Elongated coin
Encyclopedia
Elongated coins are coin
s that have been elongated (flattened or stretched) and embossed with a new design with the purpose of creating a commemorative or souvenir
token. The collecting of elongated coins is a branch of numismatics
. Elongated coins can also be categorized as exonumia
.
in Chicago, Illinois held in 1893. Several designs were issued to commemorate the Fair, and are available in the elongated coin collecting community today.
The earliest elongated coin designer on record is Charles Damm, who created the design for the elongated coins available at the 1901 Pan American Exposition
in Buffalo, New York.
The production of elongated coins can be divided into 3 general classes, each of which covers a distinct period from 1893 to the present. The first of the three classes are referred to coloquially as "oldies," and were produced mainly for issuance at nationwide fairs like the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exhibition and the 1904 Saint Louis World's Fair
. This period started with the issuance of the first elongateds in 1893, and ended with an influx of private rollers around 1965. The second class of elongated coins, the "modern elongateds" cover the years c.1965 to around c.1985. In around 1965, the major source of elongated coins became private rollers, individuals that designed and rolled elongated coins for sale. The major rollers of this period include Dottie Dow, the "House of Elongateds" (Lee Martin/Warren Bunge), Ralph Jones, Ralph W. Jobe, Elmer Anderson, Don Adams, Cee Ceven, and Angelo A. Rosato.. While many private rollers still operate (notables include Raymond W. Dillard, Tyler D. Tyson, Brad Ream, and Don Adams), the vast introduction of commercial elongated machines into the marketplace in around 1985 decreased the demand for private issues. This event marks the beginning of the third class of elongated coins, the "contemporary elongateds" (c.1985-Present). This class of elongateds covers issues that are prominent in amusement parks and attractions throughout the United States
, and the world. Notable commercial elongated coin companies include The Penny Machine Company (http://pennybiz.com), The Penny Men (http://pennycollector.com), Copper Memories, and Eurolink Corporation.
The hobby of collecting elongated coins (token coin
s) has expanded throughout the United States and the world. Most modern coin elongating machines can be found in museum or landmark gift shops, souvenir stores, zoos, amusement parks and other locations of this kind. Private engravers make special-issue elongated coins to commemorate historical events, personal landmarks (such as marriage or birth of a child), or other events warranting celebration. They also design elongated coins for private clubs and organizations.
An early and common method of coin elongation was smashing pennies by leaving them on a railroad track. When a train rolls over a penny, the force is sufficient to cause plastic deformation that flattens and stretches it into an oval, showing only the faintest trace of the original design. Some early railroad flattened cents were then hand engraved with the date.
Modern elongated coins are created by inserting a standard, small denomination coin into a small rolling mill consisting of two steel rollers pressed against each other with sufficient force to deform the coin. One of the rollers (called the "die") is engraved with a design that imprints a new image into the metal as the coin passes through it. The resulting coin is oval-shaped and shows a design corresponding to the design on the die in the mill.
Throughout the history of the production of elongated coins, various methods have been used to engrave the design into the roller. Early elongateds were hand engraved with burin
gravers, and some are still engraved using this method. More popular modern and contemporary methods include etching
, pantograph
engraving, and engraving using electric or air-powered rotary tools
.
In America, cents are most commonly used in these vending machines, as they are thin, easy to emboss, and are the smallest denomination of American money (Most machines charge $.50 in addition to the cent rolled). Less common are machines that press designs into quarters, dimes, and nickels.
The process of creating elongated coins is legal in the United States, almost all parts of Japan
, South Africa
and parts of Europe
. In the United States, U.S. Code Title 18, Chapter 17, Section 331 prohibits "the mutilation, diminution and falsification of United States coinage." The foregoing statute
, however, does not prohibit the mutilation of coins, if the mutilated coins are not used fraudulently, i.e., with the intention of creating counterfeit coinage or profiting from the base metal
(the pre-1982 copper U.S. cent which, as of 2010, is worth more than one cent in the United States). Because elongated coins are made mainly as souvenirs, mutilation for this purpose is legal.
In the UK, the Coinage Offences Act 1936
prohibited the defacement of any current coins. This was repealed in its entirety by the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981
, thus removing the prohibition on coin defacement.
In countries where such mutilation is illegal, such as Canada
, blank planchet
s, slugs, or U.S. cents are occasionally used, though this law is often ignored both by the users of the machine and law enforcement. This method is also often used in countries, such as Australia, which never had or no longer have a one cent (or equivalent) coin.
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
s that have been elongated (flattened or stretched) and embossed with a new design with the purpose of creating a commemorative or souvenir
Souvenir
A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
token. The collecting of elongated coins is a branch of numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
. Elongated coins can also be categorized as exonumia
Exonumia
Exonumia are numismatic items other than coins and paper money. This includes "Good For" tokens, badges, counterstamped coins, elongated coins, encased coins, souvenir medallions, tags, wooden nickels and other similar items...
.
History
The first elongated coins in the United States were created at the World's Columbian ExpositionWorld's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago, Illinois held in 1893. Several designs were issued to commemorate the Fair, and are available in the elongated coin collecting community today.
The earliest elongated coin designer on record is Charles Damm, who created the design for the elongated coins available at the 1901 Pan American Exposition
Pan-American Exposition
The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied of land on the western edge of what is present day Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Ave. to Elmwood Ave and northward to Great Arrow...
in Buffalo, New York.
The production of elongated coins can be divided into 3 general classes, each of which covers a distinct period from 1893 to the present. The first of the three classes are referred to coloquially as "oldies," and were produced mainly for issuance at nationwide fairs like the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exhibition and the 1904 Saint Louis World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
. This period started with the issuance of the first elongateds in 1893, and ended with an influx of private rollers around 1965. The second class of elongated coins, the "modern elongateds" cover the years c.1965 to around c.1985. In around 1965, the major source of elongated coins became private rollers, individuals that designed and rolled elongated coins for sale. The major rollers of this period include Dottie Dow, the "House of Elongateds" (Lee Martin/Warren Bunge), Ralph Jones, Ralph W. Jobe, Elmer Anderson, Don Adams, Cee Ceven, and Angelo A. Rosato.. While many private rollers still operate (notables include Raymond W. Dillard, Tyler D. Tyson, Brad Ream, and Don Adams), the vast introduction of commercial elongated machines into the marketplace in around 1985 decreased the demand for private issues. This event marks the beginning of the third class of elongated coins, the "contemporary elongateds" (c.1985-Present). This class of elongateds covers issues that are prominent in amusement parks and attractions throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the world. Notable commercial elongated coin companies include The Penny Machine Company (http://pennybiz.com), The Penny Men (http://pennycollector.com), Copper Memories, and Eurolink Corporation.
The hobby of collecting elongated coins (token coin
Token coin
In the study of numismatics, tokens are coin-like objects used instead of coins. The field of tokens is part of exonumia. Tokens are used in place of coins and either have a denomination shown or implied by size, color or shape...
s) has expanded throughout the United States and the world. Most modern coin elongating machines can be found in museum or landmark gift shops, souvenir stores, zoos, amusement parks and other locations of this kind. Private engravers make special-issue elongated coins to commemorate historical events, personal landmarks (such as marriage or birth of a child), or other events warranting celebration. They also design elongated coins for private clubs and organizations.
Locales
It is common to find "pressed penny" machines in tourism hubs, such as museums, amusement parks, and natural/man-made landmarks.Process
Modern elongated coins are created by inserting a standard, small denomination coin into a small rolling mill consisting of two steel rollers pressed against each other with sufficient force to deform the coin. One of the rollers (called the "die") is engraved with a design that imprints a new image into the metal as the coin passes through it. The resulting coin is oval-shaped and shows a design corresponding to the design on the die in the mill.
Throughout the history of the production of elongated coins, various methods have been used to engrave the design into the roller. Early elongateds were hand engraved with burin
Burin
Burin from the French burin meaning "cold chisel" has two specialised meanings for types of tools in English, one meaning a steel cutting tool which is the essential tool of engraving, and the other, in archaeology, meaning a special type of lithic flake with a chisel-like edge which was probably...
gravers, and some are still engraved using this method. More popular modern and contemporary methods include etching
Etching
Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal...
, pantograph
Pantograph
A pantograph is a mechanical linkage connected in a special manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a second pen...
engraving, and engraving using electric or air-powered rotary tools
Rotary tool
A rotary tool is a hand held power tool with a variety of rotating accessory bits and attachments that can be used for cutting, carving, sanding, polishing and many other applications....
.
In America, cents are most commonly used in these vending machines, as they are thin, easy to emboss, and are the smallest denomination of American money (Most machines charge $.50 in addition to the cent rolled). Less common are machines that press designs into quarters, dimes, and nickels.
Legality
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In the United States, U.S. Code Title 18, Chapter 17, Section 331 prohibits "the mutilation, diminution and falsification of United States coinage." The foregoing statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
, however, does not prohibit the mutilation of coins, if the mutilated coins are not used fraudulently, i.e., with the intention of creating counterfeit coinage or profiting from the base metal
Base metal
In chemistry, the term base metal is used informally to refer to a metal that oxidizes or corrodes relatively easily, and reacts variably with diluted hydrochloric acid to form hydrogen. Examples include iron, nickel, lead and zinc...
(the pre-1982 copper U.S. cent which, as of 2010, is worth more than one cent in the United States). Because elongated coins are made mainly as souvenirs, mutilation for this purpose is legal.
In the UK, the Coinage Offences Act 1936
Coinage Offences Act 1936
The Coinage Offences Act 1936 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which related to coinage offences. It was repealed by section 30 of, and Part II of the Schedule to, the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981....
prohibited the defacement of any current coins. This was repealed in its entirety by the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981
Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981
The Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaces the Forgery Act 1913, the Coinage Offences Act 1936 and parts of the Forgery Act 1861...
, thus removing the prohibition on coin defacement.
In countries where such mutilation is illegal, such as Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, blank planchet
Planchet
A planchet is a round metal disk that is ready to be struck as a coin. An older word for planchet is flan. They are also referred to as blanks.-History:The preparation of the flan or planchet has varied over the years...
s, slugs, or U.S. cents are occasionally used, though this law is often ignored both by the users of the machine and law enforcement. This method is also often used in countries, such as Australia, which never had or no longer have a one cent (or equivalent) coin.
Collector organizations
- TEC: The Elongated Collector
- Other small groups exist, mostly dedicated to subcategories, such as Disney elongateds.
- There are dozens of personal web pages by devoted collectors.
- Le forum Français
External links
- UKPennies.co.uk Information of elongated pennies specifically from the UK
- Le forum Français
- Elongated Pennies Information and History of Elongated Coins
- The Penny Machine Company