Elongated Coins, Wooden Nickels & Novelty Pieces

The Fun Side of Numismatics

Not everything in numismatics needs to be serious. Elongated coins, wooden nickels, encased coins, and other novelty numismatic items represent the playful, accessible side of the hobby — items that are fun to collect, inexpensive to acquire, and surprisingly rich in history and variety. These items connect to American tourism, civic pride, advertising history, and the simple joy of collecting something unusual.

Elongated Coins (Pressed Pennies)

You've seen the machines at tourist attractions, zoos, museums, and amusement parks — insert a penny and two quarters, turn the crank, and out comes a flattened, elongated copper oval imprinted with a souvenir design. These elongated coins (commonly called "pressed pennies" or "squished pennies") are one of the most accessible and family-friendly collecting areas in all of numismatics.

Key facts about elongated coin collecting:

• History: The first elongated coins were produced at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago — the same fair that introduced the first US commemorative coin
• Legality: It is legal to deface US coins for numismatic purposes. Federal law prohibits defacing coins with intent to use them fraudulently, but pressing pennies as souvenirs is explicitly permitted.
• Variety: Over 100,000 different elongated coin designs have been produced worldwide, with new machines installed constantly
• Cost: $0.51 per coin at the machine (penny + two quarters). Vintage or rare elongated coins can cost $5-$50 on the secondary market.
• Organization: The Elongated Collectors (TEC) organization connects enthusiasts and publishes directories of machine locations

Many collectors organize elongated pennies by location (all coins from National Parks, all coins from a specific state), theme (animals, landmarks, historical figures), or event (World's Fairs, coin shows, special occasions). Coin shows often have elongated penny machines at their entrances — collecting show-specific elongated coins adds a show-by-show record of your numismatic travels.

Wooden Nickels

The phrase "Don't take any wooden nickels" entered American English as advice against being cheated, but actual wooden nickels have a rich numismatic history. These thin wooden discs, typically nickel-sized, were first produced in the 1930s as Depression-era emergency money when banks closed and coins became scarce. Towns like Tenino, Washington, issued wooden money that circulated as legitimate local currency.

After the Depression, wooden nickels evolved into promotional and commemorative items issued by businesses, civic organizations, coin clubs, and events. They carry advertising, commemorate anniversaries, and serve as "good for" tokens redeemable for merchandise or services.

Collecting wooden nickels is extremely affordable ($0.25-$5 for most pieces) and offers surprising variety — tens of thousands of different designs have been produced. Vintage Depression-era wooden money from the 1930s commands premiums ($20-$100+) for its historical significance.

Encased Coins

Encased coins are real coins sealed inside aluminum or plastic cases with advertising messages stamped on the encasement. Most common are encased cents — a genuine Lincoln cent visible through a window in an aluminum shell bearing a business's name and advertising message. Popular from the 1940s through 1970s as advertising giveaways, encased coins combine genuine numismatic items with advertising history.

Encased cent collecting focuses on the advertising message rather than the enclosed coin — collectors pursue specific businesses, industries, geographic areas, or time periods. Prices are modest ($3-$20 for most examples) with scarce or historically significant pieces commanding more.

Other Novelty Numismatic Items

• Hobo nickels: Buffalo nickels with the Native American portrait carved into a new design (skulls, portraits, characters). A folk art tradition with a dedicated collector following. Simple carvings: $20-$50. Masterful contemporary carving: $500-$5,000+.
• Love tokens: 19th-century coins with one side smoothed and engraved with initials, names, dates, or designs. Often given as romantic gifts. Common examples: $20-$100.
• Coin jewelry: Coins incorporated into rings, pendants, cufflinks, and brooches. Vintage coin jewelry combining numismatic and jewelry collecting interests.
• Lucky pennies and pocket pieces: Coins carried for luck, often with specific years or varieties considered fortunate.

These novelty items appear frequently at coin shows in dealer bargain bins and specialty displays. They make excellent gifts for non-collectors, introduce children to numismatics in a fun way, and add personality and variety to any collection.