Pressed Penny Collecting: A Timeless and Affordable Travel Souvenir Tradition
Looking for a unique and affordable souvenir to remember your travels by? Consider collecting pressed pennies! These elongated coins are created by inserting a penny into a machine and imprinting it with a design of your choice. The tradition of pressing pennies dates back to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where visitors could create their own souvenirs for a small fee.
Pennies became the coin of choice for presses during World’s Fairs in the early 1900s, and collections of elongated coins from these events have been sold for significant amounts at auctions. Despite the U.S. discontinuing the production of one-cent coins, the pressed penny collecting community remains optimistic about the future of their hobby.
With over 300 billion pennies still in circulation, collectors are finding ways to adapt to the changing landscape of coin availability. Some penny press manufacturers are considering using copper blanks or other denominations like quarters and dimes to keep the tradition alive. Transitioning to card payment systems may also be on the horizon for some machines, offering a modern twist to this classic souvenir.
While the end of penny production may pose challenges for some collectors, the hobby of collecting pressed pennies continues to thrive. With new machines popping up across the U.S. and even in Canada, enthusiasts are finding ways to keep the tradition alive and enjoy their unique collections for years to come. So, next time you come across a penny press machine, consider creating your own personalized souvenir to commemorate your adventures.