2023 2 oz Canada Ice Age - Smilodon Sabre-Tooth Cat 9999 Silver BU Coin
It’s the most famous prehistoric Ice Age predator, and if you were a young mammoth or mastodon, the last thing you’d want to see is Smilodon fatalis suddenly lunging at you and flashing its oversized fangs!“ Smilodon means “scalpel tooth,” a fitting descriptor for an ancient big cat whose deadly canines measured up to 18 centimetres long A key top predator, the sabre toothed cat would have stalked large herbivores horses, camels, giant ground sloths and more by hiding and pouncing on them, much like today’s big cats Despite being synonymous with the Ice Age, you won’t find Smilodon perched atop a glacier this prehistoric big cat preferred warmer climes Its fossils are among the most common ones found in the tar pit deposits of California, but its range extended across ice free areas of North, Central and South America In 2019 a 35 000 to 40 000 year old bone became the first verified evidence of Smilodon fatalis existence in the prehistoric plains of southern Alberta, before becoming extinct at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, around 11 700 years ago. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The obverse also bears a special marking that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign. Prodcut Features: - Includes two cutting edge security features precise radial lines and a micro engraved lasered maple leaf with the numeral “23”(visible under magnification) to denote the coin’s year of issue. - Masterfully crafted by Royal Canadian Mint engravers using a variety of engraving techniques and finishes, which bring depth and texture to this unforgettable portrait of the fearsome Ice Age carnivore. - An attractive acquisition for both first time precious metal buyers and long term investors.