Limited-run Bluey $1 coin sets sold out and skyrocketing in value

The sold-out special edition Bluey coins released by the Royal Australian Mint last week are now selling for almost $900 on eBay, with another seller setting a much higher price.

Last week the internationally famous blue heeler featured on three coins as part of a set, selling for $55.

On Monday morning, some three-coin sets were selling on eBay for $888, with one seller listing they had already sold 17 others for that price.

In one bizarre case, one seller had the special set listed for $100,000. The seller previously had 99.3 per cent positive reviews.

The coin collection that hit the shelves last week featured Bluey, the Heelers and the grannies, following the ranks of the Wiggles, Mr Squiggle and Play School, who had previously had the special honour.

LIMITED EDITION BLUEY $1 COINS A ‘TIMELESS TREASURE’
Much-loved Australian TV character Bluey will feature in a new set of “Dollarbuck” $1 coins to be released by the Royal Australian Mint* on Thursday.

The internationally famous blue heeler dog will feature on three coins as part of the set; on her own, with the Heeler Family, and dressed up as The Grannies.

The coins will be available in individual coin cards as well as specially-made three-coin envelope sets by Bluey animators* Ludo Studio that also include a sticker set.

Royal Australian Mint chief executive* Leigh Gordon said the limited-run was an opportunity for Australians to get involved in coin collecting following The Wiggles and Play School sets.

“This is the Mint’s classic storytelling through coins,” Mr Gordon said. “We hope that through this new Bluey program we are cultivating* the coin collector of tomorrow.”

The coins will be available from the Australian Mint shop and authorised retailers.

BBC Studios director of brands and licensing ANZ Kate O’Connor said the coins captured the “playful essence* of the beloved series” and were a “timeless treasure”.

Created by Australian animator Joe Brumm, Bluey rocketed to international success after the TV show about the blue heeler’s life with her family in Brisbane aired for the first time in October 2018.

This week she became the official face of Queensland, fronting the Sunshine State’s biggest tourism* campaign in more than a decade.

Tourism bosses are hoping her popularity will lead to fans wanting to see ‘Bluey’s world, for real life’.

“For the past six years, Bluey and the backdrop of Brisbane has captivated* audiences globally and now it’s time to bring the world here to Queensland – Bluey’s world for real life,” Queensland Premier Steven Miles said.

“We have the world’s best lifestyle, the best beaches, the best cities, the incredible outback, the Great Barrier Reef and people who love welcoming visitors to our unbeatable backyard.

“I invite everyone to come and experience for themselves the magnificent place the Heeler family couldn’t bear to move away from.”

To mark the start of the campaign, the world’s biggest game of Keepy Uppy – a Bluey favourite – was played across the state.

The world record attempt had more than 700 people keeping a giant red ball in the air for as long as possible, across multiple Keepy Uppy games spanning* almost 2000km across Queensland.

The new tourism campaign comes months before the November 7 opening of Bluey’s World in Brisbane, where fans will experience a re-creation* of Bluey’s renowned home with impressive (for real) life-size sets and interactive play.

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GLOSSARY

• Royal Australian Mint: organisation responsible for making coins for Australia
• animators: people who make a series of drawings on paper or on the computer
• chief executive: the boss who manages an organisation
• cultivating: growing
• essence: the basic or most important idea or quality of something
• tourism: when people travel from where they live to another place for pleasure or relaxation
• captivated: to hold the attention of someone by being extremely interesting, exciting, pleasant, or attractive
• spanning: stretching between points
• re-creation: creating something again

EXTRA READING

Special 50c coin a final tribute to the Queen

Eight-year-old Aussie buys home

Bluey brings cricket world to tears

QUICK QUIZ

1. What official organisation is releasing the Bluey coins?
2. The release of the three coins is designed to spark what hobby for kids?
3. What new role did Bluey take on this week?
4. How do you play Keepy Uppy?
5. Name three places Queensland Premier hopes international visitors will visit?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Is this silly?
"Making Bluey coins is silly. Our coins should show serious things!"
Do you agree with this statement? Write a convincing paragraph. Use information from the story to give you ideas.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social Capability

2. Extension
Did you know that for archaeologists, ancient coins are very important sources of information? What do you think they can learn about people and their societies? Write down as many things as you can think of. Then, write down all of the things that archaeologists of the future might learn about us from the Bluey coins, especially if they don’t know anything about Bluey.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History

VCOP ACTIVITY
1. Creative vocabulary
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any ‘said’ words with more specific synonyms?

Have you outdone yourself and used some really great vocabulary throughout your writing? Firstly, well done. Secondly, let’s ensure everyone can understand it by adding a glossary of terms. Pick three of your wow words and create a glossary for each word to explain what it means.