Lucky Aussie to Win First Coin of 2021

The Royal Australian Mint (the Mint) has a new format for the annual First Coin of the Year event, according to a Nov. 16 press release.

To ensure the health and safety of visitors and staff, the event, which is normally held onsite at the Mint in Canberra, will be digital.

Announcing the new online format of the event, Royal Australian Mint CEO Ross MacDiarmid said: “This year is the first time in history that anyone from anywhere in Australia has the opportunity to get their hands on the First Coin of the Year, without needing to be in Canberra.”

“While we will miss seeing the familiar faces and long lines at the Mint, it was important for us to continue this tradition in a way that kept our visitors and staff safe.”
Mr. MacDiarmid notes that in previous years, avid coin collectors and enthusiasts have lined up outside the Mint for several hours for the rare opportunity to press the first coin of the year.

“We have celebrated the First Coin of the Year for over a decade. It has become a much-loved tradition for people young and old, from across Australia. This event is especially significant because not only is it the first coin in Australia, but also in the world.”
The Last Coin of the Year event, normally held on New Year’s Eve, will also be digitally reimagined.

From Nov. 19, 2020, people from across Australia will be able to enter the ballot for both the Last Coin of the Year and First Coin of the Year. There are 10 Last Coins and 100 First Coins available to be given away. Winners will be announced from Dec. 4, 2020, on the Mint’s Facebook page and corporate website.

For those who miss out, the 2021 ‘C’ Mintmark Gallery Press Coins will be available to purchase from the Mint’s eShop from Nov. 9, 2020.
The 2021 Mintmark coin theme will be announced to the public on Jan. 1, 2021.