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It's the only place you have to go through security to leave, not enter, the building and this weekend it's opening its factory floor to people for the first time in its 50 year history. The Royal Australian Mint in Deakin is celebrating with its annual open day on February 21 giving the public more of an insight into the coin-production process than ever before. "The public will be able to walk through the tool room, the circulating coin hall where our circulating coins are made and then into the proof room where all our collectable coins are made," said the Mint CEO Ross MacDiarmid. "We'll have staff working on the day so they'll get to see it all in action. We'll also have a special coin on the day that people can purchase as a souvenir." The Mint was first opened in February 1965 in time to produce coins for the introduction of decimal currency in February 1966. These days it produces about 200 million Australian circulating coins, one million collectable coins and about 20 million coins for Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea. While the factory tours will get you close to brand new coins, don't expect to leave with any souvenirs since security was stepped up after an incident in the early 2000s. "Hs name was Bill and he managed to get coins out of the mint over a reasonable time by smuggling them in his shoes. He had all these shiny coins and he took them to a shop or a bank in Bendigo and said 'can I change all these coins for a $50 note?'," said MacDiarmid. "They said, 'hang on, danger danger, what's going on here, there's something unusual', so they actually nabbed him. That was the catalyst for security changes across the organisation. Coins are now counted in and out about three or four different ways to ensure no other coins leave the building." Daily life for staff at the Mint these days includes thorough security checks on their way out of the building. "Everyone has to go through including me – there are no exceptions. You have to take your shoes off, your belt off and go through." The Mint's open day will include free activities for the children including a jumping castle, face painting, popcorn and fairy floss plus appearances by ACT Emergency Services, ACT Police including Kenny Koala and army reservists. Entry to the Mint is free and tickets for the factory tour are $5 each, with ages 16 and under free.

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