Prehistoric Life II bullion range roars back to life with the first of three new 2025 designs, starting with the theropod, Carnotaurus

Carnotaurus sastrei was a bipedal theropod dinosaur that inhabited what is now Argentina during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 72 to 69 million years ago. Its name, meaning “meat-eating bull,” refers to the two prominent, horn-like structures positioned above its eyes, a feature unique among known carnivorous dinosaurs. A big beast, it filled the apex predator niche there. This predator measured approximately 7.5 to 9 metres in length and weighed an estimated 1.3 to 2.1 metric tons.

Carnotaurus possessed a deep skull and a robust neck, although its forelimbs were remarkably short and vestigial, even more so than those of T. rex, with fused, immobile digits lacking claws. In contrast, its hind limbs were long and muscular, suggesting adaptations for swift running. Fossilized skin impressions indicate that Carnotaurus had a scaly hide, characterized by a mosaic of small, non-overlapping scales and larger, irregularly spaced bumps along its body, with no evidence of feathers. Analysis of its skull suggests a kinetic jaw system and forward-facing eyes, indicating stereoscopic vision. Its bite force was weaker than other large theropods, but its anatomy supports a rapid biting action, potentially for quickly injuring prey.

It’s a fine choice for the fourth in Emporium Hamburg’s second ‘Prehistoric Life’ series, following a 12-coin first series. The standard of artwork on the 15 coins to date, has been universally high, and the mix of animals chosen has encompassed land, sea, and air. I’m pleased to see nothing has changed, and this Carnotaurus coin has a great design, depicting a pair of these giant sets of teeth-on-legs out on a dinner date.

The same three variants are offered. The key release for the stacker is the one-ounce silver bullion coin, and there’s a coloured version with a 2,000 mintage for the more collector-focused buyer. Both share a common obverse, which carries the coat-of-arms of the Democratic Republic of Congo. For the gold aficionado, the producer offers a 0.5 gram minigold coin, something we wish others would do in these times of rapidly rising gold prices. All told, a fine addition to one of our favourite bullion series. More, please.