Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by VariousPrograms on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @05:32PM
(#49367474)
Many traditional machines where you put in 2-4 quarters and a real penny have been phased out for credit card readers now that just drop a penny from inside the machine. It does kind of ruin some of the charm.
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by kQq9oHeAz6wLLS on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @06:52PM
(#49368196)
They're not even a penny anymore; they're using copper blanks.
That said, I have seen several that take a credit card (or dollar bills) but you still hand crank them, so you still get the experience.
Was just in vegas and one of them kept spitting out blanks. I have a feeling people swiped their card and didn't realize they needed to keep rotating and assumed it broke. Ended up with a whole collection before getting tired and leaving it. No telling how many more it would have spit out.
They do exist here in Germany as well, mostly in tourist destinations. The map does not show any outside the US, though. OpenStreetMap has 662 of them here.
For those who have not seen one in action:
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by QuantumNomad_ on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @06:09PM
(#49367838)
I used a machine like that in Sweden or Norway once many years ago, but although it pretended to squish the coin you put into it I am almost completely sure that this particular machine was instead using a different piece of metal that was already flat and softer material than the metal in a real coin.
They have this sort of thing on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, but I think they take nickels now (since pennies haven't been minted since 2012).
I have seen them in Japan and many European countries, but I don't remember which ones :/
There was one in Strasbourg, France, by the cathedral
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by ColinWright on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @06:52PM
(#49368203)
There's one at the Leeds armoury in the UK.
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by gilgoomesh on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @05:48PM
(#49367644)
Destroying currency is crime in Australia, so no, this has never been a thing, here.
Same here in Canada. The solution is that the machines accept a Canadian quarter to run the press, but an American penny to be pressed. No Canadian currency is harmed!
It's technically a crime in America too, but I guess Americans are more outlaw than Australians in that rather specific regard.
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by OkayPhysicist on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @07:06PM
(#49368320)
Only with intent to defraud is it a crime in America to deface US currency. Shaving a bit of the copper off every penny you touch, to melt down and profit from? Crime. Scribbling off the 1 on a $10 bill and scribbling on a 2? Crime. Cutting up pennies to show off the unmatched strength of your shitty kitchen shears? Perfectly legal.
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by hackernud3s on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @07:23PM
(#49368478)
What about intent to gain power over others? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9aM_dT5VMI
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by Sohcahtoa82 on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @07:55PM
(#49368762)
> It's technically a crime in America too
I knew before even entering the comment section that someone here would be spreading this myth.
It's legal in America
https://www.parkpennies.com/-dl-disneyland-pressed-coin-guid...
Tower Bridge in London has several.
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by sfdlkj3jk342a on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @05:31PM
(#49367461)
I saw one in El Salvador recently (they use US currency, including pennies).
Re:Pressed Penny Machine Map
by jambalaya8 on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @06:21PM
(#49367937)
They have them in Canada, or at least they used to in 1983.
Definitely not common but I’ve seen a couple while traveling. I saw one in Gijón, Spain last week. I also remember seeing one at the Tower of London 10ish years ago.
For anyone who's not familiar: all over the place at tourist attractions and airports you can find mechanical presses that will squish a penny with an embossed image. You pick one of 4 images, put in your penny + a couple of quarters and then turn a big crank handle until your newly pressed penny comes out the other side. You'd then collect squished pennies in a little collector's folio/pouch/thing for later viewing.
I guess now that pennies are getting phased out they'll have to "upgrade" the machines to work with other coins...