20 Dollars - Elizabeth II Gorgosaurus

Reverse

Your coin design is based on fossils curated at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta. Reproduced on a smaller scale, the articulated skeleton of a juvenile Gorgosaurus libratus fills most of thereverse; it is depicted in a classic death pose, with legs folded beneath the torso and the neck bent back towards the tail, while the jaw is lined with a fearsome set of sharp teeth.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
Gorgosaurus
CANADA

Engraver: Équipe MRC

Edge

Plain

Comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hKMSBil1z8&t=19s

The combination of precision engraving and special finishes result in an eye-catching contrast between the smooth, timeworn look of the polished fossils and the rock-like texture of their "sandstone" encasement. The rimless coin's unusual contour is the result of an old coin-minting technique, which allows the fine silver to "spill" out and form an irregular shape reminiscent of an ancient Roman coin. The patina finish and a prehistoric-looking font further add to the coin's antique appearance.

Did you know…

• Gorgosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, between 77 and 75.5 million years ago. It is thought to have lived at the same time as the more robust Daspletosaurus—one of the few known instances of co-existing tyrannosaurids!
• The name Gorgosaurus was inspired by Greek mythology—specifically the Gorgons, the sisters with venomous snakes for hair, who could turnanyone to stone if they looked at them.
• Only one species Gorgosaurus species is known: G. libratus, whose name is the past participle of the Latin verb librare, "to balance."
• It likely preyed upon hadrosaurs, ceratopsids, even Ornithomimus—the ostrich-mimic dinosaur depicted on the first coin in our Ancient Canada series!
• Recovered from Dinosaur Provincial Park in 1991, the skeleton depicted on the reverse is remarkably complete: more than 95% of its bones were still in place!
• The remains of many dinosaurs, and even birds, have been found in a similar position as the Gorgosaurus on your coin; known as a "death pose", the skeleton is positioned in a way where the jaw is open and the head and tail are curved back above the spine. Long a subject of scientific debate, the cause for this Gorgosaurus's death pose is now believed to be the result of decomposition under water.

Interesting fact

Price

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 20 Dollars - Elizabeth II (Gorgosaurus) 2018 coin.