Saturday, 25 May 2019

1009) Protoceratops, Mongolia (from the Upper Cretaceous Period 75 to 71 million years ago - approx.) - "Part II": "Prehistoric Beasts Series": A 2000 Togrog Silver Coin issued by Coin Invest Trust, minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich in 2019:

1009) Protoceratops, Mongolia (from the Upper  Cretaceous Period 75 to 71 million years ago - approx.) - "Part II": "Prehistoric Beasts Series": A 2000 Togrog Silver Coin issued by Coin Invest Trust, minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich in 2019:

In 2018, Coin Invest Trust (CIT) began a new Coin Series titled "Prehistoric Beasts" which featured a Velociraptor mongoliensis.

To recapitulate, Mongolia is famous for its rich fossil record, including the Protoceratops.

The Protoceratops is a genus of sheep-sized (about 1.8 metres long) herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur, from the Upper Cretaceous Period (Campanian stage) of present day Mongolia. It had a large neck frill which was mostly used as a display to impress other members of the species. It is currently distinguished into two species of Protoceratops - P. andrewsi and P. hellenikorhinus, based in part on their respective sizes.

It was a relatively small dinosaur with a proportionately large skull. It had powerful muscular jas capable of a powerful bite. It had dozens of teeth, which were well suited for chewing tough vegetation.

It was first discovered in 1922 along with several fossil skeletons of therapods Velociraptor, Oviraptor and ceratopsian Pssitacosaurus.

In 1971, its most famous find was unearthed, when a fossil was found in the Mongolian Gobi Desert which showed a Velociraptor fighting a Protoceratops.

This was a remarkable find, because this find was the first evidence of a Velociraptor attacking a herbivore Protoceratops despite its considerable heavier weight of 400 kilograms. This fossil is of great interest to paleontologists and has been nicknamed the "Fighting Dinosaurs" - the turkey-sized Velociraptor has rammed its claws into the herbivore  Protoceratops' head and seems to have attempted to crack open the lower abdomen of its opponent with its beak, while the Protoceratops holds his opponents arm in its beak respectively.

It seems that the two animals were mortally wounded in this fight and died as they fought and were earlier thought to have probably drowned. Now it is conjectured that the animals were buried in sand, either from a collapsing dune or in a sandstorm and that burial was extremely fast, judging from the life-like poses in which the animal skeletons were preserved.

Comparisons between the scleral rings of the Velociraptor, Protoceratops and modern birds and reptiles indicates that Velociraptor may have been nocturnal, while Protoceratops may have been cathemeral (active throughout the day during short intervals), suggesting that this fight may have taken place at twilight or during low-light conditions.

The Coin:

This Coin Series portrays prehistoric beasts in exceptional style on a whopping 65.0 mm canvas, weighing 3.0 Oz.

The Coin is presented/struck in a "Red Rock Finish". A special technique allows for the surface to resemble sandy rocks. Smartminting technology makes the high relief skeleton stand out against its background. The coin is minted by B.H. mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich.

Locked in an eternal battle - one of the most significant and famous fossils shows a Velociraptor attempting to prey on a defensive Protoceratops.


The dynamic scene frozen in time was unearthed in the rich Mongolian fossil beds. This 2019 coin features the Protoceratops, while the Velociraptor Coin was brought out in 2018 - the two coins presenting an elegant set and representation of life in Cretaceous Mongolia.
The Obverse and Reverse of the 2000 Togrog Fine Silver Coin placed together, present a red-rock finish resembling the fossil matrix of the rus-coloured Mongolian earth, the detailed Protoceratops fossil coin minted with Smartminting technology.

The rim and the edge of the coin are struck to mimic rock.

                      A Protoceratops Skeleton - reconstruction

                 Illustration of a Protoceratops reconstruction


The Reverse of the 2000 Togrog Silver Coin, with a red rock finish, presented against the backdrop of a rocky out crop as the original location, where the fossil was found, shows the Protoceratops fossil in the position/posture in which it was unearthed.
The inscription on the lower periphery reads - "Protoceratops andrewski - Late Cretaceous Mongolia".
On the Obverse of the 2000 Togrog Silver Coin is shown the Soyombo symbol/Emblem of Mongolia, below which is inscribed the denomination of the coin - "2000 Torpor" (meaning "2000 Togrog"). On the lower periphery is mentioned - "MONGOLIA 3 OZ .999 SILVER".

The specifications of this 2000 Togrog coin are:

Country of issue: Republic of Mongolia; Year: 2019; Denomination: 2000 Togrog; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 3.0 Oz; Diameter/Size: 65.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof-like with Red-Rock finish; Rim & Edge: Struck to resemble rock; Minted by: B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich on behalf of CIT for the Republic of Mongolia; Mintage: 999 pieces.

The Coin is housed in a transparent capsule and comes in a beautiful floating frame


The 2018 and 2019 coins presented together - depicting the Velociraptor and the Protoceratops









Other links to interesting posts on Coins brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of other countries:



For interesting posts on Mongolian Coins and Banknotes, please visit the following links:

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