From jaffles to flight recorders: local newsXpress joins the Mint in celebrating Australia’s Bright Ideas

www.mintcoinshop.com.au, a newsXpress website, is joining the Royal Australian Mint to celebrate five clever Australian inventions with the launch of the 2026 Bright Ideas coin collection.

From the humble jaffle maker to the technology behind wireless connectivity, Bright Ideas celebrates five Australian inventions that have become part of everyday life here and around the world.

The collection features the stump jump plough, jaffle maker, baby safety capsule, black box flight recorder and high-speed Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology – each with its own story of Australian ingenuity and problem-solving.

As part of the program, a special $2 Bright Ideas coin featuring all five inventions will enter circulation, giving customers the chance to find one in their change when paying with cash at participating newsXpress stores.

Managing Director of newsXpress, Mark Fletcher, said the business was gratful to be taking part in the program.

“We love being part of our local community, and this is a great opportunity to share a little bit of Australian history and ingenuity with our customers.

“What I particularly like about Bright Ideas is that these are inventions people can relate to. Most of us have made a jaffle, used wireless technology or travelled with our children in a safety capsule, without necessarily knowing the Australian story behind them.

“And of course, there’s something a little bit special about finding a Bright Ideas $2 coin in your change. We’re looking forward to seeing our customers check their change to see if they’ve found one.”

The Bright Ideas $2 coin will be available through participating newsXpress stores from Thursday, 8 October 2026.

Customers can also purchase the Bright Ideas collector range, including the five-coin and seven-coin collections and a $2 proof coin, through participating newsXpress stores.

The stories behind the five inventions span more than a century of Australian innovation. The stump jump plough was patented by South Australian Richard Smith in 1876, while Defence scientist Dr David Warren invented the black box flight recorder in 1953. CSIRO developed high-speed Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology in the 1990s, and the jaffle maker and baby safety capsule went on to become familiar parts of Australian life.

“We’re proud to be part of bringing these stories to our local community and giving our customers the chance to collect a little piece of Australian innovation.”

Check your change – you could find a Bright Ideas $2 coin at your local newsXpress.