Foreign Places
Wherever there's a penny smasher, I'll be there. Wherever there are coins to be elongated, I'll be there. Wherever there's a mildly interesting tourist destination, I'll be there, too.
Jennifer Edwards and her mother went to Stonehenge in February 2004 and didn't think there'd be a penny smasher, but hey, even the Druids know a good souvenir when they see one.
"Csodák Palotája" It means the "Palace of Wonders" in Hungarian. That's right, I've got some coins that came to me all the way from Hungary. They were sent to me by the very generous Tibor Szuszky. If you want to to get this coin, well you have to go to Hungary.
Wait. That's not true. You can visit Tibor's web site and order this (and other coins) from him : http://www.szerencsepenz.hu
This coin is biligual! "Szerencsepenz - Lucky Penny" Yup, that's what it means. Of course the four-leafed clover is the international symbol of Luck. I got this coin from the very nice Tibor Szuszky. Thanks Tibor!
Tibor didn't translate this one for me "Smile - Mosolyogji" I don't know what it means, but I know this isn't a penny (despite the Lucky Penny above), It's a Hungarian 2 forint coin. Ansd uh, you know I just checked and umm... a forint is worth about half a cent, so I guess a 2 forint coin is worth about a penny after all.
This coin is biligual! "Szerencsepenz - Lucky Penny" Yup, that's what it means. Of course the four-leafed clover is the international symbol of Luck. I got this coin from the very nice Tibor Szuszky. Thanks Tibor! (hey I know I copied and pasted this. if you don't like it, oh well.)
"Oveges Prof - www.csodapalota.hu" I got this coin from Tibor Szuszky in Budapest. He says, "the Palace of Wonders, is an exciting place for kids and adults to experience a lot of the wonders of the nature like the sound, the light, the holography etc." And he also tells me that when I visit Hungary he'll take me all the places where his coin smashers are, or he'd also be happy to send them in the mail.
"Tropicarium - Budapest" My friend Tibor tells me that the Tropicarum is a fancy aquarium in Budapest. The have a web site, and according to it, admission is a very reasonable 1700 forints. (don't know how much a forint is? about half a cent.) Also, if you want to just get this coin and skip the Tropicarium, you can contact Tibor.
"Tropicarium - Budapest" I didn't know they had alligators in Hungary. Oh, you didn't know the Tropicarium was in Hungary, well it's in Budapest if you must know. Sorry if I seem to be such a know it all, but Tibor Szuszky has educated me on many things about the smashed forints available in Hungary. He did not, however tell me whether or not there are alligators there.
Brady and I went to Edinburgh, in "Bonnie Scotland" in January 2004. Yes, that's right, it was super expensive, extremely cold, and there was only 6 hours of sunlight per day (as if it was sunny!). We still had a good time despite all that.
"Royal Scots Dragoon Guards - Carabiners & Greys" I'm afraid I didn't take much information about the Dragoon Guards away from my visit to their museum inside Edinburgh Castle. I do know that they are Scotland's only Calvary Regiment and that they fought at Waterloo.
"William Wallace - Freedom" - I'm sure you're familiar with this Scottish Hero, if from nothing else but the movie "Braveheart". This coin is from the Scottish Weaving Center on the Royal Mile just down from the Castle.
Speaking of the Weaving Center, here's on efrom the "Edinburgh Old Town Weaving Company" which, I guess is the actual name of the place. Oh well. If you're nearby, go in.
"Edinburgh Castle" There's a lot to see inside the castle, it's definitely worth the 12 pounds or whatever it costs, but I don't think the audio tour is quite worth it. Edinburgh, in general, is worth a trip if you're in Scotland all. That's my recommendation.
"London Aquarium" It's got a sea horse on it. I have no idea where I got it. I think somebody gave it to me for my birthday, but we were having a big party and i was drunk and I don't remember who it was and I feel terrible that I don't and that's why I'm big ungrateful loser.
"Cayman Islands" Brady and I have season tickets to the San Francisco Giants (thank you for your condolences again in 2003) and we end up planning our vacations around the Giants schedule (in 2003 we went to Ireland during that long road trip in June). Anyway, that's what our row 36 friends, Cori, Codi, and Cali, did too, except they went to the Cayman Islands.
So when Cori, Codi, and Cali went to the "Cayman Islands" during a Giants road trip (no the Giants didn't go to the Cayman Islands) they went to a turtle farm somewhere, a place where they raise turtles for food and has been turned into some sort of tourist attraction. Cali said it was pretty awful, but they got this penny there (maybe, they couldn't actually remember, or maybe it's me who can't remember.)
"Pottsdam - Schloss Sanssouci" Ok, I had to do some research. First of all, I think Mikki (I spelled your name right this time) sent me this one, no story, no note, no nothing came with it. I figured out who sent it by dna testing and by the return address on the envelope. (note to contributors: I'd like to give you credit, but you have to work with me) Now, Pottsdam? Schloss Sanssouci? Who knows? Update! - A number of people gave me answers about this this penny!
"Cliffs of Moher - Co. Claire, Ireland" Ian, Crystal, and Cameron Hadley brought this smashed 1p coin (I guess it's still a penny) back from their trip in the Summer of 2001. They kept it in a drawer for a few months before giving it to me, until my anticipation reached a fever pitch!
So, supercollectors Bob and Anastasia Hoff,wrote to me one day and said "You don't have an ec from Tokyo Disneyland! :-( Why don't we send you one?" I said, "sure go ahead" and right away they sent me this coin. It's a dandy! Thanks Bob and Stasi!
So when Bob and Stasi Hoff sent me the Tokyo Disney 2000 coin, they also sent me a cashier's check for 1200 bucks! That's what I call "friendly". With that money, I bought this coin. Actually, the check was a mistake and when I sent it back to them, they sent me this one and a couple others. Thanks, you guys!
"1997 Tokyo Disneyland" I guess in Japan the machines supply their own blank coins, that's what I've been told. This one was a gift from superduper penny collectors Bob and Stasi Hoff!
When Bob and Stasi Hoff sent me this and the other coins from Tokyo Disneyland in May of 2000, they said they thought the coins would look great on my website. They do look great.... and it only took me a year and a half to put them up!
"Vancouver Aquarium" My old boss, Jann, sent me this "penny" she got on a trip to British Columbia. You know why I put the word "penny" in quotes don't you.
Another "Vancouver Aquarium" So, my old boss, Jann, sent me this one and the other one, but they're not pennies. In Canada, smashing coins is illegal. I'm not sure, but I think the machines supply their own copper planchets, instead of you suppling the penny. I guess I should ask Jann...
My First foreign coin! Brady's mother Karin and her husband Rick went Scotland and got this one from Stirling Castle. The castle has been an important strategic spot for hundreds of years and overlooks the fields where William Wallace fought the battle of Stirling Bridge.
So, just a few weeks after Karin and Rick went to Scotland, Brady and I went! I got this one at Edinburgh Castle in the military museum. Scotland is great, if you get the chance go on up there!
