Okay folks, here’s the piping hot tea: I don’t like coins. I don’t like them jangling around my pockets, I don’t like them getting sweaty on a summer’s day, and I don’t like breaking open a piggy bank only to realise that I’ve accumulated $3.25 over the past seven years.
However, there’s one thing that I do like about coins, and that’s the designs of the limited edition ones. This is because their A+ artistry can transform a normal piece of shrapnel into a treasure.
Moreover, even I have to admit there’s been some complete crackers in this year’s limited edition coin game. Here are some of my faves:
The Vegemite Coin
On November 17, the Royal Australian Mint (Mint) released maybe the best coin of the year. It’s a $1.00 piece that commemorates Vegemite’s 100th birthday.
This coin features a piece of toast that’s been painted a Vegemite colour and has had a bite taken out of its top left side. Moreover, it’ll be the last coin to have Queen Elizabeth II’s face on the back.
Joel Kandiah, a coin Aussie coin expert, reckons these will pop the heck off.
“I think it will be very popular on the basis that it is a well-designed coin, people have an affinity with Vegemite, and people will want to add another coloured coin to their collections,” said Kandiah.
“Being the last year’s set that will feature the Queen, the demand will be exacerbated by that. However, due to mintage being high, I hope that everyone that wants a set will get a hand on the set.”
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The Australian Signals Directorate Coin
The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is our agency that takes care of the country’s cybersecurity and protects us from cyberwarfare. They also teamed up with the Mint to create a buckwild new coin.
On September 1, the Mint released a limited edition fifty-cent piece to celebrate the ASD’s 75th anniversary. These coins are covered in four layers of cryptographic codes. When these tough codes are broken, the code will contain special info about the ASD.
“This exciting coin release challenges Australians to engage with the sorts of problem-solving that our talented people at ASD do every day, and might even be a pointer to a new career with us for those who can crack it,” said the ASD’s Director General, Rachel Noble.
“Though some coding for the coin originated with the Roman empire, there is remarkably still a place for them in modern intelligence.”
The ABC Coin
On October 5, the Mint dropped a commemorative 20-cent piece to celebrate 90 years of the ABC being a thing.
Moreover, this coin is super cute. In the middle, it has the ABC logo surrounded by Play School’s Jemima, the Rage logo, and a bunch of other icons.
“The Mint is delighted to be part of the celebration of the ABC’s 90th Anniversary: An organisation recognised as the home of Australian conversations, culture, and stories,” said the Mint’s CEO, Leigh Gordon.
“The coin design represents the ABC’s special and far-reaching connection with Australia and Australians as it has grown and evolved over 90 Years. Like a family photo, the ABC logo is featured predominantly on the coin, surrounded by icons that showcase the rich history of the ABC and its evolution into an iconic part of the Australian media landscape.”
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