The Democratic Republic of the Congo normally uses banknotes for circulation, and does not issue coins in the Congolese Franc currency. However, the country has authorised some foreign mints to issue commemorative and bullion coins under its jurisdiction.
Most of them are in standard bullion sizes, including one ounce of silver - such as this coin.
This coin is the first release in the Extinct Predators Series, and is dedicated to the Spinosaurus.
The Spinosaurus lived in what is now North Africa around 99 to 93.5 million years ago. Spinosaurus is the longest known terrestrial carnivore; other large carnivores comparable to Spinosaurus include theropods such as Tyrannosaurus, Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. Spinosaurus aegyptiacus reached 14 metres in length and 7.4 metric tons in body mass. The skull of Spinosaurus was long, low, and narrow, similar to that of a modern crocodilian, and bore straight conical teeth with no serrations. It would have had large, robust forelimbs bearing three-fingered hands, with an enlarged claw on the first digit. The distinctive neural spines of Spinosaurus, which were long extensions of the vertebrae (or backbones), grew to at least 1.65 meters long and were likely to have had skin connecting them, forming a sail-like structure. |
| Obverse | |
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Within a beaded border, the obverse of the coin depicts the Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which consists of a leopard head surrounded by an elephant tusk to the left and a spear to the right. On a ribbon below, the national motto JUSTICE PAIX TRAVAIL (from French: Justice, Peace, Work).
Around above, the name of the country: REPUBLIQUE DEMOCATIQUE DU CONGO.
Around below, the nominal face value of the coin: · 20 FRANCS ·. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse design features a Spinosaurus walking to left.
In the background, a circle with a mirror-polished surface; around above in that circle, the inscription: PREDATORS · SPINOSAURUS, below which separated by a double line, - EXTINCT -. In the left field, along the rim of the mirror circle, the date of issue 2020.
The rest of the surface has a textured background with impressions of fossils. A dinosaur tooth is part in the polished circle and part on the textured background.
in small letters around below, the precious metal content: .999 FINE SILVER 1 OZ (one troy ounce of 99.99% silver). |
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