856) Pterosauria from the Mesozoic Era - "The Age of the Reptiles" (70 to 225 million years ago): Fourth Coin in the "Evolution of Life Coin Series" brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of the Republic of Mongolia in 2018:
Mongolia is famous for its rich fossil record, including dramatic species like Velociraptor - popularised by the Jurassic Park Movies.
The "Evolution of Life" Coin Series pays tribute to past erasby portraying extinct prehistoric creatures in luxurious rose-gilded Smartminting High Relief on an antique finish rock matrix background for Silver coins and portrayed on Gold coins.
The first issue in the "Evolution of Life" Coin Series was the "Ammonite" from the Devonian Period - 419 million to 350 million years ago (2015), the second coin featured the Ordovician Period - 440 million to 500 million years ago - with a partially excavated "Trilobite" (2016), the third coin featured the "Ichthyosaur" from the Mesozoic Era "The Age of the Reptiles" - 70 million to 225 million years ago - (2017).
Now in its fourth year, the "Evolution of Life" Coin Series takes from the sea to the skies with "Pretosauria". This coin showcases the native "Noripterus parvus" that roamed the Mongolian skies 140 million years ago, with a wing-span of over four metres, whose fossils were first described from Central Mongolia in 1982.
Pterosaurs were one of three groups of vertebrates that evolved powered flight alongside birds and bats.
The Mesozoic Era (70 to 225 million years ago):
During the Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era (135 to 180 million years ago), the first birds made their appearance.
When the dinosaurs dominated the land during the Cretaceous Period, some 100 million years ago, their cousin reptiles ruled in the sea and in the air. Above the sea appeared the "flying reptiles".
Pterosaurs first appeared in the late Triassic Period and roamed the skies until the end of the Cretaceous Period (228 to 66 million years ago). Pterosaurs lived among the dinosaurs and became extinct around the same time - but they were not dinosaurs and were the "flying reptiles".
Pterosaurs were the strangest evolutionary innovations of the Mesozoic. They invaded the sea to take on its biggest denizens and in the air they far outclassed the fledgling birds.
Pterosaurs first appeared in the late Triassic Period and roamed the skies until the end of the Cretaceous Period (228 to 66 million years ago). Pterosaurs lived among the dinosaurs and became extinct around the same time - but they were not dinosaurs and were the "flying reptiles".
Pterosaurs were the strangest evolutionary innovations of the Mesozoic. They invaded the sea to take on its biggest denizens and in the air they far outclassed the fledgling birds.
More about Pterosaurs:
Pterodactyls is the common term for the "winged reptiles" properly called "Pterosaurs", which belong to the taxonomic order "Pterosauria". Of the over 130 genera, the most popular ones are - "Pterodactylus" and Pteronadon".
Of the over 130 genera, the most popular ones includes "Pterodactylus" and "Pteronadon".
Pterodactyls were wide-spread and lived in numerous locations across the globe from China to Germany to the Americas.
Modern birds did not descend from Pterosaurs - the birds' ancestors were small, feathered, terrestrial dinosaurs.
Pterodactyls is the common term for the "winged reptiles" properly called "Pterosaurs", which belong to the taxonomic order "Pterosauria". Of the over 130 genera, the most popular ones are - "Pterodactylus" and Pteronadon".
Of the over 130 genera, the most popular ones includes "Pterodactylus" and "Pteronadon".
Pterodactyls were wide-spread and lived in numerous locations across the globe from China to Germany to the Americas.
Modern birds did not descend from Pterosaurs - the birds' ancestors were small, feathered, terrestrial dinosaurs.
The first Pterosaur was discovered in 1784 by Italian scientist Cosimo Collini who thought he had discovered a marine animal that used its wings as paddles.
In 1809, a French Naturalist Georges Civier gave the name "Ptero-dactyle", after the discovery of a fossil skeleton in Bavaria, Germany, which later got accepted as "Pterodactyl".
"Pterodactylus" derives from the Greek word "pterodaktulos" (meaning "winged finger"), which is an apt description of its flying apparatus.
Previously it was thought that Pterodactyls structures were more suited to gliding rather than active flying, but present day research has indicated that they had powerful flight muscles which they could use to walk as quadrupeds like vampire bats and vault into the air. Once air-borne, the largest pterosaurs could reach speeds of over 67 miles per hour (about 108 kilometres per hour) for a few minutes and then glide at cruising speeds of about 56 miles per hour (or about 90 kilometres per hour).
Pterosaurs could typically have a small wing span of about 3.5 feet (1.06 metres) to about 36 feet (11 metres), for the largest ones (Quetzalcoatlus northropi). Even then, the smallest Pterosaur fossil was found in the Western part of China's Liaoning Province which had a wing-span of about 10 inches (or 25 centimetres only).
Given the large number of different types of Pterosaurs, the physical characteristics of the winged reptiles varied widely depending on the genera.
Pterosaurs often had long necks, which sometimes had throat pouches similar to pelicans for catching fish. Most Pterosaur skulls were long and full of needle-like teeth, while some including "Quetzalcoatlus northropi" were toothless.
A distinguishing feature of Pterosaurs was the crest on their heads, which were possibly used for sexual selection.
Pterosaurs were carnivores and occasionally ate fruits. What they ate depended on where they lived - some species lived around water, while others were more terrestrial.
Terrestrial Pterosaurs ate carcasses, baby dinosaurs, lizards, eggs, insects and various other animals, while water-loving Pterosaurs ate a variety of marine life, including fish, squid, crab and other shell-fish.
A distinguishing feature of Pterosaurs was the crest on their heads, which were possibly used for sexual selection.
Pterosaurs were carnivores and occasionally ate fruits. What they ate depended on where they lived - some species lived around water, while others were more terrestrial.
Terrestrial Pterosaurs ate carcasses, baby dinosaurs, lizards, eggs, insects and various other animals, while water-loving Pterosaurs ate a variety of marine life, including fish, squid, crab and other shell-fish.
The Reverse of the Silver 500 Togrog Coin shown standing on its edge and depicts the Pterodactyl fossil image on a rocky matrix, against an actual backdrop of a rocky section
The 500 Togrog Silver coin placed on the rocky background shows the High Relief of the coin's edge
The Obverse of the Silver 500 Togrog Coin shown standing on its edge and depicts the coin against a background of a rocky section
The Coins:
The Pterosauria Coin represents the most detailed and finely gilded coin in the Series to date. Even remnants of the delicate wing membranes are hinted at in the rock matrix. Pterosaurs were one of three groups of vertebrates that evolved powered flight along with birds and bats.
The Reverse of the 1000 Togrog Gold Coin shows the fossil of the Pterosaur. The inscriptions are - "Pterosaur", "EVOLUTION" and "2018".
The Obverse of the 1000 Togrog Gold Coin shows the Soyombo emblem of Mongolia in the centre, below which is the denomination of the coin "1000 Togrog". On the lower periphery is mentioned "MONGOLIA 0.5 g. .9999 GOLD".
The specifications of this Gold coin are:
Country of issue: Mongolia; Year: 2018; Denomination: 1,000 Togrog; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 0.5 grams; Diameter/Size: 11.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage: 15,000 pieces.
The specifications of this Gold coin are:
Country of issue: Mongolia; Year: 2018; Denomination: 1,000 Togrog; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 0.5 grams; Diameter/Size: 11.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage: 15,000 pieces.
The Reverse of the 500 Togrog Silver Coin shows the fossil of the Pterosaur placed on an antique finish rock matrix. The inscriptions are "PTEROSAURIA", "EVOLUTION OF LIFE", "CRETACIOUS PERIOD", "2018".
The Obverse of the 500 Togrog Silver Coin shows the Soyombo emblem of Mongolia in the centre, below which is the denomination of the Coin "500 Togrog". On the lower periphery is mentioned the metallic composition of the Coin & country of issue - "MONGOLIA, 1 Oz .999 SILVER".
The specifications of the Silver Coin are:
Country: Mongolia; Year: 2018; Denomination: 500 Togrog; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1 Oz; Diameter/Size: 38.61 mm; Coin Quality: Antique Finish; Mintage: 999 pieces.
The specifications of the Silver Coin are:
Country: Mongolia; Year: 2018; Denomination: 500 Togrog; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1 Oz; Diameter/Size: 38.61 mm; Coin Quality: Antique Finish; Mintage: 999 pieces.
The elegant custom made box in which the coins are housed, shows an image of the Pterosaur fossil and is titled "EVOLUTION OF LIFE-2018"
Other links to interesting posts on Coins brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of other countries:
2) 150th Anniversary of "The Great Tea Race - 1866": Commemorative Coins in the denomination of 10 and 2 Dollars issued by Cook Islands in 2016
3) The Mystical Ancient Egyptian Labyrinth depicted on $10 Silver coins issued by Cook islands in 2016, under its "Milestones of Mankind Series".
4) King Arthur: The first coin in the six coins "Camelot Series".
5) Quilling Art: Silver 2 Dollars coins issued - Flowers (2016) & Bird (2017)
13) Ichthyosaur, from the Mesozoic Era - "The Age of the Reptiles": Third Coin in the "Evolution of Life Coin Series" brought out by Coin Invest trust on behalf of the Republic of Mongolia in 2017
For interesting posts on Mongolian Coins and Banknotes, please visit the following links:
2) Currency & Coinage of Mongolia: (Part II) Historical development of Mongolian (Togrog) Banknotes
3) Year of the Pig - 2019: A Gold Coin of 1,000 Togrog and a 100 Togrog Banknote from Mongolia: issued by Coin Invest Trust (issued in 2018) minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich
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