New commemorative 50p coins featuring dinosaurs released
13 February 2020, 07:38
Britain's contribution to discovering dinosaurs will be marked with a range of commemorative 50p coins
Three different dinosaurs will be featured on the coins, the fossils of which led British anatomist, Sir Richard Owen, to coin the term "Dinosauria" in a paper in 1842.
The coins feature three different dinosaurs, including the Megalosaurus, the Iguanodon and the Hylaeosaurus.
The Victorian scientist used the name, which means "fearfully great lizards", after realising the fossils of Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus shared common characteristics.
They've been designed by palaeontologists at the Natural History Museum to create an accurate reconstruction of the dinosaurs and the environment they lived in for more than 160million years.
It is unlikely you'll be given one in your change as the coins are only being released as collectors items.
Clare Matterson, executive director of engagement at the Natural History Museum said: "The story of the discovery of dinosaurs is fascinating and particularly relevant for the Natural History Museum since Sir Richard Owen, who coined the term dinosaur, was also our founder.
"The Dinosauria collection brings this story to life for modern-day dinosaur enthusiasts everywhere."
The illustrations by paleoartist Robert Nicholls are scientifically accurate representations of the prehistoric beasts.
The Megalosaurus coin can be bought from Thursday, the Iguanodon from March 16 and the Hylaeosaurus from April 6.
The coins will range from £10 to up to £945 for limited-run, gold-proof editions.
