Dinosaur coin is cool

Any parent of a college student knows that there will be a gap in communications for about five years.

With classes, friends, studying and fun time occupying them 24/7, there is little time for keeping in touch with the homefront. Unless of course they need money, transportation or food.

So imagine my surprise when the college senior posted a link on my Facebook page with the comment, “Now THIS is cool numismatics.”

What got his attention was the new glow-in-the-dark Alberta dinosaur quarter from Canada. It features an image of Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai (spelling test next Friday). Bone fragments of the herbivore were found by a science teacher in 1974 by Grande Prairie, Alta.

The coin bears a brown image of the dinosaur (he’s kind of ugly) that glows in the dark. The Royal Canadian Mint says the photo luminescent technology used won’t wear off, giving collectors years of scary enjoyment.

The coin, which sells for $29.95, is the first of three coins in the Prehistoric Creatures series.

Yes, I will buy one for my son. Call it positive reinforcement. And it just might get him interested in collecting coins.