How to Find 3 New Fifty Pence Coins Featuring Ferocious Dinosaurs

The United Kingdom is commemorating its ancient history through fifty pence coins depicting three dinosaurs that existed in that region about 140-110 million years ago. These dinosaurs roamed this region throughout the early Cretaceous period. Archaeologists discovered the remains of these beasts in the 17th century. The dinosaurs are the Hylaeosaurus, the Megalosaurus, and the Iguanodon. The Royal Mint is in the process of minting the coins, though some are already in circulation. You can learn a lot more about them at CostlyCoins.co.uk, but here is how to find them.

The Megalosaurus 50p

The coin featuring the dinosaur Megalosaurus was the first to be minted and released in February 2020. This coin will be popular with archaeological historians, coins enthusiasts as well as those interested with dinosaur history. The coin was issued in 1969, and was to get into circulation following the introduction of the decimal currency system in 1971. The coin has seven sides, but has been reduced in size. It is now in circulation and also used for commemorative purposes. You can come across the coin as a legal tender in the UK. The dinosaur featured on this coin was the first to be discovered in England back in 1676. The archaeologist identified it as a dinosaur in 1842. Carbon dating indicates that the monster lizard lived in Europe about 181-169 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

The Iguanodon 50p

This the second of the three coins to celebrate the history of dinosaurs in England. The coin was released in March 2020 as a commemorative coin. It was also minted in 1969, has seven sides, and was a bit larger than the other two coins. In 1996, the Royal Mint reduced the coins size, but maintained its unique shape. The dinosaur featured on this coin is the Iguanodon, that lived in the greater continent of Europe, and also in England. It was a herbivore that existed about 140-110 million years ago. Dr. Gideon Mantell, discovered the remains of this dinosaur in 1822, and named it. The coin is used for commemorative purposes, but at the moment, it is not in circulation. The Royal Mint has some 50,000 Brilliant coins that are not in circulation, about 3000 silver proof coins, 7000 silver proof with color design, and 350 gold proof coins.

The Hylaeosaurus 50p

This coin is the third and the last of the three dinosaur commemorative coins. It was released in April 2020. The Royal Mint issued the coin in 1969 as 50 pence, replacing the 10-shilling note. The coin originally had a Britannia design, but has since changed several times commemorating national anniversaries and famous personalities. What makes this version special is that the dinosaur featured on this coin lived in Europe about 150-135 million years ago. This was during the early Cretaceous period. Its name means “Woodland lizard” as it was a herbivore. Dr. Gideon Mantell discovered the remains of this lizard in 1832 in West Sussex, but its remains have also been found in Spain, Germany, and France. It is currently a commemorative coin, but will be issued as a legal tender so you can find it in circulation.