The cultural juggernaut Bluey has captured the imagination of families across the world and will now be featured on a special series of coins in its home country.
Three Bluey-themed $1 coins have been unveiled by the Royal Australian Mint and a limited number will go on sale from Thursday.
The colourful “dollarbucks” will feature Bluey herself on one coin, with the Heeler family and the Grannies on two others. Each coin will also feature the famous Heeler home, which was listed for sale and became the centrepiece of Bluey’s blockbuster special The Sign.
The coins will be available to purchase individually or as a three-coin set, via the mint coin shop, the mint contact centre or participating distributors, from 8.30am on Thursday – with a ballot also set up ahead of the sale due to demand.
“These fun and colourful coins encapsulate the playful essence of the beloved TV series, making them a timeless treasure for fans and collectors alike,” said Kate O’Connor, BBC Studios’ director of brands and licensing ANZ.
The ABC children’s show has become a sensation among children and their parents alike across the world, accounting for nearly one-third of all TV views on Disney+ and becoming the second-most streamed show on any platform last year.
The animated series was launched in 2018 and follows the Heelers – a dog family consisting of Bluey, her four-year-old sister Bingo, mother Chilli and father Bandit in their suburban Brisbane home.
The franchise is now worth an estimated $2bn and the creators have picked up two Logie awards, an Emmy and a Peabody along the way – with the series entirely created in Brisbane.
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But despite all its success, some are still completely unaware of just how famous Bluey has become. Last month a restaurant in Las Vegas had to apologise to parents after its themed event was quickly overwhelmed with long lines and hundreds of people.
As NBC reported at the time, families had complained about a “watch party” showing the cartoon on mute and a “meet Bluey” event featuring a bearded man in a onesie, with some children crying.
A staffer reportedly said the restaurant was expecting a handful of families, not “the entire city”.
“Now knowing who Bluey is, we would have planned ahead and would have had security there, there would have been more door regulations.”