Stunning new Canadian coin is a literal eye into country's prehistoric period

A brand-new Canadian coin has just dropped, and with its dinosaur-eye-shaped design, it's giving serious Jurassic World vibes.

If you're a coin collector or a dinosaur enthusiast, the Dinosaur Eye coin will certainly pique your interest. The silver coin is oval-shaped, like the outline of the eye of a Thanatotheristes, a dinosaur that wouldn't look out of place in a Jurassic World movie.

So what's this dinosaur's Canadian ties?

Fossil remains were found in the Foremost Formation, along the Bow River in Alberta, and, according to the Mint, the Thanatotheristes is the oldest known Canadian tyrannosaur and the top predator of its time. It got its official name in 2020, and it's an appropriate one, as Thanatotheristes translates to "reaper of death."

This tyrannosaur roamed North America nearly 80 million years ago and was undoubtedly intimidating, measuring up to 10 metres long and weighing up to 2.5 tonnes. An apex predator, it preyed on herbivores such as Colepiocephale and Xenoceratops.

The details on the coin are impressive, to say the least, as the reverse is engraved to look like dinosaur skin.

Royal Canadian Mint

Look closer into the eye of the predator, and you'll see a scene from millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The prehistoric world reflected in the dinosaur's convex eye shows other Thanatotheristes moving through the swampy forests of Cretaceous Western Canada.

The coin was designed by Canadian paleoartist Julius Csotonyi and was reviewed by the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology for accuracy.

Royal Canadian Mint

If you're looking to get your hands on this unique piece of Canadian history, the coin has a face value of $20 and retails for $164.95. It measures 48 mm by 30.33 mm and is made with 99.99 per cent pure silver. Only 8,500 of these coins will be available, and orders are expected to ship on Aug. 12.

The Mint has released several unique designs this year, such as a gold coin with real coral, a holographic coin that costs more than seven times its face value, and a glowing coin that captures the northern lights.