You’ve probably walked down Main Street USA in Disneyland a number of times, but I’ll bet you never noticed the large Indian Head Cent mounted above the entrance to the Penny Arcade. And it’s not just any old large-prop coin either. Again and again, Disney Imagineers work their magic…
There are so many examples of brilliantly designed little details around Disneyland, if you just look for them. This one is no exception. Why? Read on.
A quick glance at the entrance to the Penny Arcade will reveal a giant “penny” up above the sign. Ok, that makes sense, it’s a Penny Arcade after all, and a penny on the sign is totally normal and expected.
But look a little closer …
You’ll notice that there’s a date on the Indian Head Cent. It reads 1901. Ok, so what. All pennies have to have a date on them. So what’s the significance of the year 1901, if anything?
Well it just so happens that a man named Walter Elias Disney was born that same year.
Walt Disney born in Chicago, Illinois on December 5, 1901.
And there you have it, another example of the magic that Disney Imagineers have built into some unexpected places in the parks of the Disneyland Resort.
Here’s s short video of the Disney Family Crest …
History of the Indian Head Penny
The Indian Head one-cent coin was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1859-1909. They were made out of a copper-nickel alloy and were hoarded during the American Civil War, probably because nickel (the metal) was in short supply. After the final minting in 1909, the Indian Head Cent was replaced by the Lincoln cent. For more information on the Indian Head Cent, click here -> History of the Indian Head Cent.