Although I'm doing a pretty remarkable job of getting rid of things that are in the pantry, I'm an incurable pack rat at heart. There is just something that makes me sure that if I have three of anything, that is the start of a collection that I assuredly must have. You don't want to know how many "collections" of things I have. If this is genetic, I got it from my Granny. She also had large collections of things.
Since I just received a new smashed penny from an internet friend, Kathie, just for fun I thought I would tell you about my smashed penny collection. Probably like every other kid I had a few of these, collected on family vacations. I have no idea what happened to those first ones I owned.
For a long time they went out of fashion and you couldn't find anywhere to get them. As an adult, the first machine I saw was at the 1982 Knoxville World Expo, which was the last gasp of the phenomena that were the World's Fairs. I had to have one!
Since then, I've run into a few of the machines. You put in a penny, and 2 quarters to pay for the privilege of turning a crank that runs the penny through a die, which elongates it by pressing it thin and imprints a design. Some machines will do multiple designs - for 51 cents each, of course! I try to get them all. This is an obsession I can pretty much afford.
There are now 51 in my collection. I know, that's pretty lame for a collection, but it's fun! This one is the closest to where I live, and also the most unusual since it has a hole and bead chain attached. It is for the Big Sable Point Lighthouse at Ludington, Michigan.
Smashed pennies can be worth up to several dollars after a few years. Like any collectible, the value depends on the demand. The more unusual your penny, and the greater general interest, the more it is going to appreciate. You can even buy thin plastic booklets to store them in. However, I don't like how tightly the pennies fit in the pockets. I'd rather be able to pick them up and feel the designs.
Most recently, I've added ones from Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY, and Fort Ticonderoga, NY. I'm finding more places that have them for the novelty, these days.
It's really hard to choose a favorite, but I think it might be this one of Snoopy in a canoe, with two of his little bird friend campers! Although, I have to say that the ones from historic sites are probably of more lasting interest.
And the newest one I got today? It has the 10 Commandments on it.
At least this collection doesn't take up much space!
I've included links to two sites about collecting smashed pennies.
In other news: I edited, I worked on the pantry. Words in Vacation from DMS is at 22,126. Sounds like a broken record, but these are things I need to be working on big time right now, so it's all good.
 | See Penny Collector
See Smashed Pennies- America's Best Souvenirs |
4 comments:
Fun collection. I've had a few of these over the years but I couldn't tell you what ever happened to them.
Ann- sure wish I had the really older ones.
Lulu: "It's a coin! It's a necklace! It's a souvenir! It's a guitar pick!"
Java Bean: "Ayyy, you're kind of reaching with that last one ..."
Java- maybe you like a tinny sound? Er, coppery?
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