An Albertosaurus was first discovered when Joseph B. Tyrrell found the fossilized skull within six kilometres of The Royall Tyrrell Museum, named after him. The new $20 silver coin depicts Albertosaurus sarcophagus sporting a crest of feathers along the back from head to tail.
Coin collectors and dinosaur lovers alike may want to have a close look at the fourth and final coin in the Canadian Dinosaurs series.
The Royal Canadian Mint has featured Albertosaurus on its 2015 final coin of the series, on a one ounce silver twenty dollar coin.
And the Albertosaurus is sporting something not seen in a lot of dinosaur pictures - feathers.
“We don’t have any evidence for feathers in the Alberta species,” said the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s Dr. Francois Therrien, “so we tried to compromise a little bit.”
He said even though there is not evidence of feathers on the Albertosaurus sarcophagus, there is the potential for feathers, because some of the dinosaur’s distant ancestors sported feathers.
The coin shows the Albertosaurus with a crest of feathers from the top of its head, running down the back, including the tail, to reflect new scientific discoveries being made, explains Dr. Therrien.
He said there is evidence some Tyrannosaurs had feathers, and the distant older relative of Albertosaurus discovered in China sported feathers, so the ability to produce feathers would be in Albertosaurus genetic make up.
A few small pieces of fossilized Albertosaurus skin have been discovered in Alberta that show a scaly skin, said Dr. Therrien, but there are no skin impressions available for the entire skeleton. That also leaves open the possibility of feathers.
Joseph B. Tyrrell discovered the first Albertosaurus, a skull, within six kilometres of the current Royal Tyrrell Museum, said Dr. Therrien.
Dr. Therrien has been a scientific consultant with the Royal Canadian Mint since 2007. He estimates close to fifteen coins he’s consulted on now with the Mint.
He also consulted with the mint on coins depicting Canadian ice age animals.
The $20 Albertosaurus coin is currently available to order online at www.mint.ca
