By arts editor Helen Musa

A coloured $2 coin featuring a croc is part of the Royal Australian Mint and Australia Post’s launch on Wednesday of a new collection celebrating Australia’s native animals and Indigenous languages, and it might just turn up in your loose change.

The 2026 Our Animals, Our Country five-coin set has been designed in collaboration with artist Ryhia Dank, nardurna, who grew up in Borroloola in the Northern Territory.

The five designs feature the red kangaroo (marraji), emu (jagurrugurru), saltwater crocodile (mardumbarrayi), brolga (darramanji) and long-necked turtle (gulamandarrina), with each animal’s name presented in Gudanji language.

There is also a one-in-ten chance of finding a coloured saltwater crocodile coin in the circulating $2 coins, while additional collector editions include proof coins featuring a goanna (jurrgubadi).

Royal Australian Mint chief executive Emily Martin said finding a coloured coin in your change would be an unexpected surprise, while the collection offered families and collectors an opportunity to discover more about Australia’s wildlife and Indigenous languages.

The coin set goes on sale from November 4, at the Mint Shop in Deakin, through the Mint’s contact centre and at participating Australia Post outlets.

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