Saturday, October 04, 2008

Souvenir Penny Collection

On the little info sheet that I filled out for the Secret Santa swap I was asked if I collected anything. I couldn't think of a thing! You all that know me can laugh now. I am a collector and I know it, but the past few years I have been trying real hard not to ADD to my collections. I've been decluttering. I've been purging stuff I don't need or want. I have been anti-collecting (or so I'd like to think!)

I did finally come up with a few things that I do currently collect. Dishtowels - Love those dishtowels (as long as they aren't the waffle-weave ones) and pottery bowls. I think that's all I came up with for my collections.

Friday, Tom and I went to downtown Jacksonville. While we were there and since it was lunchtime we headed over to Jacksonville Landing. It was quite a hot spot for food. I had no idea. We will have to go back again!

As soon as we walked in the door I saw it. The penny smashing machine. The official Jacksonville Landing souvenir penny machine. I collect smashed pennies. I even have a book to put them all in. That's a picture of my book at the top of the page. I just got another book at the beginning of the year because as you can see, my first book it totally full - with the exception of that one spot!

When my sister went to Hawaii on her honeymoon I told her not to buy me a gift. She never listens to me lol She brought back a penny. I have pennies from Las Vegas, Niagara Falls, Seattle, Gatorland and now Jacksonville Landing. I have purchased a few smashed pennies from eBay. My friend Ingrid and I visited Crater Lake in Oregon and when I saw a smashed penny for that attraction, I just had to get it. I also purchased a 1934 Chicago Worlds Fair smashed penny. I wasn't around for that event, but I find it incredibly cool that I have a penny.

I love this little collection of pennies. It is small, easy to carry, easy to store and so inexpensive (if you don't purchase pennies off the internet.) Usually the cost to smash a penny at a machine is 51 cents. The penny that you use to smash should be 1982 or earlier. The newer pennies contain a lot of zinc in them and when the penny is being elongated, the silver from the zinc shows through and creates distracting streaks in the design. However, if that's all you've got, then go ahead and smash it.

This collection isn't giant, as you literally need to go away on vacation or something in order to get a new penny, but in the past two weeks I have added two pennies to the collection. This one from Jacksonville Landing and another from Fort Cody in North Platte, Nebraska.

If you ever want to pick up a new hobby or start your kids on a fun hobby, try collecting pennies!

Have a great day!
Kristin


UPDATE:I couldn't get these to load last night for some reason.

This is from Gator Land in Orlando, FL. I got this a few years ago when I went to this tourist attraction (trap) with my friend Bob and her two kids.


This is the Chicago Worlds Fair penny I talked about. I just love it. I like that it is really detailed, too. The end is really curved, so that's why it is a little blurry on the ends.




This is the gift from Alison and Jim. Love it!!

6 comments:

Tammy said...

I have been collecting Wheat pennies since I was child. I am sure they are not worth anything, but when I find them, I still put them away. I have random collections of them all over the place....boxes, drawers, jewelry box.

We love smashed pennies to at our house.

Kristin - The Goat said...

Funny, I do too!! I just cannot spend wheat pennies.

Come to think of it - I have the State Quarters collection, a Susan B. Anthony dollar collection and 50 cent pieces. Oh dear, the list just keeps growing.

I just did a quick google on wheat pennies and it looks like your pennies are worth about 10 - 20 cents each depending on the year - and if you have any before 1940, it is worth taking a look at the values - a few of them are worth a few hundred!

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

We have done this....but have not stored ours in a central place....so I have no idea where they are. Frutal attempt...but your post makes me want to start from stratch. so fun! and great to recall memories each time you look.

"J" said...

Now every time I see one of those machines I will get you one! So easy to mail!!!! I have a few smashed pennies too!!! =)

Something FUNNY...I have a smashed penny on my desk! One of the guys I work with just got back from Disney...he got me a penny!!!! =)

Toooooooooooooo cool!!!!! =)

"J" said...

I'm with Tammy - when I find a Wheat penny - I save it and put it away! I won't spend it!

Also, when I was 18 I was a waitress in the cafe I was telling you about (Dixie Cafe)! This one guy would always tip me with $2 bills! I still have them all! I've never spent them!!!!! =) Weird huh? I would always get excited when I went over to the table after he left to get my $2 bill!!!! =) Just likt a little kid!!!!!!

"J" said...

HOLY MOLY on the wheat penny price! Now I want to go look at my years!!! I just read your comment under Tammy's!

I also have other coins I've kept! I have one of the SACAGAWEA DOLLARS that Shad's dad gave me! I've never had one and we were talking about them one night...he went in his house and got me one! Tooooooooooooooooo SWEET! He has coins he collects too! He has an old cloth sack where he stores them! Hidden! =) When I was born this guy and wife (friends of my mom and dad) gave me a coin! To this day my mom has it in her jewelry box!

Can you tell your COIN post has me really interested!!! lol