Article: Which Bright Ideas Coin Is Right for You? A Guide to the Range
Which Bright Ideas Coin Is Right for You? A Guide to the Range
The 2026 Bright Ideas program from newsXpress and the Royal Australian Mint celebrates five Australian inventions. It comes in four formats at four price points. Choosing between them depends on budget, purpose and how complete a collection should be.
The inventions
All four products share the same subject:
- The stump jump plough, patented by Richard Smith in 1876.
- The black box flight recorder, invented by Dr David Warren in 1953.
- The jaffle maker, first created by Dr Ernest Smithers in 1949 and reworked by Breville in 1974.
- The Safe-n-Sound Baby Safety Capsule, from Bill Bowtell, Bob Heath and Colin Nagel.
- High-speed WLAN technology, developed by CSIRO in the 1990s.
$2 Uncirculated Coin in Card: $20
This is the entry point. One coin shows all five inventions around a lightbulb. The mintage is unlimited, so it is about the story rather than scarcity. It makes an easy gift or stocking filler.
$1 Uncirculated Folder and Five-Coin Set: $37
Five $1 coins, one per invention, with a collection folder. Mint Coin Shop includes the $2 till coin inside the folder. There is also a 1-in-10 chance of a coloured black box flight recorder coin. The mintage is 35,000. This is the best choice for families, schools and anyone who wants each design on its own coin.
$2 Proof Coin: $65
The same $2 design with a mirror-like proof finish. The mintage is capped at 10,000. This suits collectors who care about quality of strike and want a scarcer version.
$1 and $2 Privy Mark Seven-Coin Collection: $159
The premium option. Seven coins carry a lightbulb privy mark and sit in a keepsake box. The set includes the $2 till coin on a card and a guaranteed colour black box flight recorder coin. The mintage is 15,000. It suits serious collectors and significant gifts.
A simple way to decide
- For a gift under $25, choose the $2 coin in card.
- For children or a classroom, choose the $1 folder set.
- For a quality single coin, choose the $2 proof.
- For the complete presentation, choose the privy mark collection.
Many collectors will want more than one. The proof and the privy mark collection make a strong pairing on display.
Buying from Mint Coin Shop
Mint Coin Shop is an official Royal Australian Mint stockist. Every product sells at the recommended retail price. There are no ballots. Fair purchase limits apply, and every order is checked by hand. Most orders ship the same day.
