The 2020 50 Pence Coin – Iguanodon
This is the second coin in the Dinosauria Collection.
In 1822 Mary Ann Mantell (1795-1869), while out walking with her husband, noticed a large tooth on the side of the road and couldn’t recognise it as any animal she had seen before. Her husband Gideon Mantell (1790-1852) was an English obstetrician, geologist and palaeontologist, who immediately began to wonder if it could be from the same creatures that Buckland had found.
There was some debate but eventually it was concluded that this was in the dinosaur family. After finding other bones, Mary sketched out what it may have looked like and thought it was like an Iguana. Gideon wanted to call it an ‘Iguana-saurus’ but after consultation decided to call it ‘Iguanodon‘.
Gideon Mantell published a book in 1827 called ‘Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex‘, and it featured some of Mary’s illustrations, including the Iguanodon. You can find a free copy of the book if you search the Internet.
On 24 June 2000, the Mantell Monument was unveiled at Cuckfield, West Sussex, at the site that is believed to be the location of the initial discovery. The plaque shows photographs of both Gideon and Mary.
The coin Reverse, by Robert Nicholls, shows the Iguanodon.
The Obverse shows a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark.
Besides the BU, the coin is available as Coloured BU, Silver Proof, Coloured Silver Proof and Gold Proof.
Images used by permission of The Royal Mint
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