Elongated cents could disappear

WillieBoyd2

One of California's cheapest souvenirs could disappear
A beloved industry is going to need to make a big change soon

Matt Sengbusch knew this day would come. As the caretaker of more than 40 pressed penny machines in the Bay Area, he’s acutely aware of what’s happening in the coin market and had been following the push to make the penny obsolete for years.

SFGATE News article:
https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/cheap-penny-souvenir-could-disapear-21235299.php

San Francisco Golden Gate Expo Elongated Cent 1940
The coin appears to be a 1930-D cent

JBK

Elongated coin machines exist in other countries where there are no cents.

The machine owners can modify their equipment to accept nickles.

That would be a good move, anyway, as far as I'm concerned, since elongated zinc cents are neither attractive or durable.

MsMorrisine

elongated cents will disappear unless they sell cents next to the machine and i'll guess they won't separate the zincolns

MsMorrisine

i thought about buying dies but imagine some museums. they'll refuse.

i'm thinking the dies will be collectible

jwitten

I’ve seen machines that have the cents already loaded, and that accept credit cards and quarters both. I think the industry is fine.

Typekat

The Elongated Penny Industry… hmmm.
Who knew?

RedStorm

@jwitten said:
I’ve seen machines that have the cents already loaded, and that accept credit cards and quarters both. I think the industry is fine.

Yes, I have noticed in the past couple years the ‘pre-loaded penny’ elongating machines as well. I think there will be plenty of available cents for those machines for some time.

Klif50

A lot of the machines I used to hit when on vacation (I always packed a bag with quarters and wheat back cents to use to get new EC) but have lately found they either take dollar bills (twice the cost of the old way of 2 quarters and 1 cent) or debit cards, and the cents are preloaded. Just swipe, make your selection and crank the cent through. Still a good deal when a dollar won't even buy a Krystal hamburger (in the 70's they were 7 cents each).

The_Dinosaur_Man

Some of the machines work with blanks. I'm sure the Mint's old supplier could use some new clients if they want to keep up any business.