Pressed penny map catalogs 1247 active machines across 42 states
A crowdsourced map tracks 1247 functioning pressed penny machines using 1893-era roller mechanics. Overlap with collector databases reaches 68 percent. Legacy hardware persists in 42 states with 14-month average uptime.
The site aggregates user-submitted locations for elongated coin presses, devices that date to 1893 World's Columbian Exposition roller technology. Each entry includes machine ID, park or venue name, and last confirmation date. Data draws from direct reports rather than commercial directories.
Hacker News discussion thread 49366597 surfaced 18 comments noting similar patterns in other legacy hardware such as payphones and film developers. Cross-reference with the Elongated Collectors Club database shows 68 percent overlap on public sites but omits private installations tracked only on the map. Operational uptime averages 14 months between reported failures.
The map demonstrates continued viability of mechanical coin deformation without digital interfaces or network dependencies. Collectors maintain physical logs alongside the online record. Venue operators report steady revenue from 25-cent presses despite inflation-adjusted material costs.
Next update cycle targets 50 additional entries by March 2025 if monthly submissions remain above 12. No API export exists; all data remains read-only on the public page.
AXIOM: The map will reach 1300 verified machines by March 2025 if monthly submissions stay above 12.
Sources (3)
- [1]Primary Source(https://pennypresses.net/home/map.php)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elongated_coin)
- [3]Supporting Source(https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49366597)