Pressed Penny #3!!!

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Swap Coordinator:	kittenmeowmeow (contact)
Swap categories:	Miscellaneous
Number of people in swap:	4
Location:	Other
Type:	None
Last day to signup/drop:	June 20, 2007
Date items must be sent by:	July 10, 2007
Number of swap partners:	5
Description:
This is the third pressed penny swap! Soon we'll have a collection! I collect pressed pennies (also called elongated cents) and thought it would be fun to swap some. They make great souviniers from the places you've been. Pressed penny machines can be found in almost any touristy place. Most towns have one. (Check at a local museam or if you live in a really big city, tourist shops) I'm proposing to swap 1 pressed penny with 5 partners. That way, you only need to find 1 penny pressing machine and press 5 pennies. It only cost 51 cents per a pressed penny. make sure the pennies are pre-1982 pennies to get an optimum press. If you would like to include a little write up about the engraving on the penny to explain where it came from and etc. that would be great. Good Luck! Have i forgotten anything? let me know! This is most likely a US and Canada swap. but if anyone from europe etc. wants to join write me. Must have at least a 4.5 to participate. talk to me if other. newbies welcome! If you aren't sure if you have any pennies in your area, check out the location section of http://www.pennycollector.com/index.html. thanks to tara in colorado for finding the site! If you are from the last swaps and receive the same partner, please send your partner a different design penny. you might want to keep track of your partners for future pressed penny swaps.

Discussion

TaraInColorado 06/10/2007 #

Yay, again!

This is completely not a requirement, but if you're weird like me and like shiny things (I must have been a bird in a past life---ooooo!!sparkly!!) here's the way I clean the pennies before pressing.

Dump all pre-1982 (pennies made after 1982 have zinc in them, which shows up as gray streaks in a squished coin, and won't polish--it just tarnishes to greyish dirty black) pennies in a bowl.

Squirt some Brasso or other liquid brass polish on the pennies.

Stir with something non-reactive that you're not going to use for food...I use a bamboo skewer...you could easily use your finger wrapped in plastic wrap or somesuch.

I let them sit for a little bit, but not very long.

Rinse the pennies well with water.

Dump them onto a clean old towel and dry them off.

They should be pretty clean and reasonably shiny. To really sparkle them up, use a pencil eraser to clean the penny before you press it. My 8 year old finds this activity really fun, and I have to admit there is something very calming about shining pennies with an eraser. It's sort of the same feeling I get when knitting, somehow...

Anyway! Enjoy (if you're weird like me). :) I will still love any pennies received, shined or unshined.

user7639 06/10/2007 #

Woohoo!!!! This is so addicting!! :)

kittenmeowmeow 06/10/2007 #

wow tara! i know you can also clean pennies by pushing them into a potato.. yes.. a potato and leaving overnight. so, load up your potatoes with your pennies!

TaraInColorado 06/13/2007 #

I'll give that a shot, kitten...there were a ton of ways to clean them listed on that site...everything from my method to using hot sauce from Arby's, or scrubbing them with lemon juice and salt.

It basically comes down to using something slightly acidic, something slightly abrasive, and lotsa rubbin'.

I have to admit I was surprised at how well the pencil eraser worked--it is dramatic.

kittenmeowmeow 06/18/2007 #

my boyfried collects old coins that he finds in circulation so he's always trying to clean coins in the most non abrasive way possible. always those silly coins.. sigh.. . lol. i'll have to have a try on the pencil eraser trick. :)

user7639 06/19/2007 #

I hate this...I've got to drop from this swap :( I'm not going to have a chance between now and then to go get some new pennies...#4 I'll be ready :)

kittenmeowmeow 06/21/2007 #

oh sorry to hear whimzee. see you next time hopefully!, to everyone else in the swap, please bear (bare?) with me as i'm trying to contact one of our participants. i hope to get this going by tomorow. :) sorry for the wait, darlings.

FridaKahlo 07/ 2/2007 #

i'm so bummed, i missed the sign up, let me know for #4, got my pennies last week on vacation! aaarrggh (that's a hint) Dianne

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