The Royal Mint is releasing three new dinosaur-themed coins - the first ever in the UK.

The series of 50p coins is a collaboration with palaeoartist Bob Nicholls and experts at the Museum. The coins will honour the first three dinosaurs found in modern-day Britain, and the first evernamed - Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus. Although at the time they were named, 'dinosaurs' as a group didn't exist. In fact, it was these three animals that made Sir Richard Owenrealise that there was something different enough about them that they warranted being placed in a new group, which he named Dinosauria.

The three species will be featured on five series of collectors' coins. Although they will be legal tender, they won't go into circulation. Instead members of the public will be able tobuy the coins, either individually or in sets.

Prof Paul Barret is a dinosaur researcher at the Museum who has been advising on the designs' scientific accuracy.

He says, 'It is exciting to do a project like this. Helping to approve the designs, look at the overall aesthetic and witnessing the production process, from the original thoughts about whatmight be included to seeing the finished coins, has been very satisfying.'

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British dinosaurs to feature on UK money for the first time(https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/february/british-dinosaurs-to-feature-on-coins.html)