3 euro colored coin Austria 2022 – Ornithomimus

Our exciting journey into the world of extreme dinosaurs comes to an end with Ornithomimus velox, the twelfth and final coin in the Supersaurs series. However, Ornithomimus velox is certainly the last but no less important case considering it was the fastest dinosaur ever to roam the earth. Standing upright on long hind legs ending in three powerful claws, with a long flexible neck and large eyes set on a small head, Ornithomimus velox bore some resemblance to an ostrich, although with a long tail and arms instead of wings. The dinosaur even had a toothless jaw that turned into a beak. With a weight of about 150 kg and a size of 4 meters from the beak to the tip of the long tail, ornithomimus had lower legs that were much longer than its thighs, and elongated metatarsals, which are typical characteristics of a fast runner. Computer models have calculated that Ornithomimus’ top speed was between 60 and 80 kilometers per hour, but its powerful rear claws suggest it was capable of defending itself rather than simply using its speed to evade an attack. Although the remains found to date cannot accurately confirm the ornithomime’s diet, the presence of small gastroliths – stones that birds and other animals swallow to grind food – in the epigastric region of some skeletons suggests that it was a herbivore. Ornithomimus may also have preyed on small reptiles and insects, another similarity to the ostrich, which, despite its predominantly plant-based diet and use of gastroliths, also feeds on caterpillars and grasshoppers. The obverse of the Ornithomimus velox coin features the silhouettes of all 12 extreme prehistoric animals from the Supersaurs series, while the glow-in-the-dark reverse of the coin depicts a color-printed ornithomimus moving across a grassy landscape. The €3 Supersaurs coins are legal tender in Austria.

Series: Supersaurs

Denomination: 3 euro

Weight: 16g

Diameter: 34mm

Material: CuNi

Quality: UNC

Circulation: 65,000 pieces

All 3 euro coins in this series are legal tender in Austria.