New copper pennies vanished from circulation in 1982-73 years after the first Lincoln penny was minted. They were replaced by coins of mostly zinc thinly coated with copper.

The solid copper old ones were more pliable and easier to stamp, making them hot items for kids at funfairs.

"They'll clean 'em so when they elongate the dino or shark of the printed coin it maintains a ghost image of the printed head of Lincoln," said Brian Peters, general manager of Minnesota-based Penny Press Machine Co. "Pre-1982 copper pennies, they bring those."

Alan Fleming, of Scotland, is the owner of Penny Press Factory, one of a number around the world that manufacture machines that flatten and stamp coins.

"A lovely retired gentleman in Boston sold me over 100,000 uncirculated cents a couple of years ago but he doesn't have any more," Fleming wrote. "I will need to purchase new uncirculated cents within the next 12 months to keep my machines supplied and working!"

To visit the Penny Press Factory website, see:
Penny Press Factory(http://www.pennypressfactory.com/)

To read the complete article, see:
Penny souvenir sellers face an uncertain future after Trump's pledge to stop making the coins(https://www.fastcompany.com/91292323/penny-souvenir-sellers-face-uncertain-future-trump-pledge)