Beautiful World Coins

See through the 2009 Eiffel Tower Silver Proof 10 Euro Coin!

The French Mint celebrates the 120th Anniversary of the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower with this 2009 commemorative 10 euro silver proof coin with a hollowed-out design in the shape of the Eiffel Tower.

Gustave Eiffel (1832 - 1923) was a gifted engineer and builder. He graduated from the prestigious Ecole Centrale de Paris. His extraordinary career was marked in 1876 by the construction of the Maria Pia bridge over the River Douro in Portugal, then by that of the Garabit Viaduct in central France in 1884 and Budapest station in Hungary. He was responsible for the metal structures of the Bon Marché department store and the Crédit Lyonnais bank in Paris, the cupola of the Nice observatory, and, above all, the very impressive internal structure of the Statue of Liberty. The construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 was his crowning achievement.

Mint: Paris

Year: 2009

Face value: 10 Euro

Finish: Proof

Composition: 90% silver

Size: 37 mm

Weight: 20.8 grams

Mintage: 10,000

This 2009 Tyrannosaurus Rex Silver Proof Dinosaur Fossil Coin looks so cool!

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the 2009 Tyrannosaurus Rex silver proof coin, the third coin in the Dinosaurs series celebrating Western Canada's reputation as a treasure trove of fossil specimens. The dinosaurs' fossilized bones testify to the massive beasts that once ruled the earth but disappeared suddenly 65 million years ago. Discovered by paleontologists in the late 1800's, they inspired generations of dinosaur hunters and established Canada as one of the richest sources of Late Cretaceous fossils on earth.

Tyrannosaurus rex was one of several large carnivore (tyrannosaur) species that lived in Alberta, appearing shortly before the mysterious mass extinction. The mighty Tyrannosaurus rex (or "tyrant lizard") measured up to 39 feet from head to tail. It had a gaping 3-foot bite with 4- to 6-inches long teeth that could rip out hundreds of pounds of flesh at a time.

This coin features a captivating design of fossilized dinosaur bones with a selective aging technique that enhances the characteristics of these prehistoric creatures, giving the impression of a real stone fossil. Variations in tone and color are a direct result of this process. No two coins are alike.

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2009

Face value: 4 Dollars

Finish: Proof

Composition: 99.99% Silver

Size: 34 mm

Weight: 15.87 grams

Mintage: 20,000