Australia Mints a New Coin That is Designed to be Donated
The donation dollar is being issued to spur people to help others in need.
The Royal Australian mint is introducing a new dollar coin unlike any other. That’s because this coin is specially made in the hopes that they will be given away. To charity that is.
The mint began pressing 25 million of these donation dollars according to ABC News; about one per every Australian to boost the country’s level of giving. The special coin has a green center with a gold ripple design that symbolizes the effect of giving in helping others. Queen Elizabeth II is on the front and there is a special message embossed on the back.
The new coin is legal tender and can be used to make purchases like any other $1 coin, but the government is hoping that it will be given away and not spent or collected.
It has long been known that placing giving boxes by cash registers in stores is a good way to raise funds for charitable causes according to the Donorbox Nonprofit blog. When located in the right places, this can spur giving. How much more so will coins that have, “"give to help others" embossed on them.
“Hopefully, they will look at the message that is being conveyed on that coin and they will look to donate it,” Mint chief executive Ross MacDiarmid told ABC. He said the aim of the new coin was to promote giving even if it only made people stop and think about giving. About 3.5 million coins have already been minted.
The Australian government is trying to encourage people to give more because of the dual impact of the wildfires and the coronavirus pandemic. According to Fast Company, a government estimate expects charitable giving to drop 18 percent in the next two years. This is very serious because the need is so great.
“This year we know there are many Australians doing it tough in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Australia’s 57,000 charities and not-for-profits have not been immune to these economic challenges,” the assistant federal minister responsible for charities, Zed Seselja, said in a press release.
“While we continue to face the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic together, the Donation Dollar is a long-term idea we hope continues to provide a simple reminder to Australians that if you are in a position to donate it, please do so,” he said.
The worlds-first charitable coin initiative is backed on research, ABC News said, that found that 57 percent of Australians said they would be likely to donate the coin if they found it in their change.
Whether you live in Australia or not, donating your change is an easy way to help others. Drop some coins in a charity box today.
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