Recently I had a friend ask me "what do you collect?" and I spouted off my ever expanding collections of Mercury Glass, Ironstone Platters, Wooden Angel Santos, French Santons de Provence (Kitchen Witch), and Folk Pan Faces. It wasn't until later when I got home and started cleaning out the lint, receipts, and overall trash from my purse that I found a few of my most precious of collections... my pressed pennies!
According to the PennyCollector, the elongated coin is believed to be first made during the 1892-1893 World's Columbian Exposition that was held in Chicago, Illinois to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America. There were four different designs utilized during that event.
An elongated coin is made by a coin, token, medal or metal blank being forced between two steel rollers. An engraving is on one or both of the rollers and as the coin passes through the rollers it is squeezed or elongated under tremendous pressure from the original round shape to one of an oval and the engraved design impressed into the coin at the same time.
The pressed penny has been a family tradition since my kids were young.. we try to get one everywhere we go to remind us of how much fun we had together! Here are the 3 new ones that we picked up this past Thanksgiving break... Jaws, Simpsons, and Florida Birds.
And what a fantastic time to get me started on Mosaic Mondays!! I'm trying to be more active in my blogging and the group from Little Red Door has really got me inspired. Here are some of my copper hued favorites.. including the hair! One day I am going to try that!!
images above were found on Pinterest
Enjoy!
Your mosaic is lovely! I've never seen one of the coins...how interesting! ♥
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful post! Happy Mosaic Monday~
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