2026 Niue Silver Colorized Ice Age - Saber-Toothed Tiger

• Contains 42 grams of .999 fine silver.
• Mintage of only 500 coins worldwide.
• Comes in a box and with a certificate of authenticity.
• Obverse: Depicts an ice age landscape of mountains and water. Also includes the coat of arms for Niue with the face value and the country of issue.
• Reverse: Depicts a saber-toothed tiger twice. In one instance, it is a full view of the beast; in the other, a close up of the head with its deadly fangs. The inscription features the Latin name "SMILODON". The surrounding landscape is covered with ochre enamel, evoking the atmosphere at the end of the Ice Age.
• Sovereign coin backed by Niue government.

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Saber-Toothed Tiger
Although they are called saber-toothed tigers, these prehistoric cats were not related to their modern namesake. They were found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, where the most famous representative of this subfamily, named Smilodon, lived until the end of the last Ice Age. Exceptionally large individuals weighed over 400 kilograms, and their characteristic canines measured 30 cm. These curved weapons protruded from the mouth, which the Smilodon could open to an angle of 120 degrees, which is nearly double that of today's lion. They were razor-sharp and used for hunting large animals with thick skin.Compared to regular teeth, they required up to 50% less force to pierce skin and muscle, but the predator had to handle them with care. They broke easily, so the smilodon focused on the neck, belly, or other soft parts of its prey to avoid biting into hard bones. These feared beasts stood at the top of the prehistoric food chain, but their specialization proved to be their undoing. When the ecosystem changed and the large mastodons went extinct, the saber-toothed cats lost their advantage and gradually disappeared ten thousand years ago. The first humans who walked the North American continent at the end of the Ice Age, however, still had the misfortune of encountering a Smilodon.

Czech Mint
The Czech Mint is one of the younger national mints, making its debut in 1993 following the disintegration of the Czechoslovak State. Established under the authorization of the Czech National Bank, the Czech Mint is the exclusive producer of Czech circulation coins and is also responsible for the production of commemorative coins and medals.