Coins like these have many names, but our favorite is smashed pennies, aka elongated pennies and pressed pennies. The first elongated penny was created for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus during 1892-1893. There are some who believe that there were such coins produced earlier, but the experts have singled this celebration as the beginning.
A smashed penny is is made by forcing a penny (or other coin) through two steel rollers. There is an engraving on one of the rollers (sometimes both sides). A crank (mechanical or electronic) forces the coin through the rollers and squeezes it with extreme pressure. This smashes the coin from round to ...you guessed it...elongated. The pressure pushes the engraving into the penny at the same time it is smashing it.
We've been collecting these since we were children, and now our grandchildren collect them, too. Made from shiny pennies, you can rest assured that your penny will be shiny.
We have a whole burlap bag full of these. They are from all over the world, but, most are from the USA. Some have thoughts and words, others are souvenirs from amusement parks long gone. Still others are from special events. Many of these are vintage and are no longer available.
Because they are smashed in the process of impressing the message, these souvenir pennies are super thin, yet sturdy. The new oval shape measures about 1-5/16 long and about 13/16 wide. This makes a wonderful keepsake for your wallet or pocket.
Please let us choose one for you!
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