Prehistoric Hunters Collection (Three Biotopes)

Hunters of Prehistoric Times: Land, Sea and Sky in Three Ounces of Silver

Millions of years ago, there was no habitat that was not dominated by massive prehistoric creatures. The Hunters of Prehistoric Times Collection (Three Biotopes) brings this lost world back to life, with three strictly limited silver coins from the popular Prehistoric Life series of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A swift predator on land. A marine reptile with a terrifying set of teeth. And a pterosaur whose head crest still leaves paleontologists in awe today. Together, the three coins tell the story of the great habitats of prehistoric times, struck in pure fine silver.

What's Included in the Collection

• 1 oz Silver Prehistoric Life Liopleurodon 2022 (mintage: 10,000 pieces): the ruler of the seas
• 1 oz Silver Prehistoric Life Velociraptor 2025 (mintage: 10,000 pieces): the hunter on land
• 1 oz Silver Prehistoric Life II Tupandactylus 2026 (mintage: 10,000 pieces): the glider of the skies

In total, you receive 93.31 grams of fine silver across three designs that belong together artistically. Each coin has a face value of 20 francs and is legal tender in the issuing country, the Congo.

Liopleurodon 2022: The Terror of the Jurassic Seas

The oldest year of issue in the set comes from the original Prehistoric Life series. Its eighth edition is dedicated to the Liopleurodon. The design shows the pliosaur hunting underwater, jaws wide open and teeth bared, with the churning water surface above. The Liopleurodon lived in the Middle Jurassic and is one of the best-known pliosaurs of all. Its powerful jaw suggests that, besides fish, it also hunted larger prey such as other marine reptiles. The first evidence of the genus was found by Henri-Émile Sauvage in 1873: a single tooth near Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.

Note on Condition: The Liopleurodon coin was already issued in 2022. Please refer to the condition details provided on the respective individual product page.

Velociraptor 2025: The Feathered Hunter of the Cretaceous

This silver coin is the sixth edition of the successor series Prehistoric Life II. It depicts a Velociraptor mongoliensis in full action: against a rugged mountain backdrop, the predator launches its attack, its feared sickle claw spread wide, while a fellow raptor lurks in the background. According to the inscription, it lived 75 to 71 million years ago. This Velociraptor bears little resemblance to the Hollywood image. It is feathered, slender and about two meters long, in line with how it is reconstructed by research today. Evidence for this came in 2007 from a forearm bone found in Mongolia: researchers described small bumps on it where quill feathers were once anchored.

Tupandactylus 2026: Glider with the Giant Crest

The youngest coin in the collection is the eighth edition of Prehistoric Life II. Strictly speaking, the Tupandactylus was not a dinosaur but a pterosaur (flying reptile). About 112 million years ago, it flew over what is now Brazil. Its fossils come from the famous Crato Formation, whose finely layered limestone has even preserved soft tissue. Its trademark is an enormous head crest: on the most complete known skeleton, it is more than five times the height of the skull. On the coin, two Tupandactylus glide across a vast plain with waterways, a scene full of calm and openness.

One Design, Three Journeys Through Time

Visually, the three coins are connected by the surrounding ring on the obverse. It shows a timeline of geological eras: Triassic (250 to 200 million years ago), Jurassic (200 to 145 million years ago) and Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago). This allows each creature to be immediately placed in context: the Liopleurodon in the Jurassic, the Tupandactylus in the Early Cretaceous, and the Velociraptor in the Late Cretaceous. On the reverse, all three bear the national emblem of the Democratic Republic of the Congo featuring a leopard's head, elephant tusk and spear, along with the motto "JUSTICE – PAIX – TRAVAIL." Below this are the inscriptions "1 oz Ag 999.9" and "20 FRANCS."

Technical Specifications at a Glance

• Contents: 3 silver coins, each 1 ounce
• Issuing country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Series: Prehistoric Life and Prehistoric Life II
• Years of issue: 2022, 2025 and 2026
• Fineness: 999.9/1,000 silver
• Total fine weight: 93.31 g
• Diameter: 38.60 mm each
• Face value: 20 francs each
• Mintage: 10,000 pieces each
• Condition: Mint State; please refer to the note on the individual product page for the 2022 year of issue

Collection or Bullion? An Honest Comparison

Classic bullion coins such as the Maple Leaf or the Vienna Philharmonic are struck without a fixed mintage. Their price is closer to the pure silver value, which is why they are the first choice if weight is all that matters. With the Prehistoric Life coins, more than just the metal counts. Their premium is explained by the richly detailed design, the fixed limitation to 10,000 pieces, and their place within a series with a large following. Once a mintage is sold out, it is not re-struck. For those seeking even greater exclusivity, there are colorized variants limited to just 2,000 pieces. However, these also cost considerably more. The Brilliant Uncirculated issues remain the more affordable entry point into the series.

The special appeal of this set: you don't need to track down three years of issue individually. You receive, in one go, a thematically cohesive collection, including a 2022 edition.

Land, water, air: three habitats, three prehistoric creatures, three ounces of fine silver. A collection that brings together knowledge, art and precious metal.

Silver: A Value That Has Endured for Millennia

Besides its collector's value, each coin contains a full ounce of silver. Together with gold, this white precious metal served as money and a medium of exchange for thousands of years, long before banknotes existed. Silver has a tangible, physical value, is recognized worldwide, and can be stored in small units. Many investors therefore use it as a building block for inflation hedging and crisis preparedness. The Hunters of Prehistoric Times Collection combines this lasting value preservation with a passion for collecting. It makes an ideal gift for prehistoric enthusiasts of any age and a standout piece for any coin collection.