Dinosaur-themed collectable coins have been unveiled by the Royal Mint, in collaboration with the Natural History Museum.
The three-coin collection will see the tyrannosaurus, stegosaurus and diplodocus each appear on their own coin.
Each dinosaur has been designed by paleo-artist Robert Nicholls, with guidance from Professor Paul Barrett at the Natural History Museum.
A selection of the coins available will feature colour, depicting the dinosaurs and their environment.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: “We are excited to reveal the roar-some new collectable 50p coins by the Royal Mint, featuring some of the most legendary and mighty dinosaurs of all time – including tyrannosaurus, stegosaurus, and diplodocus.
“For nearly 200 million years, dinosaurs roamed the Earth so it’s fitting that they are honoured forever on an official UK coin. Seeing these dinosaurs on a 50p coin we hope it will delight and inspire both current and budding palaeontologists for years to come.
“Our team of craftspeople have faithfully reproduced Robert Nicholls’ technical drawings to ensure each dinosaur appears in fine detail. Recreating the mighty Tyrannosaurus on the tiny canvas of a fifty pence takes a lot of skill, and we’re really proud of the result.”
Mr Nicholls said of his designs: “I have dedicated my life to bringing extinct animals back to life through art, I started drawing dinosaurs as soon as I could hold a pencil – it is my obsession.”
This is the third coin collection in the Mint’s Tales of the Earth series, celebrating awe-inspiring ancient creatures and dinosaurs.
Maxine Lister, head of licensing at the Natural History Museum, said: “We are thrilled to continue our work with the Royal Mint on the Tales of the Earth series.
“Dinosaurs have long since sparked feelings of curiosity and awe, and it is brilliant to see three of the most iconic specimens – including a nod to the nation’s favourite dinosaur, Dippy – immortalised on a 50p coin. We hope that this collection will help all, young and old, to share in the wonder of our natural world.”
The collectable 50p coin series featuring tyrannosaurus, stegosaurus and diplodocus is available to purchase from the Royal Mint’s website, with colour editions of the coin also available. The first collectable 50p coin available to buy will be the one featuring the tyrannosaurus. Prices start from £11.
