| Coin | Silver Ounce 2021 Extinct Predators - Megateuthis Gigantea |
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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 part of the Extinct Predators Series, and is dedicated to Megateuthis Gigantea (the Giant Belemnite).
Megateuthis gigantea is the largest known belemnite species, reaching about 50 mm in maximum diameter and 700 mm in length of rostrum. The fossil remains were discovered in Europe and Asia.
Belemnitida is an extinct order of squid-like cephalopods that existed from the Late Triassic to Late Cretaceous. Unlike squid, belemnites had an internal skeleton that made up the cone. The calcitic guard is the most common remain. Belemnites, in life, are thought to have had 10 hooked arms and a pair of fins on the guard. The chitinous hooks were usually no bigger than 5 mm, though a belemnite could have had between 100 and 800 hooks in total, using them to stab and hold onto prey.
They were an important food source for many Mesozoic marine creatures, both the adults and the planktonic juveniles, and likely played an important role in restructuring marine ecosystems after the Triassic - Jurassic extinction event. They may have laid between 100 and 1,000 eggs. Some species may have been adapted to speed and swam in the turbulent open ocean, whereas others resided in the calmer littoral zone and fed off the seafloor. |
| Mint | AllCollect |
Mint Mark | No mint mark |
Total Mintage | 8,000 |
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| 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 prehistoric squid.
In the background, a circle with a mirror-polished surface; around above in that circle, the inscription: PREDATORS · MEGATEUTHIS GIGANTEA, below which separated by a double line, - EXTINCT -. In the lower part of the mirror circle, the date of issue 2021.
The rest of the surface has a textured background with impressions of fossils. A fossil squid 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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| Reverse Inscription |
PREDATORS · MEGATEUTHIS GIGANTEA - EXTINCT - 2021 .999 FINE SILVER 1 OZ |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: bullion (Brilliant uncirculated).
Packaging: in protective capsule.
The Extinct Predators Series is a continuation (or a "prequel" of a kind) of the Predators Series, produced and distributed by German company AllCollect; the coins are probably struck by the Bavarian Central Mint, but there are no certificates that name a manufacturer. Unlike the Predators Series though, there is no information about this one on the company's web site. The coins are released exclusively through APMEX.
The "main" coins in the series are silver ounces issued for the Democratic Republic of the Congo; there are also "companion coins": a half-gram of gold with a similar reverse, issued for Senegal. |
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| See also |
Coins in the Extinct Predators series include:
- 1 oz Silver, Spinosaurus, Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Spinosaurus, Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Megalodon, Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Megalodon, Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Mosasaurus, Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Mosasaurus, Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Phorusrhacidae ("Terror Birds"), Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Phorusrhacidae ("Terror Birds"), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Smilodon (Sabre-toothed Tiger), Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Smilodon (Sabre-toothed Tiger), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Thylacoleo Carnifex (Marsupial Lion), Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Thylacoleo Carnifex (Marsupial Lion), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Dusicyon Australis (Falkland Islands Wolf), Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Dusicyon Australis (Falkland Islands Wolf), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Varanus Priscus (Megalania), Congo 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Varanus Priscus (Megalania), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Phelsuma Gigas (Giant Gecko), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Phelsuma Gigas (Giant Gecko), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Megateuthis Gigantea (Giant Squid), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Megateuthis Gigantea (Giant Squid), Senegal 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Ursus Spelaeus (Cave Bear), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Ursus Spelaeus (Cave Bear), Senegal 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Titanoboa, Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Titanoboa, Senegal 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Thylacinus Cynocephalus (Tasmanian Tiger), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Thylacinus Cynocephalus (Tasmanian Tiger), Senegal 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Pterygotus ("Sea scorpion"), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Pterygotus ("Sea scorpion"), Senegal 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Puijila Darwini (Seal), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Puijila Darwini (Seal), Senegal 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Pteranodon (Flying reptile), Congo 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Pteranodon (Flying reptile), Senegal 2022
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