AusPost $1 coin set celebrates Australia’s love affair with ‘Big Things’

Australia Post will honour some of the country’s best-known tourist attractions, from Queensland’s Big Pineapple to NSW’s Big Banana, in a special one-off “Big Things” coin collection.

The $1 coin set, which celebrates the nation’s “love affair” with outsizes sculptures, will be available for purchase online or in-store at Australia Post from Monday as part of Collecting Month.

The coins will cost $3 each or $29 for a full coin set, with one in every 10 sets featuring a special coloured Giant Murray Cod coin. Coins will also be used as change at select AusPost stores.

Australia Post general manager of retail product Kayla Le Cornu said that despite their kitsch, Australia’s famed “Big Things” had been visited by as much as 90 per cent of the population and were well loved.

“Our ‘Big Things’ are colourful, entertaining and truly make their mark in so many local communities across Australia,” Ms Cornu said.

“We’re celebrating some of our most iconic ‘Big Things’ with this new coin collection, in partnership with the Royal Australian Mint.”

The iconic tourist attractions included in the coin set are:

• The Big Pineapple (Sunshine Coast, QLD)
• The Big Banana (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
• Giant Koala (Dadswells Bridge, Victoria)
• Big Tasmanian devil (Mole Creek, Tasmania)
• Big Blue Heeler (Muswellbrook, NSW)
• Big Jumping Croc (Wak Wak, NT)
• The Big Lobster (Kingston, SA)
• Giant Ram (Wagin, WA)
• Giant Murray cod (Swan Hill, Victoria)
• Big Swoop (Canberra, ACT)

An accompanying stamp collection also includes the Big Tasmanian devil, Giant Murray Cod, Big Swoop, Big Jumping Crocodile and the Giant Koala, which will be available for purchase from $1.20.

7 News reported the postal service had previously surveyed the public on “Big Things” they wanted to see, including a big black swan in Perth, a gold nugget in Ballarat, and a AFL footy or big coffee in Melbourne.

The Royal Australian Mint last month launched a special commemorative $5 coin featuring the country’s world heritage sites, including the Queensland rainforest and “ancient Aboriginal settlements”.