The History of the Elongated Penny

It is generally accepted that the tokens on the left were first made during the 1892-1893 World's Columbian Exposition that was held in Chicago, Illinois to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America. An elongated coin is made by a coin, token, medal or metal blank being forced between two steel rollers. An engraving is on one or both of the rollers and as the coin passes through the rollers it is squeezed or elongated under tremendous pressure from the original round shape to one of an oval and the engraved design impressed into the coin at the same time.