Dinosauria 50p Series: Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and More
The Royal Mint Dinosauria 50p series launched in 2020 to celebrate the dinosaurs originally identified by Sir Richard Owen, who coined the term "dinosaur" in 1842. Six coins released so far — the original three Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus (2020), plus Stegosaurus, Diplodocus and a Megalosaurus variant (2024). All collector-only; no Dinosauria 50p has ever entered circulation. This guide covers each coin, mintages, format prices and authentication.
The series so far
| Year | Dinosaur | Coloured BU | Silver proof | Piedfort mintage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Megalosaurus | £25-40 | £110-160 | 1,500 |
| 2020 | Iguanodon | £25-38 | £105-150 | 800 |
| 2020 | Hylaeosaurus | £28-42 | £110-160 | 1,200 |
| 2024 | Stegosaurus | £30-45 | £100-145 | 1,000 |
| 2024 | Diplodocus | £25-40 | £95-140 | 1,000 |
| 2024 | Megalosaurus (variant) | £22-38 | £95-140 | 1,000 |
Owen and the original three
The first three coins (Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, Hylaeosaurus) reference the three dinosaurs identified by Sir Richard Owen when he coined the term "dinosaur" (from Greek deinos sauros, "terrible lizard") in his 1842 paper Report on British Fossil Reptiles. Owen distinguished these three as a separate sub-order of large extinct reptiles distinct from modern lizards, marking the birth of palaeontology as a discipline. The Royal Mint partnered with the Natural History Museum London on the designs — each coin shows a scientifically accurate skeletal reconstruction by artist Robert Nicholls.
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