HUNDREDS of people visited Fitzroy Plaza to see the Royal Australian Mint's pop-up store in Tamworth. "We had a steady amount of customers coming all day, there wasn't a point where no one was at the counter," the mint's Todd Matthews said. While the mint wasn't giving out free samples, Mr Matthews said there was a coin exchange, where people could swap $10 for "new, shine 2019 coins". Along with a collection of commemorative coins, the mint also had a special-edition $1 coin, paying tribute to the legend of the larrikin bushranger. READ ALSO The coins came with a choice of packaging that featured a different bushranger. "New England's own Captain Thunderbolt was a popular choice for obvious reason," Mr Matthews said. "People really enjoy the theme and the characters. "A lot of collectors come down with a story about how they are related to one of them, or have some connection to them or a place where a famous event happened. "Last year, the mint did the convict era, so bushrangers were the next natural progression." The bushranger coins were counterstamped on site with a little map of Australia.
The coins came with a choice of packaging that featured a different bushranger.
"New England's own Captain Thunderbolt was a popular choice for obvious reason," Mr Matthews said.
"People really enjoy the theme and the characters.
"A lot of collectors come down with a story about how they are related to one of them, or have some connection to them or a place where a famous event happened.
"Last year, the mint did the convict era, so bushrangers were the next natural progression."
The bushranger coins were counterstamped on site with a little map of Australia.