I have 3 and 6-year old girls who are excited about the pressed penny machines. We have cleaned and packed our M&M tubes which are holding enough for 20 pennies/each. Is that enough? We will visiting all 4 parks, Disney Springs and at least 3 resorts.
I know each family is different, but how many pennies did your family press for a week’s vacation?
Following along because I’m planning to do this with my almost 3 year old great nephew. I have read that you want to save pre-1981 pennies because of the metal content. And to clean them in a mixture of vinegar and salt to make them shiny. And I believe ther are a couple of pressed quarter machines too! I think one is at GF but I’m not positive.
Also following for my DD. Have heard that there are a LOT of pressed penny and pressed quarter machines. Hoping to be be able to get her to focus on about 20 of the most special ones to her.
There’s really are machines everywhere, and each machine will make 3 different designs… I think “enough” is really the same thing as “how many 2-quarters-and-a-penny sets you’re willing haul with you” in this case! I think my niece has done 20 in a 5 day trip… the trick, if you are planning on limiting them to only what you’ve brought with you (I know I hate to use dirty/dull pennies, so I pack the shiniest ones) is to not get every design at every machine.
I hate the pressed quarter machines, mostly just on principle… they take 5 quarters! I realize that $1.25 is still a cheap souvenir, but the idea that there’s a 100% markup over the penny machines is ridiculous, considering its the same machine (and this the same operating cost) in either case.
The last two times we were at the World my wife and I made 15-18 pressed pennies between all the parks and resorts. What we did is if we saw a machine, then we checked out what it made. If it appealed to us, then we would pull out our M&M decorated Disney Pressed Penny tube and drop the necessary change in the machine for the pressed penny. We didn’t make any special trips to locate certain ones.
We love collecting them! And, it is a cheap souvenir! I believe there is another post here in the forums where several Liners have posted what they have done with their collection once they get back home. I’ll try locate the link.
Here is a link to a list of all the pressed coin machines. You could atleast make a plan of which ones to go to.
We did the pressed penny machines in February this year. We didn’t seek them out but if we saw one we stopped and did it. We were there for 7 days and have 46 pressed pennies!!! The case we bought at our resort shop holds 48 pennies and 9 quarters. It was a lot of fun and we could of done a whole lot more than the 48!!! Have a great time! 
I think I did around 15 pennies this last trip, but I have some from previous trips. I always check each machine we pass, but only choose a design if I really like it. I always travel with pennies and quarters; I’ve been collecting pressed pennies since I was little. I have them from many different places.
As I am packing for our trip this week, I looked at our pressed penny book from our last trip, 75 pennies!!
Does anyone know how much the pressed penny books cost in WDW? Should I buy it before we go or get it there?
My kiddos each have a pressed penny book - I think they were around $10 each give or take?
Awesome, they are about that same price on Amazon so I think we will wait. Thanks!
If it doesn’t have to say Disney on it, it’s almost certainly cheaper elsewhere.
If using the M&M tube trick, do you put that in your checked luggage or in your carry-on?
I put it in my checked luggage because I didn’t want to have any extra weight in the airport. But that’s me and I can be silly sometimes.
I brought an entire M&M tube and THEN had to get more change while at the park. I probably spent $15-$20 on pressed change - pennies and quarters - and this included the expensive ones at Norway.
We made pressed change part of the experience the last trip. And my daughter loved every minute of it!
I was going to say to the OP that the only limit I end up hitting is the amount of quarters I bring! I love pressed pennies!
I love the hunt for the unique ones!
We love them too. I bring a tube of pennies/quarters for each kid. 20 seems reasonable. Of course, you could do more, but that’s the case with everything.
Do you have to use American pennies? Obviously, you use American quarters, but really, the penny is just getting defaced. Can we use Canadian pennies (which actually have no value anymore)?
I think you could use Canadian pennies. Every once in a while they get mixed in with American pennies and I can never tell the difference.