The thrill of being the first to do something can be a rare and exciting experience — especially when it involves something as unexpected as striking the first coin of a brand-new year.

For one passionate collector, the chance to make history came in a way no one saw coming.

What followed was a moment of triumph that blended tradition, excitement, and a touch of good luck.

2025 was barely hours old when it brought a moment of pure joy to 25-year-old Daniella Vido — the chance to mint the first coin of the year.

Daniella Vido wins the first coin of the year. Image source: @royalaustmint on Instagram

The lifelong coin enthusiast had always been fascinated by numismatics. Her parents started their coin collection when she was just a baby.

As an adult, she carried on the tradition, amassing hundreds of coins at home.

This year marked only the second time Daniella had entered the ballot, though her childhood was filled with trips to the Royal Australian Mint on New Year's Day.

On 1 January, the Canberra local joined a crowd of more than 300 people.

They all chose an early wake-up over New Year's Eve celebrations to vie for the coveted honour of minting the first coin of the year.

They weren't just any group of fans. Many had travelled from Melbourne, Brisbane, and regional New South Wales.

In fact, some were even returning after a New Year’s Eve visit to secure one of the last coins minted in 2024.

Gone are the days of waiting in long queues. Instead, the Mint now organises a much more orderly system with a ballot drawn at 8am sharp.

Those arriving early, by 7:00 am, got their names entered into the raffle. An hour later, the names were drawn.

Daniella, along with 99 others, earned the chance to mint one of the first 100 coins of 2025.

But, as expected, there could only be one winner.

For Daniella, coin collecting is more than a hobby – it’s a passion.

‘I think it’s really cool to see the designs,’ she said.

‘They’re all really special and unique, and it’s something tangible that you can kind of always look back on.’

This year’s theme for the Royal Australian Mint's collectible coin celebrated the Mint's 60th anniversary.

It was a tribute to its architecture, robots, workers (affectionately known as Minties), and the collectors themselves.

The Mint’s director of museum education and visitor services, Stuart Baines, reflected on the changes over six decades.

He acknowledged the decline in cash use but confidently stated that coins remained an integral part of Australia’s ‘cultural currency’.

‘They’re not just the things you hand over at the counter,’ he said.

‘They have stories on them, stories about people, our animals, important historic events. I think they will remain important to Australians, and not just for collectors.’

‘I think when Kindles came out, people said books were dead. Books are not dead. I don’t think coins will die either.’

On the minting day, the price was just $3 to mint one of the first coins, but their significance for collectors is enormous.

Although these coins may eventually fetch high sums, Daniella isn’t parting with hers anytime soon.

Key Takeaways

• Daniella Vido, a lifelong coin collector, won the chance to mint the first coin of 2025 at the Royal Australian Mint after entering the ballot for the second time.
• Over 300 people gathered on New Year's Day, with many travelling from across Australia to take part in the tradition of minting the first coin of the year.
• The Mint’s 60th-anniversary coin celebrated its architecture, workers, robots, and collectors, highlighting the enduring significance of coins in Australian culture.
• While minting costs only $3, the value of these collectible coins is significant, and Daniella intends to hold on to hers as a cherished part of her collection.

What about you? What’s your most cherished collectible? Drop a comment below

 

[Ricci]

I have several pieces of "odd ball" collectibles. The first and probably the most unusual being a WW1 piece of German Trench Art. It is a hinged bracelet made from a shell casing and decorated with miniature oak leaves.

My dad who was in the Royal Navy was serving on a ship during WW2 that picked up a couple of German sailors floating on a piece of debris in the Atlantic. I also have photos of the raft in the ocean. The sailors were wet, cold and half dead from exposure. My Dad was charged with looking after them till they could be handed over to the correct authorities, and Dad who never smoked or drank much gave them both his cigarette and rum rations to try and help them as he hoped someone might help him if his ship was ever sunk. As a way of saying thank you one of the sailors gave him the bracelet. After the war was over my Dad tried to find the German to return what was obviously a family heirloom but without success.

I cherish this bracelet as it reminds me that no matter the circumstances little acts of kindness can go a long way and that sometimes even your enemies need a helping hand.

 

[Bellclare]

Maan, you need to include the fact that Daniella was the lucky person who took home the first coin minted in 2025. I know it's like 'stating the bleedin' obvious', but it needs to be included for people who don't deduce things from what is written. Also, please write in paragraphs, not just in single sentences, as it shows better use of grammar & expression ie it's more 'grown up' than just writing in sentences & is a basic form when writing an essay or article.

For example, the sentence starting 'For Daniella' & the following 2 sentences can be one paragraph. The theme & tribute sentences can be linked into one paragraph. The sentence starting with 'The Mint's director' & the next 4 sentences can form one paragraph. The last 2 sentences can be combined into a paragraph too.

All the best when writing articles in the future.