The penny machine here at Schimpff's Confectionery was placed on November 17, 2001.  Don Steffen reported it to the TEC E-Mail List on November 26, 2001 (I am waiting for Don to give me the story of how he found the machine).  I sent a letter of with $2, clean wheat pennies and a self addressed stamped envelope to get my own Elongated Coins.  The following is a more complete story of events:

Finding the Schimpff Penny Machine: (in Don Steffen's own words)
    OK....here's how it went.

    A fellow employee of mine had a relative die and was going to the funeral in Jeffersonville.  He went onto the internet to Jeffersonville to find out what else that there was to do and see there.  He found an article in the local newspaper online about "Schimpff's Confectionery" installing the new penny machine.  My fellow employee knew that I collected smashed pennies and asked me if I would like him to smash some pennies for me.  Of course I accepted his offer and I gave him some cleaned, pre 1982 pennies in a ziplock bag and showed him how to determine which way to put the penny in the machine so that the design was imprinted on the tail side.  He said that he also enjoyed looking at the other old stuff in the store after he smashed my pennies.

    That's the story.

    Don at the Fort

The Sending:
    I sent off a letter with 4 clean wheat pennies and 2 paper dollars to Schimpff's Confectionary.  This was the first time I hade ever done this.  I figured if they did not smash them for me, it was no great loss.  I described how I wanted the pennies smashed.  I taped the pennies in between two cereal box sides cut to an envelope size to prevent the pennies from wearing through the envelope. Then put it in the mail and forgot about it.

The Receiving!:
    My 15 month old son and I went to check the mail together while Julie cleaned up the dinner dishes.  Taking Ethan with me kept him out of the dishwasher while she loaded it and gave me time to be with him.  When we check the mail, we practice crossing the road.  The mail box was full of the normal junk, bills and a self addressed envelope to me with Long Penny in the return address.  I tried to remember what it would be, but could not.  Ethan carried it in to the house for me.  Since it was thick and only pennies, he could not destroy it to bad :).

The Opening!:
    I opened it an this is what I found.  A hand written note from Warren Schimpff about rolling the pennies:
    Click on the image in full size (it is big, it may take a while)
    On it it said, "Rich, Hope this is the way you wanted them smashed.  You have some of the 1st 100 smashed - officially by the machine counter.  Curious how news travels so fast.  We just put the machine in service on 11/17/01.  We are curious how you & Don found out about the machine.  I have enclosed a brochure about us & the candy store.  Do you know of any other coins (elongates) that have to do with candy??  If so, let us know.  Contact us via E Mail at jwschimpff@aol.com Sorry for this sloppy note, but I wanted to get this off ASAP since this is our busy season.  All or now.  Warren"

    Also included was all this other fun information:

    You can imagine the fun of opening such a surprise and wanting to share.  Warren, Thanks for the time and effort for smashing these pennies

Thanks

Rich Hays