Ever since I was young I’ve always really enjoyed the Halloween season, there’s just something about the spooky decorations, haunted attractions and of course the costumes. Then once it’s over, we immediately move into the Holiday season which is also one of my favorite times of the year. Not often can we blend two Holidays together but in this post we are going to do just that. Have you ever heard of Krampus?

Krampus appears in many variations, most share some common physical characteristics. He is hairy, has one foot that is a cloven hooves and horns of a goat. His long, pointed tongue drops out, and he has fangs. He carries chains thought to symbolize the binding of the Devil. He thrashes the chains, and is sometimes accompanied with bells while he carries a bundle of birth branches with which he occasionally swats children. On Christmas Eve, Krampus travels with a sack or basket strapped to his back which he uses to cart off evil children. These stories were told in what seems like a bit of an extreme attempt to make sure children were good.

Our friend, collector and coin designer Amy Brennan has released her new Holiday pressed penny and this year it features this mysterious creature Krampus. The design features Krampus front and center, with a fist full of birth branches, and his basket strapped to his back with the phrase Merry Krampus.

This character has quite the dark background and I tried to include as much PG rates details as I felt was appropriate to share. Not always who you would associate the happy Holiday season with but he makes for a fun elongated coin design. If you are interested in this coin, or many of Amy’s other elongated coins you can contact her through her Facebook group Pressed Penny Mafia – PPM.

Happy Holidays and Merry Krampus!