Proof Gold 50p – Megalosaurus (Dinosauria Collection)

Description This proof gold 50p, dated 2020, is part of the Royal Mint’s *‘Tales of the Earth, The* *Dinosauria Collection’,* in collaboration with the Natural History Museum. This series is made up of three coins and celebrates British scientists who were the first to discover and identify this group of reptiles. The first scientific description of a dinosaur was produced in 1824 by palaeontologist, William Buckland, this was based on fragments of bone and jaw found in Oxfordshire. Early reconstructions showed the Megalosaurus walking on all fours, with a posture reflecting a hippopotamus and growing up to 3metres tall and 9metres long. The Megalosaurus was considered one of the largest predators during the Middle Jurassic period. It was likely to have been covered in coarse feathers, although palaeontologists are split on whether this was actually the case. In 1832, after an explosion at a quarry in Sussex, Dr Gideon Mantell found the remains of a mysterious animal, he then formed a single skeleton. Mantell continued his work unearthing fossils and sold part of his collection to the British Museum in 1838. In 1853 the museum obtained the rest and now these fossils form the basis of the Natural History Museum’s dinosaur collection. Mantell’s rival, Richard Owen, then studied his fossils and realised that Hylaeosaurus and Iguanodon shared similar characteristics with Megalosauras. Owen described tis new group of animals as the term ‘Dinosauria’ and characterised them as ‘fearfully great’. The reverse of the coin, designed by Robert Nicholls, reconstructs the Megalosaurus with guidance from the Natural History Museum. The Megalosaurus is depicted with coarse feathers, scars around the mouth and the jaw bone is the focus, as described by William Buckland. The obverse of the coin features Jody Clark’s portrait of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The coin comes in a plastic capsule, along with original Royal Mint boxes, certificate of authenticity and informative booklet. These coins benefit from being Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Free and VAT free. All UK gold and silver bullion coins manufactured by the Royal Mint are legal tender and are exempt from Capital Gains Tax. All of our proof gold coins and sets are verified for authenticity by our experienced team. Any coins that fall short of our quality standards are not re-sold. As members of the [BNTA](http://www.bnta.net/) we ensure that our reputation as a reputable dealer of gold and silver coins and bars is upheld, whether a purchase is for our “best price” or brand new coins. Our range of proof 50p coins can be found [here](https://www.atsbullion.com/product-category/gold-bullion/gold-coins/proof-5-2-50p-coins/).