The Parasaurolophus, a 2007 silver proof 4 dollar coin from Canada.

 

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the 2007 Parasaurolophus silver proof coin, the first coin in the new Dinosaurs series celebrating Western Canada's reputation as a treasure trove of fossil specimens.

During the time of these great beasts, the area now known as Alberta and Saskatchewan was a lush subtropical shore, and home to over 35 dinosaur species. As these animals died, the evolving landscape covered their bones with centuries of mud and sand—only to be revealed when the glaciers from the last Ice Age scraped away the top layers of rock and exposed bits of fossilized bone. Discovered by paleontologists in the late 1800's, they inspired generations of dinosaur hunters and established Canada as one of the richest sources of Late Cretaceous fossils on Earth.

This coin features a captivating design of fossilized dinosaur bones with a selective aging technique that enhances the characteristics of these prehistoric creatures, giving the impression of a real stone fossil. Variations in tone and color are a direct result of this process. No two coins are alike.