50 Kip Megalosaurus

Laos issued a series of prehistoric animal coins throughout the 1990s under a program that had virtually nothing to do with domestic monetary policy — these were purpose-struck collector pieces sold through international numismatic distributors, never intended to circulate within the country. The Megalosaurus choice is historically pointed: it was the first dinosaur to receive a formal scientific name, described by William Buckland in 1824 from fragmentary Oxford remains.

Mintages on these Lao wildlife and prehistory issues were typically capped low, and secondary market survival rates are uneven due to inconsistent original distribution records.