Description
Britain has a fascinating fossil record. Around 50–60 different species have been found here, including Hylaeosaurus, the first armoured dinosaur ever discovered. Together with Megalosaurus and Iguanodon it played a crucial role in forming our understanding of these long extinct creatures.
The Dinosauria Collection concludes with Hylaeosaurus, the third and final coin in the 2020 series. Discovered by Dr Gideon Mantell and acquired by the British Museum when Mantell fell on hard times, the anatomist Richard Owen was able to study the specimen in depth, leading him to conclude it was part of a previously unknown group of giant reptiles which he called ‘Dinosauria’.
Featuring an original design by palaeo-artist Robert Nicholls it shows an anatomically accurate reconstruction of Hylaeosaurus. Likely a solitary animal, it lived during the Early Cretaceous period 140 to 133 million years ago.Â
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