Oregon

"Oregon Coast Aquarium" Stephen Moore sent me these and uh, the letter he sent with them is dated over two years ago and he says in it that he's had the pennies for a while and uhh.. so I uh.. never answered his letter and now it's been over 2 years and... I'm a jerk and uh... I guess all this qualifies this penny as antique.
"Oregon Coast Aquarium" This is the other penny my friend Stephen Moore sent to me over two years ago (Sept 27, 2003) that I never responded to and well, thanks Stephen, I appreciate your gift. (Boy, do I stink.)
"Lemur - Oregon Zoo" MEGA-Contributor Vard sent this one to me. That's about all I can say about it. Maybe I should take a break.
Leanne, my former coworker, must have some relatives out in eastern Oregon, otehrwise I don't know why she'd have gone to "Sisters Oregon" If you can think of a reason to go there, send me a message.
"Yaquina Bay Bridge - Newport Oregon" Brady and I had a great time back in 2001 when we drove up the coast of Oregon. We raved about it so much that Jimmy and Jessica decided to do about the same trip and oddly enough got this penny that's about the same (though not exactly) as one I got on our trip.
"Yaquina Head - Cape Foulweather" Vard sent me this one. And I just looked, and all that junk I wrote about the "Yaquina Bay Bridge" penny. Well, most of it's right except that Vard sent that one to me instead of Jimmy and Jessica. That's reminds me, just because you read something on a web site, it doesn't mean it's true.
"Lookout Gift Shop - Cape Foulweather" Vard sent this one too. I appreciate that she sends them, but she never tells me a funny story about them. So I have to come up with my own material. This one shows a little guy in the crow's nest searching for a mini license plate with his name on it.
"Seaside Aquarium" Doesn't that octopus look kind of like it came from "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"? I remember watching that show on Sunday afternoons just before "High Chapparal" All reruns, by the way.
"Seaside Aquarium - Lewis and Clark" Jimmy and Jessica brought this and some others back from their trip up the Oregon coast last year (2004). Brady and I made a similar trip but skipped the Seaside Aquarium and as a result missed out on seeing what I assume are the two sea otters there named Lewis and Clark.
Another from the "Seaside Aquarium" I don't know why Jimmy and Jessica chose to go to the Seaside Aquarium rather than the much fancier Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. Clearly, the Seaside Aquarium is a second banana kind of operation. (I think I'm going to get in trouble for saying that.)
"The Oregon Coast" Let me say that whichever Aquarium you do decide to go to, if any at all, you won't be disappointed by a drive up the Oregon Coast. I cna't guarantee that you'll see a whale breaching the water like this, but there's a lot of great scenery to see and stuff to do on your way.
"Tillamook Head Lighthouse" Hey it's a national historic site and one of 12 lighthouses along the Oregon coast.
"The Evergreen Aviation Museum 2001" So, this time, the Evergreen Aviation Museum is about 35 mile southwest of Portland, Oregon and is the home of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, the word's largest wooden aircraft. Check out their website at http://www.sprucegoose.org/. Thanks Vard, for sending this one to me.
"Escape to the West - Sisters, Oregon" When we visited, my step-brother Bob couldn't find this penny. He absolutely knew where it was but he couldn't find it. Have you ever had this experience? Anyway, he finally he found it later.
So, Brady and I went to Crater Lake in June 2001, and it was absolutely amazing, we stayed in the lodge right at the rim of the crater, hiked all over including to the top of Mt. Scott, the highest point in the park. One thing I want to clear up though about this penny is that boats are not allowed on the lake. There's one boat that will take people out to Wizard Island in the lake , and it doesn't look like this!
"I love you, Crater Lake Oregon" What can I say? I did love it there. It was great, the water the mountains, the lodge, the shear consideration of what it must've taken to create such a place was mind boggling.
"Sea Lion Caves - Oregon Coast" is a tourist attraction on US101 north of Florence, Oregon. Apparently it's one of the largest sea caves in the world... and it's totally filled with sea lions! Wowie! here's some more info.
"Heceta Head Lighthouse - Oregon Coast" I got this one at Sea Lion Caves a tourist stop on Highway 101 in Oregon. The lighthouses along the Oregon coast are worth the trip by themselves. There's a webcam that points at this lighthouse.
For just 51¢, you can be deputized as a "Sea Lion Caves Official Whale Watcher" and just incase you're not sure what one looks like, there's a nice picture of a "California Gray Whale" on the penny.
"Oregon Coast" The Oregon coast is a really beautiful area, covered with cliffs, bridges, rivers, beaches, giant sand dunes, touristy little towns, and penny smashers. This one came from 4-die machine in Lincoln City, Oregon.
"Oregon Coast" The machine in Lincoln City where I got this penny is visible from the road, highway 101, or I probably would never have stopped in Lincoln City.
I got this one in Lincoln City, Oregon. I had to go into the souvenir shop where this machine for some quarters to run the machine. While getting the quarters I asked the clerk if there were any other machines in town. She said, "Yeah, I think there are tow other machines, but I can't remember where."
"Kite Festival - Oregon Coast" After the great conversation I had with the clerk in Lincoln City, I didn't really want to ask her about the Kite Festival. If you know anything about the Kite Festival in Lincoln City, OR, tell me.
"Newport Oregon" Newport seems to be about the biggest of the small towns on the coast of Oregon. Brady and I liked it best out of all the place we stayed. I like this penny because it actually shows a bridge that looks like the bridge in Newport.
"Newport Oregon" We had dinner at Sharks on the waterfront. It's run by a couple who'll really treat you well. They make the best cioppino and gumbo you'll find anywhere, and they make it in these funky individually gas-heated stainless bowl-pot things. You have got to see it.
One of the reasons we stayed in Newport in June 2001 was because they have a Ripley's Museum there... no no not because we wanted to see it, but because we figured they'd have plenty of motels, and we were right.
"The Wax Works" I got this in Newport Oregon in June 2001 in the arcade across from "Undersea Gardens". This is typical cheapo smashed penny design in my opinion: a recycled image with a generic chain business name and no city. Thank you, Fantasy Entertainment/Pennymen.
An uninspiring penny from "Undersea Gardens" in Newport, Oregon. You can see the same design on a penny up Highway 101 in Lincoln City.
Undersea Gardens in Newport, Oregon is a classic mid 70's tourist attraction: a big glass-bottomed boat tied to the dock with a gift shop on the ground level. The sea lions on this penny can be seen on a penny from San Francisco's Pier 39.
You don't need to see the "Undersea Gardens" in Newport, Oregon to get this penny, just ask the clerk to let you look around the gift shop.
When we visited "Undersea Gardens" in Newport, Oregon in June of 2001, we saw a shark just like this one! Or did we? I don't know. But I know I've seen a shark just like this one somewhere else before.
I was going through some boxes in my garage from at least two moves ago and I came across a dish that had about 10 smashed pennies in it. These pennies became known in these parts as the "Packing Box Horde". After much examination, this penny was the only one found to be unique in my collection, I think it might have come from Multnomah falls way back when.
"Sailboards - Columbia Gorge" This penny is currently available (2001) at the Multnomah Falls gift shop outside of Portland, Oregon. We took a riverboat trip on the gorge recently, but, of course we didn't see any sailboarders... then again it was a monday morning, and it was freezing cold...
"Lewis & Clark - Seaside Oregon" Of all the places on the Oregon Coast you can go, choose Seaside last, unless you really want to see a lot of teenagers drinking eating funnel cake, and playing carnival games. This penny is in the mall with the carousel.
"Yaquina Head Lighthouse - Oregon Coast" How many times can I say it: the natural beauty of the Oregon Coast is the reason to go. Absolutely go for a hike (not a dune buggy ride) in the dunes. It occurs to me now that Lighthouses are not naturally occurring, oh well they're still pretty cute out there.
"Crater Lake National Park - Crater Lake, Oregon" Eric brought this one back. I've never been there, but I've seen it many times from the air when I've flown to Portland. It's definitely on the list of places to visit.. and not only because Eric purposely only brought back two fo the 4 pennies they have there. Thanks Eric!
"Crater Lake Company" Not only is Crater Lake a national park in Oregon, they have their own company. The crater is the remnant of an ancient volcano that collapsed and then filled with water. You must stop there if you're driving through Oregon.
This one shows an intrepid spelunker shining his flashlight while exploring the "Oregon Caves". Underneath it says something that may be "Adventure Underground" or "Adventure can be found" or "Adventure Campground" Gee whiz, I can't read it. Whoops.. Jim, Rose, Ben, and Rachel Cranna brought me this one; thanks you guys!
Vard sent this one to me with the other from Seaside, Oregon. it says, "The Carousel - Seaside Oregon" With this penny, Vard has become my most prolific benefactor in terms of how many different times she's sent me stuff. You're the best!
"Seaside Oregon" This one shows the sun setting into the pacific as some gulls whell on the horizon. My friend Vard sent me this one, I've never been there, I know nothing about the place. Thanks Vard! Again!
"OMSI - Portland, Oregon" OMSI stands for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, I've been there and it's a little like the Exploratorium only slicker. Jim, Rose, Ben, and Rachel Cranna brought this one back for me. Thanks you guys! more info
"Multnomah Falls - Oregon" This one was sent to me by my friend Vard. I'm not sure where she got it, but I do know that Multnomah Falls runs into the Columbia northeast of Portland. Brady and I have been there, and it's well worth the trip from Portland. Thanks Vard! more info. Update! Beth wrote to me about this penny!Beth
"Timberline - Mt.Hood, Oregon" I've been to the Timberline Lodge, but I guess, generally speaking, Timberline is a ski resort on Mt. Hood. Whatever it is, I liked going up there. Timberline Lodge is a real architectural masterpiece! Vard sent me this penny from there, thanks Vard! more info.