Today is April 22nd and we are here to celebrate Earth Day. It’s an annual event celebrated globally to raise awareness about and promote environmental protection. It’s a time to reflect on our impact on the planet and consider actions to create a more sustainable future.
Earth Day was first held in 1970 sparked by a national demonstration organized by US Senator Gaylord Nelson. It is now celebrated in over 193 countries with events coordinated by EarthDay.org. Each year it focuses on a specific theme, often highlighting pressing environmental challenges and solutions. The 2025 theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” emphasizing renewable engird and clean electricity.
To help celebrate Earth Day coin designer Edgar Galvan created this wonderful pressed penny. It features our big blue planet in the center, Earth Day on the left and April 22 on the right. Surrounding planet earth it says “Keep our Earth Clean, Plant a Tree.” If you are interested in this coin design or one of Edgar’s other designs he can be reached through The Elongated Collector’s Facebook Group.
Have a wonderful Earth Day and be sure to Keep on Pressing!
The discovery of this new set of collectible medallions starts a couple months ago when I was visiting SeaWorld Orlando specifically to ride the new Penguin Trek coaster and look for a special coin for that attraction which you can read all about here.
When I first arrived I just headed straight back to the new coaster without thinking of anything else. I didn’t have a whole lot of time on this visit so I needed to focus on the task at hand. Then once I was done and heading back towards the front of the park to leave, by happy accident I just happened to glance at a medallion machine that was in a location I didn’t remember having a machine before.
That was the large main SeaWorld Store that’s located just inside the park entrance / exit. It does have a few different entrances but the machine can be found next to the doors that face the SeaWorld lighthouse. If you have visited the park before I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
I had actually cut through the store to grab a bit of Air Conditioning before heading back out in the Florida summer heat. Inside they always have a lot of cute merchandise.
As well as a plethora of stuffed animals and critters. I know for a fact we have at least a dozen of these fuzzy friends living in my house from various trips with my kids. They just can’t resist.
When I first started walking towards this machine it looks similar to one I had visited a year or so earlier, and thought it may have just moved. SeaWorld is notorious for moving penny machines around and I figured they may have done the same here. Then when I saw the coin designs I realized it was a brand new machine with four new coin designs.
The set of coins includes designs featuring different types of sharks. Sand Shark, Mako Shark, Hammerhead and Tiger Shark. These designs are nice but not really that detailed in my opinion.
On the back of each coin has the same design of the Shark Encounter logo. Which brings up an interesting observation. These coins are themed around sharks, has the Shark Encounter (exhibit) logo on it, but the machine is sitting outside the gift shop by the front of the park. Why isn’t this back at the Shark exhibit? They have a few penny machines back there so I don’t see why this isn’t as well. Maybe it will eventually move back there and I’m not mad about it, just seems like someone put this machine in the wrong place. If you are planning a visit to SeaWorld soon and are looking for this machine, if it’s not at the SeaWorld store, try checking somewhere around the Shark Encounter and I’m sure you will find it.
Last year a new Collectible Medallion machine was placed at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii which made acquiring them a bit difficult. Thankfully there are plenty of wonderful local shoppers willing to help and we reviewed that original set of coins in a previous post. One of those designs however did have the year listed on it, so we knew it was only a matter of time before that coin was replaced.
According to reports the machine is still in the same location the Pau Hana activity center, and the machine cabinet design has also remained unchanged.
The new medallion features Moana and her little sister Simea from the new Moana 2 animated movie. The coin also features the new year 2025, so we know the clock is ticking on how long this design will be available. Keep on Collecting.
Over at Disney’s Magic Kingdom we have recently found ourselves back in Frontierland checking out new medallions and pressed pennies at a few classic (and one rethemed) attractions. This time we are heading into New Fantasyland for another new machine.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a classic Disney dark ride attraction. It was formerly the home of open day attraction Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. This has one of the first interactive queues that I can remember being created and certainly made waiting with young ones much easier. You then climb aboard a honey pot and make your way through a story featuring Pooh and his friends.
When you exit the ride you will find yourself inside the Hundred Acre Goods store. However if you are interested in just getting these new coins you can enter the store without having to ride the attraction.
As per usual plenty of stuffed Pooh characters, clothing, slippers and anything else you can imagine.
The new pressed penny machine is just inside the entrance / exit to the gift shop as you head back out into the park. This machine is amazing! Look at that cabinet design, it’s almost like Disney and the manufacturer has finally heard my complaints and requests for more themed machines. It just looks like a couple of oversized books up on the shelf. The colors are great, and I just love it. More please Disney.
The full set of pennies include designs featuring Pooh and all his friends. These designs just seem to be a bit more details than usual which I did notice in another new machine recently. I hope this is the trend we can expect moving forward. Look at that Eeyore design that is fantastic. Keep on Pressing!
David's Coin Travels 