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50 Pence - Elizabeth II Plesiosaurus, Gold Proof
| Issuer | The Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 2021 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Pence |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse, designed and engraved by palaeoartist Robert Nicholls, presents a dynamic reconstruction of a Plesiosaurus in an underwater setting, its large-bodied form with elongated flippers rendered in high relief against a subtly striated field suggesting water movement. Flanking the creature are finely detailed depictions of prehistoric marine flora and a fern-like fossil plant to the left, while a skeletal forelimb fossil is depicted in the lower portion of the field, separated from the main composition by a horizontal line. The legend PLESIOSAURUS arcs along the upper periphery, and MARY ANNING 1823 curves along the lower periphery, commemorating the pioneering English fossil hunter who discovered the first complete Plesiosaurus skeleton in 1823, with the engraver's initials RN appearing to the lower right of the field. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Part of the Royal Mint's Natural History Museum dinosaur series, this issue coincides with the 200th anniversary of Mary Anning's identification of the first complete Plesiosaurus skeleton, recovered from the Jurassic Coast cliffs near Lyme Regis in 1823. Anning, working-class and self-taught, sold the specimen to the Natural History Museum's predecessor collection for £200 — a significant sum that nonetheless undervalued the find considerably given what it would mean to paleontology.
Struck to proof standard in 22-carat gold at a limited mintage, this is one of four denominations in the series, the 50p format chosen to maximize the design field on a coin small enough to remain accessible in price.