Royal Mint launches special dinosaur 50p coins featuring augmented reality technology
The Royal Mint has released a new range of 50p coins celebrating Britain’s contribution to the discovery of dinosaurs, which feature augmented reality technology for the first time.
The Dinosauria Collection offers a variety of coins depicting the megalosaurus, iguanodon and hylaeosaurus, with prices ranging from £10 to £1,020 per coin depending on the material with which it was made.
The Brilliant Uncirculated edition uses the latest colour techniques in order to represent the three dinosaurs in vivid detail.
On top of that, the range acts as an educational guide, pointing collectors in the direction of fascinating information about the prehistoric creatures.
Working with experts from the Natural History Museum, the Royal Mint created the Brilliant Uncirculated edition so that when collectors scan the coins’ packaging into the Royal Mint’s Activate app, they can discover facts, clips and images about the dinosaurs.
Claire Maclennan, divisional director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said the company felt “pleased” to be able to “bring dinosaurs to life” while London’s Natural History Museum remains closed.
“As one of the nation’s most loved tourist attractions remains closed, we are pleased to partner with the Natural History Museum to bring dinosaurs to life from the comfort of your home,” she said.
“It is the first time that the Royal Mint has combined augmented reality with a coin series as we continue to innovate and enrich the experience of coin collecting.”
Ms Maclennan explained that after scanning the packaging in which the coins arrive, “customers will be able to access exclusive content which celebrates Britain’s role in the discovery of dinosaurs, brings the animals to life through animation and explores the intricate details of each coin”.
The Royal Mint Activate app is available to download from the Apple app store and on Google Play.
Fossils from the three dinosaurs featured on the coins – the megalosaurus, iguanodon and hylaeosaurus – prompted British anatomist Sir Richard Owen to coin the term dinosauria in a paper in 1842.
Sir Owen campaigned for there to be a museum of natural history, eventually becoming the first superintendent of the British Museum (Natural History), which later became known as the Natural History Museum.
Last month, the Royal Mint released a commemorative £2 coin to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday 8 May.
The coin was created in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum to capture “the spirit and stoicism of the wartime generation and the gratitude of those that followed”.
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