The Dutch welcome Trix the T-Rex with a glowing silver medallion

We don’t normally cover medals here, there’s only so much time in the world, but we do make exceptions for the odd stand-out. The Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt, based in the Netherlands, have just launched a new one struck in sterling silver and featuring the countries newest immigrant, Trix.

Trix is a Tyrannosaurus Rex. When alive she stood almost five metres tall and weighed around five tonnes. Found in the state of Montana in mid 2013 by a team from the Naturalis Natural History Museum in Leiden, T-Rex skeletons of this quality are exceptionally rare, some 80% of the animal having been recovered. Now on show in the Naturalis museum in Amsterdam, it is the first and only T-Rex skeleton on display in Europe, and one of the only ones to use the original skull.

The medal is a nice design, weighs an ounce and has a glow-in-the-dark side. The standard side depicts almost the entire skeleton in the dynamic pose chosen by the museum, mainly because the weight of the skull made it the most practical. Simple inscriptions around the edge of this side mark the species name and the nickname given to the fossil, Trix, a shortened version of Beatrix, the former Queen of the country.

The other side shows a stylised silhouette of the skull with the text ‘T.REX IN TOWN” underneath. This is a replica of the marketing logo used to raise funds for the dig and repatriation of the fossil to the museum. The whole logo glows in the dark when the lights are out. It comes in what looks to be a decent modern-style box, enclosed within which is a certificate of authenticity.

Selling for €59.95, it will ship from the end of October and mintage is limited to just 750 pieces. For dinosaur fans in Europe, or even if you’re on holiday here, it looks like this will be a museum worth visiting.

COIN IMAGES

[himage]2016-rdm-t-rex-medal-obv12016-rdm-t-rex-medal-obv2 [/himage]

MINTS DESCRIPTION

• Official issue in honor of the arrival of the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex ‘Trix’ to the Netherlands in Silver Proof

• For the first glow-in-the-dark applied to an official issue of the Royal Dutch Mint. Exclusive to Silver Proof issue!

• Issue in collaboration with Naturalis in Leiden

• Strictly limited: only 750 pieces available

• Supplied in a luxury cassette with Certificate of Authenticity

• Wonderful view of the actual skeleton on display at Naturalis

Researchers at Naturalis grooves skeleton Trix in September 2013. It turned out one of the most complete skeletons of T. rex ever found and is called the Night Watch of natural history. “

PACKAGING & GLOW EFFECT ON THE OBVERSE

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SPECIFICATION

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
N/A 0.925 SILVER 31.1 g 38.6 mm PROOF 750 YES / YES

MINT LINK