| Whether you are coin collector with a love for the | | | | and amusement parks as well. |
| unusual or whimsical or you are simply someone | | | | Sometimes, these machines are pressed into |
| who loves to collect souvenirs when they travel, | | | | service to commemorate an event. They might |
| you should take a look around for elongated coins! | | | | celebrate anything as grand as an election or a |
| Elongated coins are essentially normal coins that | | | | World Fair or something as simple as a marriage |
| have been flattened or stretched and then | | | | or the birth of a child. Sometimes, clubs and other |
| embossed with a new or interesting design. In the | | | | private organizations will order elongated coins |
| practice of coin collecting, they are often | | | | printed out for their use. |
| categorized as exonumia. | | | | Coin elongation was something that was often |
| They have a long history, but they first appeared | | | | done by small children who played near train |
| in the United States during the World's Columbian | | | | tracks. When pennies were left on the tracks, the |
| Exposition in Chicago in 1893. | | | | force of the train causes the penny to flatten and |
| These designs were used to commemorate the | | | | stretch into an oval. It was not only children who |
| fair and you can still find them today. | | | | did this; there are examples of coins that were |
| Today, the hobby of collecting elongated coins can | | | | flattened in this method that were then hand |
| be found all over the world. One of the most well | | | | engraved with the date. |
| known engravers of elongated coins was Frank | | | | In the United States, pennies are most often |
| Brazzle, whose designs are still being rolled out | | | | used for elongation because they are fairly thin |
| today using is original dies. | | | | and easy to emboss. |
| Another famous engraver whose work is still | | | | The next time that you are a museum, a zoo or |
| seen everywhere in the country is Jim Dundon. | | | | an amusement park, you may find that it is time |
| Their designs are usually meant to commemorate | | | | for you to take a quick look at what elongated |
| events or certain locations and when you come | | | | coins might be available. You will also find that |
| across a machine that will provide you with this | | | | there is a brisk sale of these coins that are going |
| service, you can put in a coin and have it | | | | on online and you can even find them at coin |
| stretched and embossed. | | | | shows. |
| There are many different areas that might use | | | | Take a few moments to learn more about |
| elongated coins to help their visitors mark their | | | | elongated coins and how lovely they are. This is a |
| visit. For instance, they are very common in | | | | great way to start a coin collection or to add to |
| museum gift shops or souvenir stores for | | | | an existing one! |
| landmarks. They are also quite common in zoos | | | | |