Hoo boy. This was a little hard. I tried to come up with a serious premise that really encompasses who I am as a person, but no one wants to see a show called The Guy with Too Many Hobbies and Interests and Who Often Has Trouble Following Through On Important Things. So, I decided to pick on weird little aspect of my life and build a show around that.
And since everything on TV is about hunting things lately, be they antiques, aliens or what have you, I'll be starring in my very own show called...
What many of you may not know about me is that I am a rabid collector of "squahsed pennies" or "elongated coins". You've all seen those penny smashing machines in various tourist traps that charge you 50¢ to smash a penny into a thin oval with an embossed picture of Mount Rushmore or whatever on it. Well, I'm positively crazy about them, and while most people are enjoying the breath-taking majesty of the Grand Canyon, I'm the yahoo with a pocket full of change looking for the penny smashing machine.
And that's pretty much what my show would be about. Heck, there are worse shows out there, like ones about rednecks towing cars and hillbillies eating live alligators, so a show about a guy hunting down penny smashing machines in America's myriad vacation spots and roadside attractions isn't that odd.
Here's your host in action...
Each week, we could feature a few different tourist traps and fill in the minutes with a little "Where's the penny press?!" excitement. Maybe even have some harrowing moments when I'm... gasp!... out of change!
Then at the end of each episode, we'll take a look at my spoils for the week.
Here's my current collection, neatly tucked into "Penny Passports"...
I even have a pile that still need to be put into books, once I get a couple of new ones. Hey! That's an episode right there!
Another fun thing would be to interview other pressed penny collectors and see their collections. I bet you'd get all kinds of good old fashioned oddballs for the pleasure of the viewing public.
I can also imagine doing some sort of showcase segment on extra special elongated coins, such as my beloved Disneyland Haunted Mansion smashed quarters...
Anyway, there's my show!
Tune in each week for another exciting penny hunting adventure!
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That's awesome! My wife went to DisneyLand when she went to visit a friend in CA a few years back. I made sure to give her specific locations of the Mansion quarter machines to bring some home.
ReplyDeletealso...do you know about this site: http://www.pennycollector.com/AreaList.aspx
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I kept that site ready on my iPhone when I was traveling. A great resource for smashed penny geeks! :)
DeleteI like it ! This is about fifty million times more interesting than Here comes honey Boo Boo.
ReplyDeleteUgh... I hate that show.
DeleteI would totally watch that show and I would suggest a special episode that shows how the machines are made.
ReplyDeleteExactly! Greta idea, Jamdin!
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ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! I thought I was the only other "adult" to collect these things! I look for them all over the place. It's always fun to get inline with the kids and wait for my turn to squash the penny!
ReplyDeletePace yourself if you ever go to Disneyland or the San Diego Zoo. Both places have literally hundreds of machines on their premises.
DeleteHow about....The Penny Pincher?
ReplyDeleteNot bad. But people would think it was a show about how to save money. Which anyone who knows me knows I'm horrible at!
DeleteI have not owned and Flat Pennies in years! Glad to see you can still get them.
ReplyDeleteI think they are an unsung piece of tourist Americana.
DeleteDidn't Lionel Richie write a song about this?Oh sorry that was "Penny Lover" not "Penny Hunter" LOL!Great idea for a show bro!
ReplyDeleteNot a bad idea for a theme song!
DeleteNice! I could actually see this as a legitimate show -- you could highlight all the tourist sites where these penny machines can be found. Expect a call from the Travel Channel soon. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy kids love those "squished pennies" and they each have a book of their own. Here on the east coast, the pennies seem to be pricier, at a dollar per squish. I'll have to get you some from the DC Smithsonians.
See, I knew you would get me, if anyone did!
DeleteHA! Great post! We are going on our first trip to Michigan with the kids soon and with that site I can look up where to get the kids squished pennies! Thanks! I love these things but didnt think they were so prevalent...I'm gonna get books started for us too!!
ReplyDeleteDo it! It's so much fun when you find a machine! Where in Michigan are you going?
DeleteBrilliant, I have quite a stash of these my own self. You think Disneyland is ripe with 'em, Walt Disney World will send you home broke just on the coin mashing machines.
ReplyDeleteOne day, I'll make it out there. One day...
DeleteI think that the number of comments should lead you right to a reality show gig!
ReplyDeleteSammantha
http://primordialbadgersmediahoard.blogspot.com/
But seriously, I was reading your post and thought, "I could make an entire episode of Antiques Roadshow out of this." At the very least you've inspired a character or two! :)
Ha! I can just see me approaching A&E; "But I've got 11 comments about it on my blog!" ;)
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