Collection: Souvenir Pennies

Souvenir Pennies

My pennies in their display case!

For anyone who doesn't know what souvenir pennies are, they are pennies that are smushed and stretched on  rollers in a machine, and when it goes through any design on the rollers is engraved on the penny as the machine elongates it! The tradition of making and collecting these special pennies started at the World's Columbian Exhibition in 1893. You can learn more about them at the official website.

My first Penny.

My Penny Case!

I don’t know exactly how old I was when I got my first elongated penny, but I know I got it at the Buffalo Science Museum when I went on a field trip there with my class. Some people are very serious about collecting these pennies. I am not a Serious collector, I collect pennies from the places I've been that have the machine. I don't buy them online, I prefer to make them myself. I didn't even know it was a serious market for these things until I was at the National Museum of American History, one of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, DC and saw a Collector's case with the website on the back. 

I like these because they are cheap, fun ways to remember an experience! 

(Sorry the following pictures are arranged strangely, it's the only way they would arrange on the page)

Pennies from Buffalo (my hometown):

I don't remember when I got this one.

I got this on a trip to the Zoo
in 2013 with my best friends.

I don't know where this one is from or when I got it.

I don't know where this one is from or when I got it.

I made this when I went in
2011 for the Narnia Exhibition

I made this when I went in
2011 for the Narnia
 Exhibition

I made this on a trip to
Darien Lake in 2009

Not technically Buffalo, but
made to commemorate my trip
to the Niagara Falls Aquarium
with my best friends in 2011

Most of these were made before I considered myself a collector of pennies.

 I was still a child when I made these.

I consider these to be the very first thing I started to collect!

Most of these were made before I considered myself a collector of pennies.

 I was still a child when I made these.

I consider these to be the very first thing I started to collect!

Pennies from My 8th Grade Class Trip to Ohio in 2006

(my first trip away from home):

To commemorate the fact that I went on
a roller coaster (the Raptor)

To commemorate my love of Polar bears

To commemorate my trip to Cleveland

Pennies from My Italian Club Trip to New York City in 2010:

I made this to commemorate
my trip to Liberty Island

To commemorate my trip to
Ground Zero 

Made this at the M&M store
in Times Square!

Pennies from Trip to Washington, DC in 2010:

I chose this because the dino skeletons
were my favorite and most iconic

I chose this because it was a cool exhibit!

I chose this because Sputnik was the only thing I recognized

To commemorate my trip to
Mount Vernon

This penny was a mistake.
I wanted the normal MV one
but I couldn't figure out the machine

This is the penny featured
in my Penny case!

Pennies from Trip to Baltimore in 2013:

To commemorate my Trip to Baltimore

To commemorate my time at the Harbor

To commemorate my time at
Ripley's Museum. This
made me laugh!

To commemorate my trip to the National
Aquarium

I never did see the Puffin
which is sad because they
are my favorites

To commemorate my experience with
the dolphins!

Pennies from Trip to Salem in 2013:

To commemorate my trip. This is the Official Salem Logo

I chose this one because
I love the pentagram

I chose this one because the bear
 is adorable

To commemorate my trip!

I really like the Salem Pennies. I think it's because they are all witch-y. Everything in Salem is witcht-y even their pennies!

Pennies from Trip to Boston in 2013:

To commemorate my love
of Myrtle the Turtle!

To commemorate my
bonding experience
with Kathleen over
penguins

To commemorate my trip to Boston's Aquarium

Other Commemorative Coins I keep in my Case:

Front of a coin I got at the National
Air and Space Museum

Back of the coin, commemorating the
moon landing

Front of the coin, commemorating the
Freedom Trail of Boston

Back of a coin I got at the Old North Church
where the lanterns to warn Revere were hung

I hope you enjoyed this tour of my Souvenir Penny collection!

Do you collect pennies, too? 

~Laura!