PENNY PRESS MACHINES AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER & ASTRONAUT HALL OF FAME
As of
November 16, 2012, the Kennedy Space Center & Astronaut Hall of Fame have 13
penny machines (4 designs each) and 1 quarter machine (4 designs). In addition, there are 5 reported token
machines (I have found 4). Each penny
costs 50 cents plus your penny; the pressed quarters are 75 cents plus your
quarter, and the tokens are $1.
Change
machines are frequently encountered (they accept $1 and $5 bills), and ATMs are
found throughout the complex as well.
The visitor center does not have a list of available machines, and
employees are not very knowledgeable about the locations of machines even in
their own stores.
I have
divided the machines into 3 different categories of locations: the Astronaut
Hall of Fame, the main Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Complex, and the KSC
bus tour, which departs from the visitor complex.
The locations
and designs change on occasion.
Sometimes designs seem identical, but they can have small
differences. All coins have “Kennedy
Space Center” on them unless noted.
Penny
press books are sold at many gift shops.
The second edition is now available, and it has a pressed penny on the
cover.
Except
for the temporary location of one machine in the rest room building near ticket
will call, admission must be paid to reach all areas with pressed coin
machines. The Astronaut Hall of Fame may
also be an exception (see the details below).
There is a $10 charge for parking at the Space Center, and there is no
neighboring free parking lot or public transportation. You could be dropped off in the vicinity,
though.
Astronaut Hall of Fame
The Hall
of Fame is located on the mainland, just before the causeway that goes to
Merritt Island and the KSC. If you pay
for the KSC Visitor Complex, your ticket includes a visit to the Hall of Fame
within a week. You may also purchase
separate admission to the Hall of Fame only.
(note: the Police Hall of Fame next to the Astronaut Hall used to have a
machine, but www.PennyCollector.com
reports that the machine is gone)
The
machine is located in the interactive exhibit room at the end of the Hall of
Fame layout, just before you enter the gift shop. There are reports that some people have been
allowed into the exhibit area to press coins without paying museum
admission. Parking at the Hall of Fame
is free.
The Hall
of Fame used to be open an hour later than the Kennedy Space Center, which
allowed guests to view the museum before leaving the area. Now the Hall of Fame closes at the same time
as KSC (at least in late 2012), so check the website for hours of operation.
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Designs: Hall of Fame logo; Saturn V rocket
launching; Space Shuttle launching; Apollo logo. All designs have “United States Astronaut
Hall of Fame” inscribed. |
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Kennedy
Space Center – main Visitor Complex
Moving clockwise
from the entrance plaza, there are 9 machines.
First, here’s a quick comparison of the different NASA logo styles:
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REST ROOMS/INFORMATION
CENTER – 1 machine Rest rooms outside admission gates – this machine was formerly near the
Information Center inside the gates, but was relocated during
construction. It has remained here
even after construction was completed.
There is currently a change machine and a medallion/token machine (NASA
logo) with it. The designs are:
Astronaut on moon with U.S. flag (V); NASA logo on U.S. flag background (H);
telescope with “reach for the stars” (V); space shuttle landing (H). |
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EARLY SPACE
EXPLORATION – 1 machine The
Early Space Exploration building is to the left of the entrance plaza. The machine is in the lobby. Designs:
Saturn V rocket (Roman numeral “V” for “5”) (V); rounded NASA logo with 6
stars (H); Mars Rover (V); Space Shuttle with flag background (without “Kennedy
Space Center” on coin) (H). These
four designs were formerly at the Kennedy Space Center store at Orlando
International Airport. There is no
longer a machine at that location. |
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IMAX THEATRE – 1
machine The
IMAX machine is in the lobby to the left of the building entrance. Designs:
Saturn 5 Rocket (number “5” instead of Roman numeral) (V); Apollo 11 capsule
(H); Apollo logo (V); flat NASA logo (V) |
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SHUTTLE LAUNCH
EXPERIENCE – 1 machine The
machine is now located next to the lockers outside this simulation ride. Designs:
Shuttle on Boeing 747 (H); Shuttle with sunshine background (H); Shuttle
Launch Experience logo (H); triangle logo with Shuttle (V). |
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SPACE SHOP – 5
machines Billed
as the world’s largest space store, this is also the building with the most machines:
4 penny presses, and one quarter press. One
penny press is located outside the store’s door facing the “NASA Central”
outdoor plaza. Two machines are inside
another door near the cash registers.
Two machines (including the quarter press) are in the middle of the
store near the stairways. Designs: Outdoor
machine: Mercury 7 round logo (V); Shuttle landing with parachute, inscribed
“Atlantis Space Shuttle” (H); triangle logo with Space Shuttle (V); Shuttle
on Boeing 747, inscribed “Shuttle Atlantis 747 SCA” (H). Inside
door machine #1: Shuttle with cargo door open and arm extended with “Florida,
U.S.A.” (H); “Shuttle Launch” without “Kennedy Space Center” on coin(V); flat
NASA logo with “Florida USA” (V); flat globe view of Western Hemisphere with “Florida
USA” (V). Inside
door machine #2: “Apollo Moon Rover” (H); Apollo 11 eagle logo (V); Mars
Rover (V); shuttle on Boeing 747 inscribed “Shuttle Enterprise 747 SCA” (H). Stairway
area penny machine: All 4 designs have “Pennycollector.com” in the dotted
border – Astronaut stepping onto Moon, inscribed “July 20th, 1969” (V);
Hubble space telescope & NASA logo (H); space shuttle, inscribed Space
Shuttle Program” (V); heart with “Space Princess” (H). Stairway
area quarter machine: Saturn V rocket (V); NASA logo, inscribed “Gateway to
the Future” (H); shuttle launching with boosters and fuel tank (V); Apollo 11
capsule (H). |
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Outdoor machine
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Inside door –
machine #1
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Inside door –
machine #2
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Stairway in middle
of store – penny machine
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Stairway in middle
of store – quarter machine
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Kennedy
Space Center – Bus tour
Once you
are inside the Visitor Complex, you can ride the bus tour (departs every 15
minutes) through the various assembly and launch areas of the complex. The bus stops at two locations, where
passengers can disembark and tour facilities at their own leisure. Both bus stops have penny press
machines. Because the bus tours depart
from inside the Visitor Complex, you must pay admission to reach these areas
(admission is automatically part of your Visitor Complex ticket). The departures end mid-afternoon, so don’t
wait!
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LC-39 OBSERVATION GANTRY- 1 machine The
observation platform is usually the first stop on the bus tour, but sometimes
it is skipped. The machine is outside
the snack bar and gift shop. Designs:
International Space Station (V); hollow NASA logo (H); shuttle launching with
view from above (V); shuttle in space, viewed from above (H). |
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APOLLO/SATURN V
CENTER – 2 machines Two machines are located at the second stop on the bus
tour. One is near the rest rooms, and
one is outside the entrance to the Right Stuff store. Designs: Rest room area: Apollo XIII logo, inscribed “failure is
not an option” (V); Saturn V rocket launching (V); Lunar Rover (V); close-up
of astronaut on Moon (H). Many years ago, this machine was located at the
Right Stuff gift shop. Right Stuff gift store: All 4 coins have
“Pennycollector.com” in the dotted border – rounded NASA logo surrounded by
planets and stars, inscribed “I Need My Space,” without “Kennedy Space
Center” inscription (H); Orion space capsule, inscribed “Constellation
Program ‘Orion’” (H); shuttle launching, viewed from above (V); shuttle in
flight, viewed from above, inscribed “Rocket Scientist” (H). This
replaces an earlier machine that had the following designs: Saturn V Rocket
(v), Space Shuttle with American Flag Background (h), NASA Logo (h), Space
Shuttle with External Tank and Boosters (v).
Info from www.PennyCollector.com.
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Rest room area
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Outside Right Stuff
gift shop
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Retired machines: Some information from www.PennyCollector.com |
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Space
Shop/Astronaut Encounter area: I am
not entirely sure whether the coin pictured at right is from this location –
it differs from the International Space Station coin currently available at
the LC-39 Observation Gantry. This coin has the space shuttle in the
background, and a partial globe at the bottom. The current coin lacks both details. |
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Countdown
Cafe: |
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Orbit
Food Court: |
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Moon
Rock Café, later at Right Stuff gift shop: This
machine was replaced by a machine with “Pennycollector.com” inscriptions and
different designs; the new machine was already in place in November 2012, but
I am not sure when the replacement was carried out. Two of the dies have been moved to other
machines. Saturn
V launching (V) – now at Apollo/Saturn V Center near rest rooms Hollow
NASA logo (H) – now at LC-39 observation gantry Space
shuttle with flag background (H) – similar to former Orlando Airport machine,
now at Early Space Exploration – but it is a different design Shuttle
with fuel tank & boosters (V) |
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Orlando
International Airport store: Although
the store is still at the airport, the machine has been moved to the Early Space
Exploration exhibit at the KSC visitor complex. There is no longer a machine at the airport
store. At
one time, several stores at Orlando International had penny presses. Now only
the Sea World store has one. |
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PENNY PRESS BOOKLETS |
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First edition
2 pages; holds 20
pennies. Retail price: $5.99. |
Second edition
(2012)
Trifold with 4
pages to hold 36 pennies and 8 tokens or quarters. Retail price: $5.99. Includes a pressed penny that is unique to
the book. |
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TOKEN MACHINES There
are reportedly 5 token machines (cost: $1 each). I have only been able to find 4. I am beginning to think the 5th machine has
already been moved to the new Atlantis display area, which does not open
until June 2013. |
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Ticket area rest room building – theme: NASA |
Space Shop – theme: Shuttle Endeavour |
LC-39 Observation
Gantry – Theme: Shuttle Discovery |
Apollo/Saturn
V building – near rest rooms – Theme: Apollo 13 |
Machine 5 not yet located – Theme: Shuttle Atlantis |
New 11/17/2012
Revised 04/25/2013
© James McNally