The second quarter of 2024 has begun and that means it was time for a new edition of the TEC News. It’s the Official Newsletter of The Elongated Collectors club. I’ve talked about the club many times in the past and have nothing but high praise for it. The newsletter is great, the unique elongated coins you receive are a great addition to your collection, plus the wealth of knowledge from all the other members is worth the subscription price.

Now in this latest edition I was enjoying all the new articles when I come across something that immediately caught my eye.

It was a save the date notice for an upcoming Online auction. I’ve participating in a couple in-person auctions during annual membership meetings and they were always a lot of fun. So I reached out to register, received my confirmation and marked the date on my calendar.

A week after I registered an email arrived with a PDF copy of the auction catalog. It was a 113 page document, with a total of 123 lots (items) that would be available in the auction. This was a great way to scope out what was going to be up for grabs, and I was able to make a bit of a wish list. The items ranged from some hard to find and unique elongated coins, to convention bases, poker chips, and even some highly sought after elongated coin encyclopedias.

The day before the auction I received another email with the zoom link. It was requested that we not share this link on social media, as it was just for members that had registered to attend the auction. The day finally came, I logged in and waited for the items I was interested in so I could start bidding.

There was quite a few members in attendance and some of the items really had some fun back and forth bidding going on. There was probably about a half dozen items I was looking to bid on, but a few went higher that I wanted to pay. But I was able to successfully win a few items.

First up was this Happy Father’s Day elongated half dollar, with Dad in the middle and I loved the little smiley face in the center of the “a”. It just reminded me of something my daughters would have designed. With Father’s Day coming soon I figured why not get myself an early gift. In case you were wondering I’ll include the amounts I paid for each of these items. For the Dad coin I paid $20.

Next was lot number 123 an elongated penny (US Cent) Merry Xmas North Brunswick New Jersey. The design also had Jack and Peg Wilcox listed which I’m not sure if this design was created by them, or for them. Either way this was a fun looking coin design and I was intrigued by the unique border design around the edge of the coin. I used to live in New Jersey and just thought this would make a nice addition to my collection. Winning bid was $27.

The last item I was able to acquire was this one featuring some very special and hard to find Disneyland elongated nickels. Let me explain a bit about these coins, they are actually Cast Member (employee) exclusives. There is a special coin press available in an employee only area where they can insert coins as a donation to the red cross and the machine will then press these keepsakes as a thank you for the donation.

The reverse side of each coin has a special backstamp featuring the Disney VoluntEAR logo and for these versions they included “Celebrating 30 magic years”. Due to these only being available to Cast Members there are not many out in circulation. They do show up on eBay from time to time but usually got for $100 or more. Most times I’ve only seen one coin at a time, making it even more difficult to get a full set. When this came up for bidding I immediately jumped in and had the amount at $50 but then tapped out when it went beyond that. I was trying to not let the bidding on my end get too out of control. It eventually was won by another member and I thought I had let them slip away. However, I didn’t realize that there were actually three sets available. So the winner bidder was asked how many sets they would like, and opted for just one. The second bidder was offered a set at the winning bid amount and was accepted. Now as if the Universe knew I was wanted them, since I was the third person to be part of the bidding they asked if I was interested and immediately agreed to pay the amount of $70 for the set.

The auction eventually ended and had run almost two hours in total. It was nice to see and chat with some familiar faces that I hadn’t seen since the last FUN coin show in Orlando. After the auction concluded a few days later I received an email with my invoice and instructions on how to pay via PayPal or check. Once payment was sent it took about a week for the coins to arrive at my home.

Overall it was a great experience and I’m looking forward to the next online auction. There was talk about maybe having another one later this year so I’ll be waiting for more details on that. I’ve also been thinking about putting together a donation of coins to submit to the auction, maybe a special set of Walt Disney World coins. All the proceeds from the auction go towards the TEC club and helps them keep things running, attend coin shows and of course to help fund more interesting events like this one.

If you are not already a member I would recommend heading over to the website I have linked here. You can get some additional information, and if you do decide to sign up be sure to list my TEC# 4237 as it will help me earn a recruiter elongated coin which are always great to receive. The membership amount is very reasonable for what you get and maybe I’ll see you in the next online auction. Keep on Pressing!

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In a previous post we review the dated 2024 Medallion Set that you can read here. There are a few other non-dated mini-sets that we are going to be reviewing. First we checked out a Winnie the Pooh medallion set you can read here, and continuing today with the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs numbered set. Below we will explain where each of the coins can be found, photos of the machine and of course beautiful photos of the medallions themselves. Enjoy and Keep on Collecting!

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#1 Doc – All-Star Movies Resort

To get this set started we headed over to the All-Star Movies Resort. Inside the main lobby head into the Premier Food Court and the machine will be against the long wall. Here you will find a coin with Doc on it.

#2 Sneezy – Hollywood Studios Celebrity 5 & 10

Next we head over to Hollywood Studios but don’t need to venture too far inside the park. Just head up along Hollywood Boulevard and you will find the Celebrity 5 & 10 (dime) gift shop along the right side of the pathway. This machine will have coin number two with an image of Sneezy.

#3 Sleepy – Contemporary Resort

Medallion number three in this Seven Dwarfs set can be found over at the Contemporary Resort. There is just something nostalgic about riding the monorail right inside this resort. Down on the Third floor concourse behind the Fantasia gift shop and outside the Arcade is where you will find this machine and the coin featuring Sleepy.

#4 Happy – Epcot Port of Entry Store

It’s time for a little World Showcase adventure over at Epcot. You don’t need to visit one of the countries, however I wouldn’t blame you if you did. Just at the beginning of World Showcase you will find the Port of Entry gift shop. Inside the medallion machine will have coin number four with the always jovial Happy.

#5 Grumpy – Magic Kingdom Adventureland

Next we had to venture over to the Magic Kingdom. This one can be a bit difficult to find, but I’ll do my best to get you there. Head into Adventureland, and when you find the Swiss Family Treehouse, there is a Breezeway (covered pathway) that is a shortcut over to Liberty Square. There is also a set of Restrooms in this area. Up along one of the walls just past the restrooms is where you can find the machine with coin number five featuring Grumpy.

#6 Bashful – Epcot Disney Traders Store

Back over at Epcot we are going to a similar store that we were just visiting, but this time we head into the Disney Traders store. The medallion machine is near one of the side entrance/exit doors and has a medallions with Bashful.

#7 Dopey – All-Star Music Resort (Updated 2025)

As of January 2025 this last medallion design has a new home over at the All-Star Music Resort. Head into the main lobby building, and back towards the Note’Able Arcade you will find the machine with our last medallion featuring none other than Dopey.

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Disney’s MGM Studios Theme Park had it’s grand opening on May 1st, 1989. Then in January 2008 it was renamed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The park has had plenty of changes over the years including adding the iconic Tower of Terror, Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Toy Story Land, and more recently Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. This year marked the parks 35th Anniversary which seemed like it should be a bit deal, but honestly the celebration was a little light for most fans.

I visited the park later in the day hoping to avoid the larger crowds that were sure to have flocked to the park first thing in the morning. My plan seemed to be working as I was able to get a decent parking spot, breezed right through security and had no line to scan my magic band upon entering the park.

Something that did strike me as a bit strange was the lack of any sort of signage or decorations at the front of the park for the anniversary. Even heading down Hollywood Boulevard towards the Chinese Theater was your standard decor.

I had read online earlier in the day that the 35th anniversary merchandise was all being sold out of the old Muppets Stage 1 Gift Shop back in the Muppets courtyard. I headed back that way and after having to join a virtual queue to get a return time I eventually went inside. The place had definitely been picked over but again to my surprise there really wasn’t much available.

T-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, mugs, tumblers and some pins was about it. There were a few variations of each but really not a whole lot of selection.

For the average guest there were definitely some complaints going around on this lackluster celebration. I wasn’t really there for any of that standard merch, instead us elongated coin collectors had been a little surprised to hear that a special set of pennies had been released. Now this machine is a bit hard to explain it’s location so I’ll do my best. If you are coming from the front of the park walking along Hollywood Boulevard you come to a cross street Sunset Boulevard that you would then take towards the Tower of Terror. At this intersection is the above water fountain.

To the right of this water fountain is a small building. One side had a maintenance door, and the other side is where they sell ice cream and beer. If you walk around the back of this building there is an ATM and the penny machine. This building and location is known as Hollywood Junction.

The machine had all four of its designs replaced with some nice new ones featuring Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Woody, the Tower Hotel and the Millennium Falcon all with the Hollywood Studios logo and a large 35. It seems like the word had gotten out on these new pennies as there was quite the line to use it, and I’ve heard from other collectors that it’s been out of order quite a few times since the new designs became available. Once the initial craze dies down I’m sure the machine will be back in regular working order and with little to no line.

I’ll confirm that this was a pretty weak celebration. My assumption is this is just due to so many similar celebrations happening within the last few years. The WDW 50th was great, then the Disney Company 100th wasn’t all that great, and now this 35th anniversary was Disney just barely phoning it in. I think it’s very similar to the Animal Kingdom 25th Celebration from a couple years ago. Just a small ceremony, followed by some merchandise that’s available for only one day and a nice set of elongated coins. Then it’s on to the next one. It seems like now we should have a few years before another milestone anniversary occurs again. Even if they decide to keep things small I’m okay with that, as long as they keep rolling out new pressed pennies to help with the celebration. Keep on Pressing!

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You would think that in the Central Florida area, with all the theme parks we would have enough Disney stores to shop at. However back in 2022 Disney decided to open yet another store, this one was a bit different by being off property and actually just down the street from the Universal Studios parks which seemed a bit bold. When it originally opened there was no news of a pressed penny machine but that has recently changed, but let me put a bit of a caveat on this “new” machine.

This new Walt Disney World Store is located near the corner of International Drive and Sand Lake Road.

It’s a nice tall building, with the Disney store only taking up the bottom right corner. The outside of the store has the familiar styling of other Disney stores. The ones over at the Orlando Airport immediately come to mind.

Inside has a nice simple theme to it. I will admit that this store is much smaller than I thought it would be.

Even with the small footprint, there is still quite an impressive selection of merchandise. Much of it I’ve seen before in the theme parks, and Disney Springs. I’m guessing this is just an attempt to make Disney merch a little easier to some guests not visiting Disney or maybe even some Universal visitors staying at nearby hotels.

Now remember I said the machine at this new Disney store is actually a relocated machine. Originally the machine had been located near Disney Springs inside the Bonnet Creek Resort area. There are a few different hotels in this area, with the Hilton being the home to the penny machine.

Here’s a quick look at the original machine cabinet, which I only mention because you will see shortly that it has changed. The penny designs however have not. If you want to take a look back you can check out our visit to the Hilton Bonnet Creek Hotel here.

Above is a photo of the updated penny machine at the Walt Disney World Store. It is located just inside the main set of doors near a cute photo op with a large Goofy statue.

The penny designs available at this machine include a cute one of Mickey and Minnie with a couple Mickey balloons, Simba from The Lion King, and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. These pennies are the exact same designs as were in the original machine which honestly was a little out of the way for most guests. If you weren’t able to acquire this set previously, this is probably an easier location to visit and press a set for your own collection.

Keep on Pressing!

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SeaWorld Orlando has been adding a lot of new coasters in the past few years. Not too long ago we posted about their (at as of the writing of this) latest coaster Pipeline and you can read about it here. However before that they had opened Ice Breaker in 2022. Now even though I’m not technically a roller coaster fanatic, I still enjoy visiting the openings of these new attractions in the hope that there may be a new pressed penny or collectible medallion. Unfortunately each time I’ve been disappointed. That is true when I visited Ice Breakers grand opening but on a recent trip to the park I came across a New limited edition collectible coin. Honestly I don’t know if I just missed this back then, or if this is a new release. In any case today I’m going to bring you to the park for a tour of Ice Breaker, and what I’m calling labeling a New-ish collectible coin.

Once inside SeaWorld if you are heading over towards the Orca Stadium you will see Ice Breaker looking in the distance.

Now being used to the House of Mouse having excruciatingly long lines for all its attractions, SeaWorld often has very short or much more reasonable wait times. They do also offer a paid “Quick Queue” upgrade to your ticket but I would say if you go during the week it’s probably not needed.

Ice Breaker has a bit of a unique launch system when you first are loaded on. The track slides to the right, connecting to the main track. Then you launch backwards up this vertical section of track, then you head forward towards the high hat.

However the first time you don’t quite make it over, and roll backwards all the way to that vertical section of track in an effort to gain a bit more speed. Then on the second attempt you make it over and get to experience the rest of the track.

It’s not a very long ride, but does have some thrills with that reverse launch, and plenty of twists and turns. Once the ride is over you exit out near this small gift shop which is also where you can view and purchase your on-ride photos.

They also have plenty of themed merchandise with both the Ice Breaker logo, and the Coaster Capital of Orlando logo. As you would guess they have plenty of t-shirts, sweaters, cups, mugs, lanyards, pens and…

this is where I just recently found this collectible coin. I love the little acrylic case it comes in, with the concept artwork of the coaster track covered in snow. The coin has the Ice Breaker logo and Opened 2022 on the front.

The reverse side of the display case includes all the details of the coast, who created it, the total length, height, speed and even info on total number of riders. The reverse of the coin has the same color art work on the front of this case in the center of the coin, and then SeaWorld Orlando, FL around the edge. It does state that this is a 39mm Minted Coin Limited Edition of 2022. It’s not numbered so not sure exactly how limited this is. There were quite a few available for sale but at a cost of $34.99 it’s definitely a costly souvenir. Thankfully they don’t release too many of these as my wallet wouldn’t be able to take it. There is a new Penguin coaster set to open later this year so I’m curious to see if a similar coin will be available when that attraction opens.

Enjoy and Keep on Collecting!

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