Australian $2 coin gets a makeover for the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup
Australia’s gold $2 coin is undergoing a makeover with a new image etched on to its face – but it comes with an ironic catch.
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Exclusive: Good enough to be minted but not good enough for the toss.
Australia’s $2 coin is undergoing a makeover to celebrate the first year Australia hosts the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup – but ironically, it doesn’t make the grade to be used in the coin toss to start each match.
From today, The Royal Australian Mint and International Cricket Council is releasing two million new $2 coins into general circulation featuring a female cricket player on it for the first time.
Australian wicketkeeper and T20 powerhouse Alyssa Healy told News Corp she thought the coin was something she’d never see in her lifetime.
She grew up collecting coins, but now she’s chasing centuries.
“Personally it’s really exciting to see, growing up in Australia I collected all the coins from sporting events, which had male athletes or sporting players, as did the TV … but as a female cricketer, to have a coin of your own it’s something I thought would never be a reality,” she said.
Healy, 29, said she doesn’t have too many personal goals for the T20, but said the team want to win and are doing everything they can to make the final on International Women’s Day on March 8.
“We’re a very structured side, we know what we like to do, it’s about making sure we nail our fielding or our batting or bowling plans,” she said.
She said their dark horse to beat is New Zealand.
“The Kiwis, we’ve got to beat the likes of India and others too to make the semi finals but the Kiwis are also in incredible form,” she said.
Healy has turned to her father Greg, uncle Ian and husband Mitchell Starc with advice on how to handle the pressure of being in a World Cup on home soil.
“I’ve had bits and pieces from them (my dad and uncle) ... I’m also married to a player who has done it all before and so we’ve had a few little discussions on how to handle that pressure and expectation,” she said.
“As a team we’ve talked about how we can embrace it (the pressure) and turn it into an opportunity to just go out there and play in front of our friends and family that not everyone gets to do.”
ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said 2020 is going to be a “record breaking year” for women’s cricket.
It comes as News Corp’s search for Australia’s 20 Women of Influence in Sport is under way.
Healy said the momentum around women’s sport right now is really “buzzing”.
The $2 coin is available from Woolworths tills.
Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director, Claire Peters said: “We are committed to supporting Australian sport and the talented athletes that inspire our nation and the next generation of champions.
“We hope the release of $2 limited edition ICC Women’s T20 World Cup coin will be a keepsake for our customers to show their support for our world leading female cricket team as they defend their title on home soil.”
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Originally published as Australian $2 coin gets a makeover for the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup