The Triceratops, a 2008 silver proof 4 dollar coin from Canada.

 

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the 2008 Triceratops silver proof coin, the second coin in the Dinosaurs series celebrating Western Canada's reputation as a treasure trove of fossil specimens.

The iconic Triceratops, easily identified by the trio of horns on its face, was one of 14 horned (ceratopsian) species that roamed Alberta and Saskatchewan some 65 million years ago. Today, all that remains of these fearsome creatures are the fossils found in the rocky layers beneath western Canada’s soil—one of the richest dinosaur deposits on earth. This Triceratops skull design has been approved by palaeontologists at the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta.

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.