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.

Keep on Collecting!

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