The Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Joe Hockey has announced that the Royal Australian Mint will continue to offer a free Uncirculated Baby Coin Set to every baby born in Australia on 31 December 1999 and 1 January 2000 in response to continued demand for these sets from new parents.
The original time for families to take up the offer was to 1 June 2000 but this has been extended by the Minister to 30 August 2000.
As the Minister stated when originally announcing the initiative "This is a great way to celebrate the birth of the newest Australians of the year 2000, and those who arrived the day before."
The babies born in Australia on the last day of 1999 will receive the 1999 Uncirculated Baby Coin Set, whilst newborns of the first day of 2000 will receive the Uncirculated Baby Coin Set for this year.
The Baby Coin Set comprises six coins representing the designs of all the circulating pieces from the year. The 1999 set features the $1 International year of Older Persons coin while the 2000 set displays the Millennium Year 50 cent piece.
Along with the coins, a bronze medallion is included featuring a mother Koala caring for her baby, with a blank reverse for a unique inscription. The coins are attractively packaged with specific space for the babys photograph and family tree.
Parents of babies born in Australia on 31 December 1999 or 1 January 2000 should contact the Royal Australian Mint on 1300 652 020 or fax 02 6202 6953 for an application form. This should be completed and returned with a 'certified true copy' of the birth certificate before August 30, 2000 to obtain a free Baby Coin Set.
Details of the Baby Coin Set are available on the Royal Australian Mint's website at www.ramint.gov.au