300 Dollars - Elizabeth II Ground Sloth

Reverse

Ground Sloth

Script: Latin

Lettering:
CANADA
300 DOLLARS
2010
KB
9995
Pt

Engraver: Stan Witten

Designer: Kerri Burnett

Edge

Reeded

Comment

The ground sloth is one of North America's most unusual prehistoric animals.

A curious resident of the Ice Age
The ground sloth is one of North America’s most unusual prehistoric animals. Its peculiar bones are an intriguing and welcome find for paleontologists; so remarkable thatPresident Thomas Jefferson felt compelled to present specimens he had received to Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society in 1797. This discussion inspired vertebrate paleontology in North America and the species Megalonyx jeffersonii is named for the third President.

Several species of Megalonyx have been named. Jefferson’s is the largest, most recent ground sloth, estimated to have appeared more than 150,000 years ago. It was a distant relative of the modern two- and three-toed sloths that spend most of their time in trees. In contrast, the Jefferson ground sloth was ox-sized, growing to 2.5 or 3 m (8 to 10 ft) long. It hada short, broad head with a blunt muzzle. The teeth were peg-like with space between the blunt fang-liketeeth and wider cheek teeth.

In Canada, fossils of Jefferson’s ground sloths have been found in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia,as well as the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.The species became extinct about 9,000 years ago.

Interesting fact

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
2010	189	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 300 Dollars - Elizabeth II (Ground Sloth) 2010 coin.