Bluey's "Dollarbucks" Become Official Australian Currency

Bluey’s “Dollarbucks” Become Official Australian Currency

Posted on June 5, 2024June 5, 2024 by Zach Gass

A simplified cartoon hand is holding a pink five-dollar bill featuring a smiling character, possibly Bluey, wearing a pearl necklace. The bill also includes a circular emblem with a cartoon tooth wearing a crown. The background is light green.

Credit: Ludo Studios

Although the show recently concluded its third season, big things are still happening for Bluey. Not only has the animated phenomenon become the most streamed show on our screens, but it’s become worth its weight in gold.

Two animated characters from Bluey in colorful outfits inside a building, one excitedly throwing hands up and the other smiling with arms raised. — Credit: Ludo Studio

If you’re anything like this writer, bits and pieces of the show have worked their way into your regular functions. You might find yourself quoting the show with phrases like “wackadoo” or “biscuits,” or you might simply enjoy the occasional pavlova. But when did you last reach into your purse or wallet for a few Dollarbucks?

For those unfamiliar, “Dollarbucks” are the denomination of currency used in the Heelers’ animated world. Given that the animated series has essentially become Australia’s biggest export since bowie knives and steakhouses, it makes total sense that Bluey would be immortalized in some way. However, even the most dedicated fans might not have expected her to become legal tender.

Bluey Officially Recognized by Royal Australian Mint

An animated blue dog named Bluey stands cheerfully on a pink background covered with yellow circles. Bluey is smiling, holding a small pink-and-yellow bag in one paw, and raising the other paw as if waving. — Credit: Bluey.tv

After 154 episodes and a phenomenal presence in our collective popular culture, the Royal Australian Mint announced that a special collection of commemorative coins featuring the beloved cast of cartoon dogs is hitting the shelves today. The official announcement from the mint shared that Bluey and the rest of the Heeler clan would be printed on a special collection of dollar coins due to the show’s cultural significance.

Royal Australian Mint CEO Leigh Gordon made the following statement.

“This is the Mint’s classic storytelling and social culture commentary through coins…We hope that through this new Bluey program we are cultivating the coin collector of tomorrow. What better way to start your child’s or grandchild’s coin collection, than with a Bluey coin?”

The coins come in three variants featuring official artwork from Ludo Studio depicting the Heeler family, Bluey herself, and Bluey and Bingo in their Grannies attire. The collection is a limited release and is predicted to be quite the collector’s item for fans and coin aficionados alike.

For Real Life?

Three colorful DVDs of the beloved children's show "Bluey" against a background of coin symbols. Each DVD cover features characters from Bluey's world: one with Bluey and Bingo, another with the Heeler family, and the third highlighting the hilarious Grannies characters. — Credit: Inside the Magic

Seeing Bluey and her animated entourage honored this way is undoubtedly unique, but it’s also for a limited time. Fans interested in getting their hands on one or all three of these unique coins can register for a chance to win them via the EQL ballot on mint’s website or any authorized distributor.

While certainly not the most unusual Bluey event, it’s still remarkable to see that the series has reached a level of significance that it has become worthy of its own legal tender. The only question is, what’s the dollar conversion rate to Dollarbucks?

Are you a coin collector? Tell Inside the Magic about it in the comments below!

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