The Royal Mint, in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, unveiled a series of collectable 50p coins featuring iconic dinosaur specimens today. The first coin depicts Tyrannosaurus on a UK fifty pence for the first time.
The three-coin collection will see the iconic Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus appear on their own coin. Renowned British paleo-artist Robert Nicholls designed each dinosaur with expert guidance from Professor Paul Barrett at the Natural History Museum.
Based on current understanding and the expertise of leading palaeontologists at the Natural History Museum, each design is a scientifically accurate reconstruction of the dinosaur and the environment in which it lived. A selection of the coins available will feature colour, bringing the dinosaur to life on an official UK coin, depicting the dinosaur and its environment as it would have looked like.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Mint, said, “We are excited to reveal the roar-some new collectable 50p coins by The Royal Mint, featuring some of the most legendary and mighty dinosaurs of all time – including Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Diplodocus. For nearly 200 million years, dinosaurs roamed the Earth so it’s fitting that they are honoured forever on an official UK coin. Seeing these dinosaurs on a 50p coin we hope it will delight and inspire both current and budding palaeontologists for years to come.
“Our team of craftspeople have faithfully reproduced Robert Nicholls’ technical drawings to ensure each dinosaur appears in fine detail. Recreating the mighty Tyrannosaurus on the tiny canvas of a fifty pence takes a lot of skill, and we’re really proud of the result.”
Robert Nicholls, designer of The Royal Mint’s Dinosaur 50p coin collection, said of his designs, “I have dedicated my life to bringing extinct animals back to life through art, I started drawing dinosaurs as soon as I could hold a pencil – it is my obsession. Any project that allows me to work with long-dead animals is a joy but having an opportunity to create collectable coins for The Royal Mint, with royal approval, is very special indeed.”
Maxine Lister, head of licensing at the Natural History Museum, said ‘We are thrilled to continue our work with The Royal Mint on the Tales of the Earth series. Dinosaurs have long since sparked feelings of curiosity and awe, and it is brilliant to see three of the most iconic specimens – including a nod to the nation’s favourite dinosaur, Dippy – immortalised on a 50p coin. We hope that this collection will help all, young and old, to share in the wonder of our natural world.’
This is the third coin collection in The Royal Mint’s ‘Tales of the Earth’ series celebrating awe-inspiring ancient creatures and dinosaurs.
The collectable 50p coin series featuring Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus is available to purchase from The Royal Mint’s website, with colour editions of the coin also available.