One thing I like to collect are elongated pennies. More specifically, ones from baseball stadiums or other locations with baseball related designs smashed on them.
For whatever reason, this year I decided to not see what coins I was missing until nearing the end of the baseball season. This is never a good idea, but somehow I just keep pushing it off, figuring I would get to things eventually. (Which I did… but it was extremely panicked and scrambling at the last second, which is unlike me!)
Each stadium doesn’t have a machine and each stadium that does have one doesn’t always replace it each season. However, it’s always a toss up over what new machines there will be each year and unless you know someone going to every ball park several times a year to check on things, it is easy to be left in the dark until something shows up on ebay.
This year the new pennies were from the Twins, Yankees (2 sets), Phillies and Cardinals. (I think. I may be missing out on some!)
I’m going to have to make a promise to myself to keep up with things a little bit better next season – start looking and trading early (and often!) and be prepared for machines to pop up anywhere at any time!
If you are also an elongated collector, I encourage you to check out www.tecnews.org (which I design and run!) and join the club if you are not already a member! Let them know #3511 sent you 😉
If you’d like to find out if there is a penny machine near you – be sure to check out www.pennycollector.com‘s listings. They have a ton of machines listed, though it is not all – so you should always be on high alert when out on the town (or at the ball game!)