Souvenir Pennies

In case you’re not familiar, souvenir penny press machines take a penny and two quarters. You turn a crank by hand which presses your penny flat. It is returned to you with a design imprinted on it.  You can choose between four different designs at each machine.  They have them at some zoos, aquariums, amusement parks and historical sites. 

The machines themselves are super stimmy!  As you turn the crank, you can see the internal workings of the machine. Interlocking gears turn and click. It’s cool to watch.

Michael loved collecting these! He wanted to share this hobby in his journal so his classmates would know about it.  The journal allowed Mikey to share more complex things about himself which he would be unable to share in words.

In a case like this, Mikey might have brought his penny collection in addition to the journal.  The penny case was very small, and Mikey would not have been upset if other kids touched it or moved pennies around.  It also facilitated conversation about the pennies.  Don’t send anything to school with your kids if you think it will cause a behavioral problem or issue with the other kids.  That would defeat the purpose.

I rarely see these machines anymore, but if you know of one, let me know – Mikey would love a souvenir penny from a new location. Wink.