This 2015 $20 fine silver coin is the second in the series of Prehistoric Animals, and features a scientifically accurate depiction of an American Scimitar Sabre-Tooth Cat as verified by paleontologists of the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta.  Mintage is limited to just 7,500 coins.  HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

The design created by Canadian artist Julius Csotonyi has crafted a heart-stopping portrait of a roaring scimitar cat, with its mouth open wide as it bares its lethal teeth and scimitars. The finely engraved details include luxurious fur, piercing eyes, razor-sharp teeth and a roughly textured tongue.

The Scimitar Cat:

The Scimitar cat is arguably one of the most awe-inspiring animals of the Ice Age. Famous for its knife-like fangs; its sabres were coarsely serrated, just like a steak knife, making them perfectly suited for slicing through the soft flesh of its prey.  This fierce feline was a master at pursuing prey, which consisted of ungulates including horses and camels. The scimitar cat would charge from behind a bush or tall grasses with blinding swiftness bowl over its intended prey and slash the throat with its lethal canines. Then, once the uproar subsided, the cat dragged its latest meal to its den.  It was roughly the size of a lion, but with a lighter body that gave it more running flexibility than its Ice Age cousins, other sabre-tooth cats and the American lion. It had a short tail like a lynx, and long, powerful forelimbs but slightly shorter hind legs that gave it a