Fifty Pence 2020 Dinosaurs - Megalosaurus, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (her effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait").

In small letters below the head, the artist's initials J.C (for Jody Clark).

Running continuously around the effigy is the monarch's legend, followed by the date of issue and the face value: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 50 PENCE · 2020 ·. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, followed by the value and denomination in English and the year.

The reverse of the coin shows an artist's impression of a dinosaur of the Megalosaurus species, between Mesozoic plants. Below, separating the design from the exergue, a fossilised dinosaur lower jaw bone.

Around above, the inscription MEGALOSAURUS. Around below in the exergue, BUCKLAND 1824. The designer's initials RN (for Robert Nicholls) are above the exergue line, to the right of the jaw bone.

Value and denomination are on the obverse.

The coins were released on 13th February 2020.

Base metal mintage includes 29,037 carded coins, 77,469 "in trade packaging", plus 27,830 with a coloured reverse.

From the Royal Mint description:
"In 1824 William Buckland, an eccentric clergyman and palaeontologist, produced the first scientific description of what became known as a dinosaur based on fragments of jaw and bone found in Oxfordshire. Buckland named the creature Megalosaurus, which means "great lizard".

Early depictions showed an animal walking on four legs with a posture like a hippopotamus. Today we understand Megalosaurus was a theropod, a large bipedal predator that roamed Britain during the Middle Jurassic period 170 to 155 million years ago.

Along with specimens of Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus, the fossilised remains of Megalosaurus led anatomist Richard Owen to conclude that all three belonged to a distinct group of reptiles, coining the term "Dinosauria" to describe this new taxonomic group. His discovery fuelled public imagination and "dinomania" shows no signs of abating today.

Featuring a design by palaeo-artist Robert Nicholls who specialises in producing anatomically accurate reconstructions of natural history specimens, this 50p coin was designed with the expert guidance of the Earth Sciences Department of the Natural History Museum. Available as a gold and silver Proof, colour-printed silver Proof, colour-printed Brilliant Uncirculated exclusive to The Royal Mint and standard Brilliant Uncirculated edition, it is a fitting tribute to a landmark British discovery."