World's First Elongated Souvenir Penny - Columbian Exposition 1893

[UnderMiner]

I found this elongated souvenir penny today while sorting through an old box of buttons I found in the trash. It is from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. The penny used is an 1893 Indian Head cent - the same year the exposition was happening. According to my research this is the Holy Grail of elongated souvenir pennies as it is in fact the first one - the machine for making them having been invented specifically for the Columbian Exposition. This squished penny is worth a surprising amount of money.




The Columbian Exposition was a world's fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The centerpiece of the fair, the large water pool, represented the long voyage Columbus took to the New World. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St. Louis for the honor of hosting the fair. The Exposition was an influential social and cultural event and had a profound effect on architecture, sanitation, the arts, Chicago's self-image, and American industrial optimism.


More info on elongated pennies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elongated_coin

 

[BigWaveDave]

I've actually read about that before, outstanding find, huge congrats!

 

[mikefromIllinois]

Very nice find. Congrats.

 

[Honest Samuel]

Great find, get searching.

 

[wpsgta1000]

I have one from the expo rolled on a V nickel.

 

[sandchip]

Superbad!

 

[4x4x4]

....ZOOM ! And to still see the Indian head is ... is simply the best !
Congratulations.

 

[A2coins]

.
Good Job!!!

 

[BeenThere DugThat]

Very interesting, cool finds for sure!

 

[washingtonian]

Congrats! And thanks for sharing the history too. Fun to learn about!

 

[trapperart]

Very nice congrats

 

[UnderMiner]

....ZOOM ! And to still see the Indian head is ... is simply the best !
Congratulations.

I was pleasantly delighted to see the date '1893' on both the stamped side as well as the squished heads side, the coin could have easily been pressed the opposite way. Fascinated that a tourist in Victorian-Age Chicago rolled this penny way back 124 years ago. Lol

 

[Gumbeaux]

I recently found one of these printed on an 1886 wheat penny. It was on ebay. I was trying to get my logon info fixed I forgot my password. I watched the penny go for $29.00 by the time I got it sorted out. I collect elongated pennies. Ive got them from all over the world. This would of been my crown jewel. It was the first one I found on ebay in along time. I almost threw up in my mouth... Man.. Im so bummed. It makes me sick

 

[Crowfriend]

Great find! Westinghouse along with N Tesla, had the contract to light up the fair. Edison would not allow them to use his bulbs. They had to make their own. Can only imagine the awe of the general public who were used to gas light. As can be seen in the photo, they went crazy on the lighting, over two hundred thousand bulbs were used. There were many marvels at this fair and then there was the fiendish backstory of J. j. Holmes. Two movies are in the works, one featuring the Edison / Westinghouse saga and another about the murderous Holmes starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I hope they present the Fair in all its glory.

 

[Carolina Tom]

Very cool find. Dated on both sides is really cool .

That’s a very nice find sir. Congrats.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Very nice save. Thats a nice piece.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the nice find!

 

[cambria09]

Hello UnderMiner. That is really nice find from a very interesting event. There is good book about it called Devil in the White City by Eric Larson...great read.

My friend Btoots found a nice commemorative spoon from The Colombian Exposition a few days ago:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/562842-not-all-good-digs-include-silver.html

Thanks for the post and Good Luck out there. C9

 

[WaterScoop]

Sweet find!

 

[against the wind]

Well done on the save.
I don't understand why they went to lengths end to make a machine. All you have to do is lay it on a railroad track and wait for a train. lol