Canberra’s spring celebration is coming to the Royal Australian Mint with a special ACT bluebell privy mark coin, floral-inspired tours and plenty of reasons to make the Mint part of your Floriade About Town adventure.
Spring is in the air, and Canberra is bursting into colour as Floriade About Town takes over the city from 12 September to 11 October.
To celebrate, the Mint is adding a floral touch to its coin-making magic, with a special ACT bluebell privy mark appearing on one of the Mint’s gallery coin presses for four weeks only.
This is the first time the Mint will change one of its gallery coin presses mid-year, giving visitors the opportunity to strike their own coin featuring the limited-time design while watching the coin-making process up close.
The bluebell privy mark is expected to be a highlight for collectors, with the design available exclusively on the gallery press during the Floriade About Town celebration.
To mark the launch, one lucky visitor will have the chance to mint the very first coin featuring the bluebell privy mark. On Saturday, 12 September, visitors arriving at the Mint from 7.30am will receive a free numbered wristband, with one number drawn at random. The winner will be invited to mint the first coin, which will then be presented in a specially designed display frame created for the occasion.
Discover coins in bloom
The floral theme continues throughout the Mint, with visitors able to explore the Coins in Bloom exhibition and join a free daily tour exploring the flowers that have featured on Australian coins.
From native blossoms to commemorative designs, the tour reveals how flowers have been captured in metal to tell stories about Australia, its people and places.
Visitors can also stop by the Mint Café for special Floriade-inspired treats, while the Floriade opening day will bring even more colour and activity to the celebration.
The event will feature live music, food trucks, face painting, a coin swap and activities for collectors and curious newcomers alike.
The coin swap gives collectors of all ages the chance to expand their collections by exchanging cash for coins, including hard-to-find and coloured circulating coins. For those new to collecting, it offers an easy and affordable introduction to the hobby.
The Mint is one of Canberra’s must-visit attractions and one of the few places where visitors can watch Australian coins being made in a working factory. From the viewing platform, visitors can see the action on the factory floor and discover what goes into creating the coins that travel around Australia.
Royal Australian Mint chief executive officer, Emily Martin, said Floriade was one of those times of year when Canberra comes alive with colour and creativity.
“We are delighted to bring a little of that floral magic into the Mint… the ACT bluebell privy mark is sure to get collectors excited, particularly because it will only be available on our gallery coin press during Floriade About Town.
“It’s a great reason to come and visit, whether you’re a passionate collector hoping to add the privy mark to your collection or simply looking for something fun to do during Floriade.”
