She’s Not a Cat: Hello Kitty Gets Her Own Perth Mint Stamp and Coin Cover
Here’s a fact that surprises most people. Hello Kitty isn’t a cat.
Sanrio says she’s a little girl called Kitty White, and she lives in London with her family. I’ve known that for years and it still sounds wrong every time I say it.
Cat or not, she now has her own coin. The Perth Mint has released the Hello Kitty 2026 Stamp and Coin Cover, and we have it in stock at $37.
A character with real staying power
Hello Kitty was created by Sanrio in Japan in 1974. Illustrator Yuko Shimizu drew the original design.
What started as a face on a coin purse is now everywhere. Fashion labels, art projects and theme parks all use her. Few characters from the 1970s are still selling this strongly. She is one of them.
That matters for a coin release. Most buyers of this cover won’t be coin collectors. They’ll be Hello Kitty fans, and there are a lot of them.
The design
The coloured reverse shows Hello Kitty in pink overalls with her red bow. Behind her is a pattern of stars and dots, with HELLO KITTY written on the coin.
It’s a simple design. I think that’s the right call. Hello Kitty works best when she isn’t crowded.
Jennifer McKenna designed the reverse and Jody Clark designed the obverse.
What comes in the cover
The coin is mounted in a printed card with a round window. You can see the design without taking anything out. An official Australia Post stamp sits alongside it, postmarked on the first day of issue.
The specifications:
- $1 coin in uncirculated aluminium bronze
- 13.50g weight, 30.70mm diameter
- Issue limit of 5,150
Solo or with friends
The Perth Mint has also released a second cover this year. It puts Hello Kitty alongside Cinnamoroll and Badtz-Maru. It has the same price and the same issue limit.
If you’re buying for a dedicated fan, I’d get both. They sit well together, and the solo cover is the one I expect long-time Hello Kitty fans to reach for first.
See the Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and Badtz-Maru cover
Buying from us
We sell at RRP, with no premium for popular releases. Most orders ship the same day, and every order is filmed as it’s packed. Melbourne customers can also use click and collect from our Hawthorn office.
Shop the Hello Kitty 2026 Stamp and Coin Cover
