The queue of people waiting outside the Royal Australian Mint at 10 am on Thursday. Photo: Mackenzie Watkins.
When you think of camping, it most likely isn’t at the Royal Australian Mint. But for avid Bluey fans and coin collectors alike, the overnight campout was the place to be this week to make sure they were the first to get their hands on a highly sought-after limited edition coin.
For those somehow not familiar with the children’s show Bluey, it revolves around a blue heeler pup who goes on adventures with her family and friends.
The Mint released two 2025 coloured coins featuring Bluey and her little sister, Bingo, to celebrate a traditional Aussie Christmas in summer.
One silver, one gold, and both presented in ornaments to hang on Christmas trees, the coins were a huge hit and sold out quickly. By 10 am on 16 October, the fine silver proof coin, retailing for $100, was already gone.
The gold uncirculated coin was cheaper, retailing for $20.
Braving the heat, many patient people in the queue waited for hours. However, there seemed to be a sort of camaraderie between them, with many sharing umbrellas in an attempt to get some shade.
Others were walking up and down the line begging for someone to buy an extra coin for their child, as there was a three-coin limit for each customer.
One man was there for his grandfather, an avid coin collector.
“My Pop called me this morning and asked me to go and get any of the Bluey coins for him,” he said.
“The line curled all the way around the carpark. I think I went through four different stages of lines before I made my way to the till.
“I was last here for the Queen’s last coin, and the Bluey coin is apparently significantly more popular than the Queen’s last coin … Bluey beat the Queen!”
The many gold Bluey coins accompanied by Bluey herself. Photo: Mackenzie Watkins.
The Mint’s Director of Museum and Public Engagement Stuart Baines said when he left work the night before, there was already a line of people waiting for the morning.
“At one stage [the line] was halfway up to the NDIS building. It’s been a really good response, more than we anticipated,” he said.
John Guppy, a self-proclaimed “casual collector”, comes from two avid collector parents.
After attending the Mint on a school excursion in the 1970s, John has been hooked on the hunt ever since.
He purchased two gold coins but was disappointed he couldn’t get his hands on the silver coin.
The silver coin was a hot topic. Its popularity came as a surprise even to Mint employees, who didn’t expect it to sell out as quickly as it did.
Marketed as being “perfect for the tree, as a stocking filler or a magical keepsake”, the coin was mostly bought by grandparents on behalf of their children to gift to their kids for Christmas.
With the silver coins now sold out, the Royal Australian Mint is reflecting on a release that exceeded expectations. Whether driven by collector passion or Bluey fandom, the turnout marked one of the Mint’s most memorable launches to date.
As the holiday season approaches, the Bluey coin frenzy has proven that a little bit of childhood magic and a lot of Aussie spirit can turn even a coin release into a community event.
Future limited-edition coins can be found through the Royal Australian Mint’s website.
Original Article published by Mackenzie Watkins on Region Canberra.
