The Royal Canadian Mint have done more to popularise the face value selling commemorative coin than just about anybody else, and case in point, this is the 19th release in their $20 for $20 series alone. First debuting in 2011, the series has traditionally featured strongly Canadian themes, but recently has veered off into some pop culture subjects like Superman, a brilliant Bugs Bunny, and now the world’s most famous dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The RCM have released some quite superb dinosaur coins over the last few years, full of impressive detail and mostly devoid of gimmicks, and while this specimen finish ¼oz coin doesn’t hit the same level of quality, the artwork is quite superb. We’d love to see a proof 2oz version of this coin. Mounted to a card as the previous $20 coins have been, the 300,000 mintage has only been bettered by the 350,000 of the Superman and Bugs Bunny coins, so the RCM are confident this one will be popular. We’d agree, given that T-Rex is such a huge worldwide phenomenon in ways that even superheroes and cartoon icons aren’t.

Available now, the coin is sold to Canadian and US buyers only, but it should be easy enough to pick one up from other dealers around the world for a small premium. A great release, the next coin coming in a couple of months will feature Superman Vs Batman to coincide with the blockbuster movie of the same name being released in March.

MINT DESCRIPTION

This seems like a good time to…RUN! The massive and powerful “king tyrant lizard,” Tyrannosaurus rex, seems ready to pounce in this exceptionally life-like depiction. Fortunately, this finely crafted coin keeps T. rex safely trapped in 99.99% pure silver. This 20-dollar coin offered for $20 is 99.99% pure silver and features an original work of art by Canadian artist Julius Csotonyi.

• Artwork was reviewed for scientific accuracy by palaeontologists at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta.
• Royal Canadian Mint engravers have used a variety of specialized techniques to make the dinosaur appear to rise from the coin surface, poised to leap!
• Each coin includes a full-colour certificate featuring an image of the world’s most famous dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus rex, in its primordial habitat.
• An amazing gift for dinosaur lovers young and old and a beautiful addition to any collection featuring animal themes or unique artwork and design.

This 20-dollar coin is 99.99% pure silver with a nominal metal weight of 7.96 grams and a diameter of 27 millimetres. The reverse design by Canadian artist Julius Csotonyi features a Tyrannosaurus rex running toward the viewer. Its head and body aimed straight ahead, the T. rex turns its head slightly to the right side of the coin face, opening its mouth wide to reveal deadly teeth. Its right eye focuses squarely on its target. The image provides a unique vantage point that still showcases the characteristic horizontal gait of the two-legged predator. In the background, its tail swings to the left of the image and its small right forelimb rises slightly from its body. The ground is dotted with the ferns that grew in its native habitat.

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SPECIFICATION