Space Commerce Way
Merritt Island, FL , 32953 Phone: 800-621-9826 Website 3/09/2020: The site was repaired and is correct now. GSY
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is where rockets launch and inspiration begins at Florida's gateway to space. Located one small step from Orlando, arrive early for a full-day experience at the greatest space adventure on Earth.
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 unfortunately, employees are not very knowledgeable about the locations of machines even in their own stores. The locations and designs change on occasion.
Penny press books are sold at many gift shops. The second edition is now available, and it has a pressed penny on the cover.
Sometimes designs seem identical, but they can have small differences. All coins have “Kennedy Space Center” on them unless noted.
Except for the two machines inside the information building near entrance gate, admission must be paid to reach all areas with pressed coin machines.
There is a $10 charge for parking at the Space Center, and there is no neighboring free parking lot or public transportation.
Active machines
Machine 6: Temp Space Shop outside entrance area – (this machine was formerly near the Information Center inside the gates, but was relocated during construction, and then formerly located by rest rooms outside admission gates). There is currently a change machine and a medallion/token machine (NASA logo) with it.
The designs are: 1) Astronaut on moon with U.S. flag (V); 2) NASA logo on U.S. flag background (H); 3) Telescope with “reach for the stars” (V); 4) Space Shuttle landing (H).
Machine 7: at one of the entrances to the Space Shop (the largest one) - (Formerly located Orlando INTL Airport & in former Early Space Exploration now Heros & Legends building) is to the left of the entrance plaza. The machine takes $1 bills and no penny is necessary. It costs $ 1 per design. You can run a credit card, but it will get you all 4 designs.
Designs: 1) Saturn V rocket (Roman numeral “V” for “5”) (V); 2) Rounded NASA logo with 6 stars (H); 3) Mars Rover (V); 4) Space Shuttle with flag background (without “Kennedy Space Center” on coin) (H).
Machine 8: Inside Information building outside main entrance gate (formerly inside IMAX Theater – the IMAX machine is in the lobby to the left of the building entrance).
Designs: 1) Saturn 5 Rocket (number “5” instead of Roman numeral) (V); 2) Apollo 11 capsule (H); 3) Apollo logo (V); 4) Flat NASA logo (V)
Machine 9: at one of the entrances to the Space Shop (the largest one) – (formerly next to Shuttle Launch Experience located next to the lockers outside this simulation ride). The machine takes $1 bills and no penny is necessary. It costs $ 1 per design. You can run a credit card, but it will get you all 4 designs.
Designs: 1) Shuttle on Boeing 747 (H); 2) Shuttle with sunshine background (H); 3) Shuttle Launch Experience logo (H); 4) Triangle logo with Shuttle (V).
Machine 10: Shuttle Launch Experience Locker Area (formerly located in Space Shop - Outdoor machine, outside the store’s door facing the “NASA Central” outdoor plaza).
Designs: 1) Mercury 7 round logo (V); 2) Shuttle landing with parachute, inscribed “Atlantis Space Shuttle” (H); 3) triangle logo with Space Shuttle (V); 4) Shuttle on Boeing 747, inscribed “Shuttle Atlantis 747 SCA” (H).
Machine 11: Inside Information building just outside main entrance gate (formerly located inside Space Shop Inside door machine near cash registers):
1) Shuttle with cargo door open and arm extended with “Florida, U.S.A.” (H); 2) “Shuttle Launch” without “Kennedy Space Center” on coin(V); 3) flat NASA logo with “Florida USA” (V); 4) flat globe view of Western Hemisphere with “Florida USA” (V).
Machine 12 Temp Space Shop outside (near cash registers):
1) “Apollo Moon Rover” (H); 2) Apollo 11 eagle logo (V); 3) Mars Rover (V); 4) shuttle on Boeing 747 inscribed “Shuttle Enterprise 747 SCA” (H).
Machine 13: at one of the entrances to the Space Shop (the largest one). The machine takes $1 bills and no penny is necessary. It costs $ 1 per design. You can run a credit card, but it will get you all 4 designs.
1) Astronaut stepping onto Moon, inscribed “July 20th, 1969” (V); 2) Hubble space telescope & NASA logo (H); 3) Space Shuttle, inscribed Pace Shuttle Program” (V); 4) Heat with “Space Princess” (H).
Machine 15: LC-39 Observation Gantry (this area is accessed by the bus tour):
1) International Space Station (Vertical design); 2) hollow NASA logo (Horizontal design); 3) shuttle launching with view from above (V); 4) shuttle in space, viewed from above (H).
Machine 16: Apollo/Saturn V Center Moon Rock Café - restroom area (this area is accessed by the bus tour; Many years ago, this machine was located at the Right Stuff gift shop.):
1) Apollo XIII logo, inscribed “failure is not an option” (V); 2) Saturn V rocket launching (V); 3) Lunar Rover (V); 4) close-up of an astronaut on Moon (H).
Machine 17: Apollo/Saturn V Center Moon Rock Café - Right Stuff gift store: All 4 coins from this machine have “Pennycollector.com” in the dotted border.
1) rounded NASA logo surrounded by planets and stars, inscribed “I Need My Space,” without “Kennedy Space Center” inscription (H); 2) Orion space capsule, inscribed “Constellation Program ‘Orion’” (H); 3) shuttle launching, viewed from above (V); 4) shuttle in flight, viewed from above, inscribed “Rocket Scientist” (H).
Machine 18: 2023:
1) 'Artemus', Logo, 2) 'Spaceport KSC', Logo, 3) 'Gateway', logo, 4) 'Orion', image of spacecraft.
Medallion/ Token machines:
1. Atlantis Gift Shop next to penny machines – theme: Shuttle Atlantis
2. Apollo/Saturn V building – near rest rooms – Theme: Apollo 13
3. Shuttle Launch Experience Locker Area – Theme: Shuttle Discovery
4. Outdoor Temp Space Shop – theme: Shuttle Endeavour
5. Temp Space Shop Outside Entrance – theme: NASA
Retired machines designs:
Retired 1) (Was Space Shop/Astronaut Encounter area) 1) Astronaut In Space with Space Shuttle in the background (V), 2) Space Shuttle sitting at the launch pad (V), 3) Saturn V rocket (V), 4) International Space Station with Space Shuttle in the background (V)
Retired 2) (Was Countdown Café) 1) NASA logo (H), 2) Robot Scout (V), 3) Space Shuttle with stars (H), 4) International Space Station (H). There is no longer a café with this name.
Retired 3) (Was Orbit Food Court) 1) NASA logo (V), 2) Bald Eagle flying (V), 3) Space Shuttle lifting off from pad (V), 4) Apollo 13 Odyssey capsule. There is no longer a machine at this location.
Retired 4) (2012) Two of the dies have been moved to other machines. Designs: 1) Saturn V launching (V) – now at Apollo/Saturn V Center near rest rooms; 2) hollow NASA logo (H) – now at LC-39 observation gantry; 3) Space shuttle with flag background (H) – similar to former Orlando Airport machine, now at Early Space Exploration – but it is a different design; 4) Shuttle with fuel tank & boosters (V)
Retired 5: 1) Moon lander, 2) Eagle in circle logo, 3) 'Saturn V', 4) U.S. Flag.
Retired 14: (Quarter) 1) Saturn V rocket (V); 2) NASA logo, inscribed “Gateway to the Future” (H); 3) Shuttle launching with boosters and fuel tank (V); 4) Apollo 11 capsule (H).
5/15/23: New machine added.
03/07/24: All 12 machines are now $1 cash / credit card zinc machines.
4 machines are by the exit near the registers in the Biggest Gift Shop.
1 machine is upstairs by the elevator.
3 machines are in the Space Shuttle Atlantis building across from the Astronaut Training Simulators.
3 machines are in the Saturn building outside the gift ship, and you need to ride the tour bus to get to these machines.
The last machine is in the Gateway building on the back wall in the middle of the room.
2 machines in the Biggest Gift Shop were not accepting cards and wouldn't take my $1 bills. All the rest were working and I used cash on all of them but 1 which needed a card to work.
There are no machines in the information building outside the paid area anymore. Cost $75 & $10 parking. JLT |
