OUGD603 - Brief 1 - Souvenir Penny Designs - Research - Information about Pressed Pennies

Information about Pressed Pennies

History 

- Generally considered that first designs were created for the 1892 - 1893 Worlds columbian Exposition in Chicago to commemorate the discovery of America by Columbus

What is an elongated coin?

- They are made using a coin, token or metal blank which is forced between metal rollers which elongates the metal. The engraved design on the roller is then impressed onto the penny.
- Pennies are create by rolling a coin through a hand cranked machine
- Elongated Pennies were originally collected as souvenirs at world fairs and expositions, they are also collected as momento's of events or after visiting a place / activity. They can also be used for promotional purposes
- In the UK a one pound and a penny is needed to run a penny press machine 
- More and more designs are available making it difficult to collect them all
- Collectors of elongated pennies often specialise in a particular theme or designs from certain rollers
- It is legal to elongate pennies 

Process of Pressing a Penny 

Step One:
Penny and £1 are put into the slots at the top of the machine
Step 2
The wheel is turned so that the arrow aligns to the chosen design out of the four available
Step 3
Penny and £1 are pushed into the machine 
Step 4
The wheel of the machine is turned
Step 5
The pressed penny then falls out of the machine 


https://www.pennycollector.com/faq.html
https://www.pennycollector.com/history.html
https://tecnews.org/coins/history/