Upon telling people about the museum, some folks still don't quite grasp the concept. They'll ask a few questions and seem pleased to see a museum devoted to collecting them. Then, inexplicably, they'll send in a donation of a squashed penny—the kind which is run over by a train. They'll include a long description about how they acquired it and how they created it specifically for us.

Huh? Did we not spend a half hour discussing that we collect squished pennies? Don't get us wrong, we enjoy hearing from people and are quite flattered when someone takes time out and does something for the museum, but c'mon...why would anyone want to collect railroaded pennies? They contain little variation from penny to penny, they have no geographical individuality, and their creation can destroy the train. And besides, who would want to go to a museum and look at 200 of them? Next time someone asks you if you'd like to squash a penny on the rail, insist on the genuine product.

All squished coins are not created equal. If this coin came knocking on your door at Halloween, it definitely would be a trick and not a treat! This is a squished coin trying to masquerade as a penny, but in reality it is a quarter. Granted, it is a souvenir from the land where money flows like rivers both from slot machine jackpots and from your pockets, but Reno, Nevada's version of the Squished Penny has hit some serious inflation.

If you have a Faux Penny of your own, e-mail us! spm@squished.com