849) Archosauria (The Rise of the Dinosaurs): "Natura Series" of Five Gold Coins from the "Palaeontology Collection": A set of Gold Coins brought out by the South African Mint in 2018:
The South African Mint has brought out a set of five stunning 24 Carat gold coins titled the "palaeontology Collection". A new chapter in the award-winning "Natura Series" begins with the introduction of palaeontology, in recognition of South Africa's significance to this field and study of plant and animal fossils.
This Series of five coins "brings to life", the "Archosauria" - crocodiles, pterosaurs, dinosaurs and birds or the ruling reptiles that roamed and soared freely in Southern Africa about 200 million years ago.
The rise of the Archosaurs and their evolution is a significant event in the history of life on land, since they not only led to the evolution of dinosaurs and birds, but also to the Pterosaurs (flying reptiles) and crocodiles. The Archosauria crocodiles, pterosaurs, dinosaurs and birds - or the ruling reptiles were magnificent creatures which ruled over the land and sky for around 180 million years - from the Triassic to the Cretaceous periods.
The Archosauriforms evolved at the end of the Triassic period, finally taking over the last emclaves of synapsid domination. The next step in evolution, which saw the rise of the dinosaurs, crocodiles and pterosaurs was imminent.
Archosaurs are regarded as the direct ancestors of the dinosaurs and the fossil records from the Karoo Super-group's rocks hold the key to understand their early evolutionary history.
Besides the Karoo, many discoveries have been made on the African Continent and in the country along the borders of KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and the Northern Cape.
These finds have helped fill in critical gaps in the evolution of dinosaurs and provide fresh information on how the Southern Continents of Africa, South America and India separated.
The presence of these fossil records endorse the theory that the South African portion of what was the prehistoric super-continent of Gondwana, was an evolutionary hotspot 260 million years ago. It reinforces the idea that the distant ancestors of mammals actually came from South Africa.
South Africa's rich fossil heritage has been pivotal to unravelling the history of life on the planet.
Besides the Karoo, many discoveries have been made on the African Continent and in the country along the borders of KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and the Northern Cape.
These finds have helped fill in critical gaps in the evolution of dinosaurs and provide fresh information on how the Southern Continents of Africa, South America and India separated.
The presence of these fossil records endorse the theory that the South African portion of what was the prehistoric super-continent of Gondwana, was an evolutionary hotspot 260 million years ago. It reinforces the idea that the distant ancestors of mammals actually came from South Africa.
South Africa's rich fossil heritage has been pivotal to unravelling the history of life on the planet.
The Coins:
Each coin in this set depicts a different Archosauriform, together with its scientific name, the word "NATURA", the denomination, mass and metal value of the coin et al.
Dr Francis Durand, a note Palaeontologist and Zoologist at the University of Johannesburg has contributed to the design of these coins and it is his dinosaur renderings, which have been taken on all the coins in this series.
Dr Francis Durand, a note Palaeontologist and Zoologist at the University of Johannesburg has contributed to the design of these coins and it is his dinosaur renderings, which have been taken on all the coins in this series.
All the five coins in the Series titled "Archosauria" have a common Obverse which depicts the fossilised skull, neck and shoulder of an "Erythosuchus africanus". The words "RISE OF THE DINOSAURS", "ARCHOSAURIA" and the year "2018" in Roman numerals "MMXVIII" are seen on the Obverse face of the coin.
The R100 1 Oz Gold Coin features the "Collophysis rhodesiensis":
The Reverse of the R100 (Rand 100) Gold Coin features the "COELOPHYSIS" which were highly successful primitive theropod dinosaurs that lived world-wide from the late Triassic to early Jurassic.
"Coelophysis rhodesiensis", a small, agile dinosaur which preyed on small animals, inhabited south Africa and Zimbabwe during the early part of the Jurrasic period. This slenderly built, bipedal dinosaur grew up to 3 metres long and weighted about 32 kilograms.
About 165 million years ago, the group of small, feathered dinosaurs that evolved into birds came from within the theropod radiation.
About 165 million years ago, the group of small, feathered dinosaurs that evolved into birds came from within the theropod radiation.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R100; Diameter/Size: 32.69 mm; Metal Composition: 999.9 Fineness Gold (Au); Mint: South African Mint; Mintage: 1,000 pieces; Year: 2018.
The R50 1/2 Oz Gold Coin features the "Massospondylus carinatus":
The Reverse of the R50 (Rand 50) Gold Coin, depicts the "Massospondylus carinatus", which was one of the best known dinosaurs in the world and also the most common dinosaur species in Southern Africa.
Massosponddylus is a prosauropod dinosaur which lived in the early Jurassic period, which makes it one of the oldest dinosaurs on Earth.
It had a typical saurischian type pelvis with a forward-jutting pubis. Its length was 4.0 metres and it had a small head, narrow body and long neck ans tail. Its hind limbs were much longer and stronger than its front limbs which, together with the morphology of the hips, indicate that it was a bipedal. The small serrated leaf-shaped teeth suggest that it was probably an omnivore.
Scientists have uncovered clutches of fossilised Massospondylus eggs at the site in Clarens bordering Lesotho and also found footprints of hatchlings showing that young dinosaurs stayed in the nest long enough to double in size. These nesting grounds are 100 million years older than any found before.
Scientists have uncovered clutches of fossilised Massospondylus eggs at the site in Clarens bordering Lesotho and also found footprints of hatchlings showing that young dinosaurs stayed in the nest long enough to double in size. These nesting grounds are 100 million years older than any found before.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R50; Diameter/Size: 27.0 mm; Weight: 15.552 grams; Metal Composition: 999.0 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,000 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year: 2018.
The R20 1/4 Oz Gold Coin features the "Proterpsuchidae":
The Reverse of the R20 Gold Coin features the "Proterosuchus".
The Proterosuchidae, similar in form to the crocodile, ranged between 1.5 metres to 2.2 metres in length and resembled the crocodile with their long jaw, short legs, thick neck and a long flattened tail. The elongated snout of this creature resembles that of the modern gharial, more than that of a crocodile or alligator which suggests that it was a specialised fish-eater. Its nostrils were on the side of the snout, supporting the hypothesis that they were terrestrial predators hunting in water.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R20; Diameter: 22.0 mm; Weight: 7.776 grams; Metal Composition: 999.9 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
The Proterosuchidae, similar in form to the crocodile, ranged between 1.5 metres to 2.2 metres in length and resembled the crocodile with their long jaw, short legs, thick neck and a long flattened tail. The elongated snout of this creature resembles that of the modern gharial, more than that of a crocodile or alligator which suggests that it was a specialised fish-eater. Its nostrils were on the side of the snout, supporting the hypothesis that they were terrestrial predators hunting in water.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R20; Diameter: 22.0 mm; Weight: 7.776 grams; Metal Composition: 999.9 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
The R10 1/10 Oz Gold Coin features the "Erytherosuchus":
The Reverse of the R10 Gold Coin depicts the "Erythrosuchus".
Erythrosuchidae were Archosauriforms fro the late Triassic of South Africa and Namibia. The "Erythrosuchus africanus" was about 5 metres long and stood over 2 metres tall, making it the largest predator of the time.
The Erythrosuchidae would have been at the top of the food pyramid, preying on all other terrestrial vertebrates.
It had an exceptionally large skull for its size, occupying about a fifth of its total body length. Its teeth were as large as that of any carnosaur, but curved like those of other Archosaurimorphs, suggesting that they preyed upon larger prey animals which were difficult to subdue.
This creature walked on all fours with a semi-erect gait which would have enabled it to move more swiftly than other more primitive reptiles of the same size. It would have been a cumbersome anilmal given its size and for that reason it may have been an ambush predator.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R10; Diameter/Size: 16.5 mm; Weight: 3.110 grams; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
The R5 1/20 Oz Gold Coin depicts the "Euparkeria capensis":
Erythrosuchidae were Archosauriforms fro the late Triassic of South Africa and Namibia. The "Erythrosuchus africanus" was about 5 metres long and stood over 2 metres tall, making it the largest predator of the time.
The Erythrosuchidae would have been at the top of the food pyramid, preying on all other terrestrial vertebrates.
It had an exceptionally large skull for its size, occupying about a fifth of its total body length. Its teeth were as large as that of any carnosaur, but curved like those of other Archosaurimorphs, suggesting that they preyed upon larger prey animals which were difficult to subdue.
This creature walked on all fours with a semi-erect gait which would have enabled it to move more swiftly than other more primitive reptiles of the same size. It would have been a cumbersome anilmal given its size and for that reason it may have been an ambush predator.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R10; Diameter/Size: 16.5 mm; Weight: 3.110 grams; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
The R5 1/20 Oz Gold Coin depicts the "Euparkeria capensis":
The Reverse of the R5 Gold Coin features the "Euparkeria capensis".
Euparkerids are Archosauriforms from the Middle Triassic of South Africa, Namibia, Poland and China. Euparkeria capensis, was a small active predator, which could speed run bipedally and had a protective double row of osteoderms along the length of its body like many other Archosauriforms.
The size, agility, speed and small sharp teeth of the Euparkeria made it ideally suited to be an insectivore.
It was one of the first bipedal vertebrates with their legs longer than their arms, which suggests that they could move around quadrupedally, but at times, such as when they were running, they could become facultative bipeds and run on their hind legs.
Bipedalism was a very important evolutionary adaptation inherited by the archosaurs, including dinosaurs and birds.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R5; Diameter/Size: 12.0 mm; Weight: 1.555 grams; Metal Composition: 999.9 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
Some other interesting posts from the African Continent on this blog:
Euparkerids are Archosauriforms from the Middle Triassic of South Africa, Namibia, Poland and China. Euparkeria capensis, was a small active predator, which could speed run bipedally and had a protective double row of osteoderms along the length of its body like many other Archosauriforms.
The size, agility, speed and small sharp teeth of the Euparkeria made it ideally suited to be an insectivore.
It was one of the first bipedal vertebrates with their legs longer than their arms, which suggests that they could move around quadrupedally, but at times, such as when they were running, they could become facultative bipeds and run on their hind legs.
Bipedalism was a very important evolutionary adaptation inherited by the archosaurs, including dinosaurs and birds.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: R5; Diameter/Size: 12.0 mm; Weight: 1.555 grams; Metal Composition: 999.9 Fineness Gold (Au); Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Mint: South African Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
Some other interesting posts from the African Continent on this blog:
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