostly vinegar.
No way would I be buying pennies. We started doing this when our kids were very little, ds15 was only 3. I can't even tell you where all those pennies are these days. Yes, we bought the cute little organizers for them.
With all the things in life to stress from, buying pennies shouldn't be one of them.
jmho

 

[michelleh1]

I guess I'm the odd one here because I bought a roll of new pennies off of ebay a few years ago before our trip. I wanted to make sure we got a good press. I think I paid around $4 for them.

 

[disneychic2]

Sort of off topic, but when we did pressed pennies on a visit I did a fun thing. I bought several plastic mini M&M tubes and at the M&M's I then decorated the empty tube with a piece of Disney scrapbook paper. I put in 2 quarters/1 penny, 2 quarters/1 penny etc. and filled up each tube. They were heavy, but when we saw a pressed penny machine it was easy to take 2 quarter and 1 penny right out of the tube. Our kids loved it.

I don't do the pressed pennies, but if I did, this sounds like a fantastic idea! Especially eating the M&Ms!

 

[tadamom]

Before our last trip 2 years ago, I had no problems getting a new roll of pennies from the bank -- super shiney!

Didn't know anything about the pre82 pennies, DS10 has an old glass jug full of pennies that an aunt gave him on his 1st birthday. I don't even know how much is in the thing but it super heavy. I will have to get them all out and see what the dates are on them.

 

[disney fan4]

Sort of off topic, but when we did pressed pennies on a visit I did a fun thing. I bought several plastic mini M&M tubes and at the M&M's I then decorated the empty tube with a piece of Disney scrapbook paper. I put in 2 quarters/1 penny, 2 quarters/1 penny etc. and filled up each tube. They were heavy, but when we saw a pressed penny machine it was easy to take 2 quarter and 1 penny right out of the tube. Our kids loved it.

I did the same, except one of the the great DISigners on the creative board designed a Rapunzel M&M tube cover with my daughters name and a Captain Jack with my sons name that I printed out. I agree with you it can be heavy. One of the guards at bag check asked my husband what was so heavy in our backpack. When DH told him, he asked if I knew that a pressed penny was only 50 cents.

 

[imktdqt810]

I've gotten 3 M&M tubes and one mentos tube (I read that they fit the pressed pennies great while in the parks and easier to just plop a new one in rather then fiddle with a ziplock baggie). I think I will buy one of the books.
DS got hooked on the pressed pennies last year when we went to Lady Liberty and got about 3. Then he went on a class trip last year and came home with more. So I know he is into it....and like in the original post...I would rather say I spent 25.00 on a weeks worth of pressing and searching rather then walkng into a store and he picks something out that will break or he will grow out of.
BTW- I went through a few "piggy banks" around the house and switched out the post and pre 82 pennies for the trip.

 

[angwill]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies