A master at pursuing its prey, the scimitar cat (Homotherium serum) is arguably one of the most awe-inspiring animals of the Ice Age. With its immense fangs and powerful physical features, it embodies all the ferocious strength that makes prehistoric animals endlessly fascinating. This beautifully crafted coin is the second issue in the Royal Canadian Mint’s popular Prehistoric Animals series, and offers a privileged glimpse of Canada’s prehistoric era by showcasing a powerful predator in stunning detail.

Canadian artist Julius Csotonyi has crafted a heart-stopping image of a scimitar cat as it explodes from its hiding place to ambush its prey, its mouth agape as it readies its fangs for their lethal strike. The background shows the rolling hills and grasses that would likely have typified the prehistoric grassland where this awesome predator lived.