Excerpts from our Newsletter

The following are bits and pieces of squished fun culled from the pages of The Centinel, our official newsletter.The first of it's kind, The Centinel has been inspiring collectors for years. Here's a sample:

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Smart Thinkin', Mr. Lincoln (excerpt from squissue 1)

This is the section where we will dispense all of our collector's knowledge (and some other stuff) to help our readers with issues ranging from locations to archival hints. This one is dedicated to all you aficionados of the penny hunt. Here are some hints to help you tune your penny radars when on the road.

When traveling by car, especially in the northeastern states make sure to drink plenty of soda and coffee so you can make plenty of stops at the "travel plazas" along the way. These are the commercialized bathrooms/mall food courts which have taken over many of the turnpikes including the granddaddy of all east coast roads, I-95. These are also excellent sources for both generic lucky pennies as well as site specific gems. In my experience each plaza has at least one machine, close to the restroom. So drink up, and make plenty of penny stops!

When visiting a new city (any of the top ten or mid-size cities will do) always check out any observation tower. Sometimes these are in office buildings like the Empire State Building, and sometimes they are stand-alone structures like the Seattle Space Needle. But no matter their function, these are all excellent locations for some of our favorite penny presses and usually great places to get a good overview of the city.

When visiting cities with kids, make sure to check out the science center or science museum. These are great sources of penny pressing machines, and hopefully some have great explanations of the science behind the souvenir (although we haven't found one yet). And besides, who can pass up a chance to touch one of those static machines that make your hair stand on end?

An old penny-hangout favorite is in the most commercialized hotel/saloon in a western town. You know, where they sell T-shirts and shot glasses proclaiming their establishment as "The World Famous" something-or-other, "Home of" something you don't really care about....

There's more to this story printed in Squissue 1.
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Penny Lane (excerpt from squissue 2)

This feature chronicles the arteries of the squished penny circulation system: the lifeline which links us all. Simply put, we will focus on the roads which lead us to our squished nirvana. They aren't necessarily the roads with the most pennies per mile, or the most penny-friendly stops, or the best designed pennies; simply put, they are some of the routes which are steeped in the penny phenomenon. Enjoy.

Route 76
The home of Country Music West straddles the winding Route 76 through Branson, Missouri. Lined along the bottlenecked music main street are numerous theaters owned by the twanging greats of yesteryear. Between performing three shows a day and doing radio spots for the tourist board, these musical legends can revel in the security of knowing that they're forever engraved on Lincoln's rear end. Any theater in Branson worth it's weight in geriatric discounted matinee tickets has at least one squished penny machine.

But even for some reason you miss all of the theaters in the town (a prospect tantamount to overlooking the heat in Death Valley), you can still find plenty of pennies in the giftshops, amusement parks, and themed attractions lining 76. The breadth of designs in Branson is simply staggering. Whether searching for your traditional religious-themed token of devotion, or a mystery-themed token from Ripley's Believe It or Not, you'll be impressed with the offerings. Especially refreshing is the selection at some of the amusement centers, rolling out fine examples of a trip around the racetrack or the wet ride down the waterslide. If you're in search of guitar strum or a go-kart's hum, say Branson!

I-81
Running roughly parallel to the behemoth I-95 scar is the more tranquil & civilized Interstate 81. Traversing through the Appalachian wrinkle, from the Canadian line in upstate New York, to Jefferson County, Tennessee, this stretch of superhighway is a relaxing alternative to the clogged coastal arteries.

The most scenic stretch of 81 winds through the Shenandoah Valley in western Virginia. There, the Karst topography and the looming Blue Ridge provide evidence of what occurs beneath the surface: caves. The limestone cellars of the terrain are a perfect tourist attraction. "Come See Our Caves!" scream the signs of the likes of Skyline Caverns, Shenandoah Caverns, and Luray Caverns. A gift shop is standard in the numerous holey temples to tourism, catering to the family who has it all, but still wants to bring home a cheap trinket to the neighbors. Alongside the rows of wooden doo-dads and assorted Americana patches is the fruit of the penny hunt: the penny machine. Emblazoned with the cavern's name and logo, these dainty disks are a necessity.

And don't forget to stop by the other attractions culling you off the road. "World Famous" Natural Bridge is a must-see (don't worry, you won't miss the signs), with an extra large geologic anomaly, an extra large gift shop, and an extra large penny haul...

This story continues in Squissue2.
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A Great Deal on a Penny (excerpt from squissue 3)

Every once in a while you get more than you squished for. You know the scenario. You glimpse a glimmering pressed penny machine staring at you from across the giftshop, beckoning you to fill it with slivers of silver in exchange for collectible copper. Then you see it: the dreaded sign that strikes fear into our hearts like a bee in your sodapop (well, even more fear than that). The "out of order" sign. In a last gasp attempt to secure the squished trinket, you approach the kind lady behind the register and.... Will you find copper bliss?

Will you find copper bliss? Find out in Squissue 3.
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