ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT HOSTS COIN SWAP

This weekend, it's the Royal Australian Mint's Canberra Coin Swap which is drawing collectors, known as numismatists, to the national capital.

Attendees bring along cash and coins and swap them for circulating coloured and commemorative coins which have, until now, been uncirculated.

And with this being first time the event has been held since the pandemic, there's plenty of pent up demand.

CEO of the Royal Australian Mint Leigh Gordon said this coin swap was focused on recently-produced coins from the "last few years".

That includes those with the effigy of King Charles as well as coins commemorating the hard work of first responders including firefighters.

The premise of the swap is simple.

"It's a coin swap, so it's cash for cash," he said. "You give us 10 dollars cash and you get 10 dollars worth of coins."

But Mr Gordon said there are specific coins which stand out.

"There's a variety of stories that really strike a chord with people. We do some military coins; we do some other society-based coins," he said.

"Certainly, there's an opportunity for people to grab a memento for an event that they mightn't really be able to get to themselves."

Despite the pandemic having impacted coin and cash usage in Australia and globally — numismatists' love for coins is only increasing.

Mr Gordon said almost a quarter of Australians would call themselves a coin collector.

Many collectors actively sought out specific coins to complete their collection, Mr Gordon said.

To read the complete article, see:
Coin enthusiasts travel across the country for the Royal Australian Mint's coin swap (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-02/coin-collectors-canberra-event-royal-mint/103923174)

 

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