Elongated Cent Collectors Press on Amid Penny Pause

The end of circulating cent production is changing the game for collectors of elongated cents, or “pressed pennies.” The first elongated penny machines churned out flattened 1-cent coins with special souvenir designs in the 1800s.

The Elongated Collectors (TEC) represents those who collect the novel coins, and club president Cindy Calhoun says this isn’t the first time elongated enthusiasts have witnessed change. “Most elongated collectors never liked the zinc core cents that began during 1982. When elongated, the zinc shows through the thin copper coating and tarnishes black over time, destroying the rolled design.” Calhoun claims the hobby has always adapted. “While the penny was the most common host coin for elongateds, we also roll on numerous other denominations and foreign coins.” Some machine operators even provide their own blanks. Yet, TEC faces a challenge. It produces about 20,000 elongated pennies each year as giveaways; as more people hoard pennies, it’s becoming harder for TEC to obtain the quantity it needs.

But it’s not all bad news. “I do think that the end of the cent has brought new interest to the hobby,” says Calhoun. Plus, there are billions of pennies in circulation. “It will be years before we run out.”