TO COIN a phrase, the Macleay is a more than special place.
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They say that Wagga Wagga is so magnificent, they named it twice - but we've more than trumped that.
Australia Post is celebrating iconic and admired symbols of Australian life with a whole new collection of $1 coins and the return of its most successful collectables program with the Great Aussie Coin Hunt 2.
And guess what: Kempsey Shire can lay claim to two of the coins!
The letter 'A' coin features Akubra, while the 'M' coin showcases MILO - two icons of our Valley.
The excitement of double delight in the latest series is being celebrated at the Kempsey Post Office.
The Akubra and MILO one dollar coins have already proven a hot ticket in town.
Local postal manager Naomi Hmelnitsky told the Argus a main street businesswoman - and expectant mother - had snapped up the two coins as a memento for her baby.
And an avid Kempsey collector had dug deep for special editions of the complete coin set - paying $1295 for a silver proof set, and $370 for a base metal uncirculated proof set.
An affordable complete set can be snapped up for as little as $47, and this comes with a display folder.
"Or you can just hunt for the coins. We've put them in our tills so when a customer buys something we'll give them some change which includes the coins and it will just be pot luck which coins you get," Naomi said.
The new coins, produced in partnership with the Royal Australian Mint, range from Akubra to Zinc sunscreen and include instantly recognisable Australian landmarks, like Q for Queen Victoria Market and S for the Sydney Harbour Bridge; much-loved brands, like M for MILO, T for Tim Tam and V for Victa Lawnmower; and even H for the popular and long-standing television program Home and Away.
Akubra hats are manufactured in Kempsey, while MILO was first produced at Nestlé's Smithtown factory.
The Great Aussie Coin Hunt 2 will run for the remainder of the month and into early June, Naomi said.
Designed to be fun for all ages, anyone can join in the hunt by going into one of more than 3500 participating Post Offices, making a purchase and receiving the $1 collectable coins in their change, or by purchasing the entire collection instore or online.
For the ultimate discovery, keen coin hunters will want to keep an eye out for a special edition coloured coin of the Great Barrier Reef, randomly available in full set coin tubes.
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