From the humble jaffle maker to the technology behind your Wi-Fi, five Australian inventions that changed everyday life are being celebrated in the Royal Australian Mint’s new Bright Ideas coin collection.
Australia has a long history of clever ideas solving everyday problems – and now five of the nation’s best-known inventions are being celebrated on a new collection of coins from the Royal Australian Mint.
The Bright Ideas collection brings together the stump jump plough, jaffle maker, black box flight recorder, baby safety capsule and high-speed Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology, recognising Australian innovation that has made an impact both at home and around the world.
The collection is being released in partnership with newsXpress, with a special $2 coin also entering circulation through participating newsXpress stores, giving shoppers the chance to check their change to discover one.
Australian author, presenter and self-described collector of everyday Australian stories Tim Ross, whose book What a Ripper!: 60 Everyday Objects That Shaped Australia explores the stories behind objects Australians know and love, is the face of the Bright Ideas campaign.
“It is wonderful to have these Australian innovations, honoured on these beautiful coins in this extraordinary packaging. It’s not just something to collect, it’s something for us all to be proud of.”
Royal Australian Mint Chief Executive Officer Emily Martin said Bright Ideas was an opportunity to celebrate the ingenuity behind inventions that have become part of everyday Australian life.
“Like so many Australian families, I’ve used four of the five inventions celebrated in Bright Ideas without necessarily stopping to think about the Australian ingenuity behind them.
“I’ve made toasties, relied on wireless technology every day and, as a mum, I’ve certainly appreciated the peace of mind that comes with a baby safety capsule. And I’ve flown on countless planes without giving much thought to the technology that helps keep our skies safe.
“That’s what I love about this collection. These aren’t inventions sitting behind glass in a museum – they’re ideas that have become part of Australian life, often so familiar that we hardly notice them anymore. Bright Ideas gives us a chance to stop, look again and celebrate the people who thought differently,” Ms Martin said.
The five $1 coin designs feature one invention each: the stump jump plough, jaffle maker, black box flight recorder, baby safety capsule and high-speed Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology.
From South Australian farmer Richard Smith’s stump jump plough, patented in 1876, which helped farmers work land dotted with mallee stumps, to the jaffle maker that has become a fixture in Australian kitchens, the collection highlights the diverse ways Australian ideas have solved practical problems.
It also recognises inventions with a global impact. Defence scientist Dr David Warren’s black box flight recorder, developed in 1953, transformed aviation safety, while high-speed Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology developed by CSIRO in the 1990s helped enable the wireless connectivity Australians now rely on every day.
The Safe-n-Sound Baby Safety Capsule, developed by Adelaide inventors Bill Bowtell, Bob Heath and Colin Nagel, also helped pave the way for safer travel for Australia’s youngest passengers.
newsXpress Chief Executive Officer Mark Fletcher said the release gives Australians another way to connect with the stories behind the inventions featured in the collection.
“The stump jump plough is probably my favourite of the five inventions. There’s something wonderfully Australian about looking at a very real problem – trying to farm land covered in mallee stumps – and coming up with a clever solution that simply worked.
“What I love about Bright Ideas is that it reminds us that Australian innovation isn’t always about a laboratory or a big breakthrough. Sometimes it’s about solving the problem right in front of you. The stump jump plough did exactly that, and went on to change the way land could be farmed here and around the world.
“And then you look at the other inventions in the collection – from the jaffle maker to the technology behind wireless connectivity – and you realise just how many Australian ideas have become part of everyday life.
“For newsXpress, it’s a great opportunity to help people discover those stories, whether they’re passionate collectors or simply spot a Bright Ideas $2 coin in their change.”
The Bright Ideas range includes a five-coin $1 collection, a seven-coin privy mark collection featuring a light bulb privy mark, and $2 uncirculated and proof coins featuring all five inventions.
Collectors will also have a one-in-ten chance of finding a coloured version of the black box flight recorder $1 coin in the five-coin collection.
For those who prefer to hunt for their coins in the wild, a special $2 Bright Ideas till coin released through participating newsXpress stores.
Check your change – you could find one.
The Bright Ideas collection is available from Thursday, 8 October 2026 through the Royal Australian Mint and participating newsXpress stores.
About the Royal Australian Mint
Australia is a nation of collectors, and coins are among its most collected items. The Royal Australian Mint sits at the centre of this national passion as an award-winning, world-class organisation and a global leader in the minting industry.
The Mint produces circulating coins for Australia and other countries, collectible and investment coins for domestic and international customers, and custom-made medals, medallions and tokens for individual or corporate clients.
It is also a national cultural attraction that educates millions of Australians and international visitors about the history of Australia’s decimal currency, and the significance and value of coins.
2026 Bright Ideas – Australian inventions that changed the world
