And the Sydney teenager got an extra surprise on Monday when he won a lottery at the mint to strike the last coin of 2012.

''I'm going to hang them both up,'' he said. ''I've been collecting for three years. I've got decimal coins and silver proof coins - there's more than 50 in the collection, all from Australia.''

Harley and his family had thought about making the trip for the traditional New Year's Day coin strike a few years ago but waited for 2013, Canberra's centenary year.

This year also marks the bicentenary of Australia's first coins, the holey dollar and dump, which will form the design theme for the 2013 coin.

The first holey dollars and dumps were struck in 1813 from Spanish eight reale coins, to give NSW a stable currency that would not be taken overseas by merchants and seafarers.

More than 100 people hoping to be among the first to strike one of the collectable coins for 2013 are expected at the mint this morning.

''It's something special to do on New Year's Day,'' communications manager Michelle Nakamara said.

''There isn't always a lot for families to do on New Year's Day and the kids love it.

''It's $3, it's cheap, it's something to do and they get a certificate that's numbered, so it's a special memory.''

Ms Nakamara said the Russo family, who have been camped outside the mint since December 28, had set a record for the longest anyone had waited for the first coin.

Harley started his collection three years ago after his mother, Carolyn, gave him some old coins. They tracked some more down through family members and, until today, his favourite was a hologram coin he bought on another visit to the mint.

But he said the first coin for 2013 was ''special''.

''I'm feeling very lucky,'' he said.