In 2010 the Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoir) minted silver Proof 1000 Franc coins. Each proof contains a real piece of a prehistoric fossilized Mammoth tooth! The coin features an extinct African Mammoth on one side and the arms of the Ivory coast on the other. The 38.6mm (crown-sized) sterling silver Proof coin has a mintage of just 2500 pieces. Ironically, it is illegal to sell a coin that contains elephant ivory, however it is perfectly legal to sell a coin containing a piece of ivory from of an extinct mammoth. Obverse: (Photo courtesy of Joels Coins) http://www.joelscoins.com/images/ivorycoastmam.jpg The following link is a photo of the Coat-of-Arms of the Ivory Cost which is portrayed on the coin's reverse (photo courtesy of Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_C%C3%B4te_d%27Ivoire.svg Hope this was interesting... Clinker
Archaeology is the study of past human culture via the material record. What you're thinking of here is paleontology. Still, neat coins!
150 years ago, the first find of an Archaeopteryx was made near Solnhofen, Bavaria. And earlier this year, this coin was issued to commemorate the anniversary. No mammoth or any relic included though. (Image: German Numismatic Office) Christian
