1/10 oz Prehistoric Beast Gold Coin

Ultra-High-Relief Fractional Gold from CIT's Dinosaur Series

The 1/10 oz Prehistoric Beast gold coin is produced by CIT Coin Invest AG, a Liechtenstein-based numismatic company that specialises in ultra-high-relief coins using their proprietary Smartminting technology. The series launched in 2018 with Mongolian legal tender coins featuring prehistoric creatures, and the 1/10 oz gold format extends the programme into the fractional gold market.

CIT is the acknowledged market leader in ultra-high-relief numismatic coins. Smartminting uses modified striking pressure and die geometry to achieve relief depths of up to 2 mm on standard-thickness planchets, creating three-dimensional effects that conventional minting cannot match. The Prehistoric Beast series applies this technology to paleontological subjects, with the 3 oz silver coins (the series' primary format) featuring a distinctive "Red Rock Finish" that gives the surface the texture and colour of sandstone, evoking the fossil-bearing rock formations of Mongolia's Gobi Desert.

The gold 1/10 oz version brings this concept to a smaller and more affordable format. At 3.11 grams of 999.9 fine gold, it carries the same prehistoric animal themes as the larger silver pieces. The product listed in this category includes the American Scimitar Sabre-Tooth Cat design from 2015, produced by the Royal Canadian Mint under the "Prehistoric Animals" programme, which shares thematic overlap with CIT's Prehistoric Beast branding. Buyers should note that these are collector-oriented coins rather than standard bullion, and premiums typically reflect the artistic and numismatic value beyond the gold content.

Prehistoric Beast 1/10 oz Gold Coin Specifications

The Broader Prehistoric Beast Programme

The core CIT Prehistoric Beast series is produced in 3 oz silver format at 65 mm diameter, with confirmed releases including the Velociraptor (2018, mintage 999), Protoceratops (2019, mintage 999), and Plesiosaur (2020, mintage 499). These silver pieces carry a face value of 2,000 Mongolian Togrog. The gold fractional extends the prehistoric theme into a more accessible format and weight class.

The 65 mm diameter of the silver coins provides a substantially larger canvas than standard bullion coins (typically 38 to 40 mm), allowing the ultra-high-relief striking to create dramatic sculptural effects. The gold 1/10 oz format necessarily works at a smaller scale, but retains the detailed portraiture that characterises the series.

Tax Treatment for Prehistoric Beast Gold Coins

The tax position depends on the specific issue's characteristics and issuing jurisdiction.

• UK: Gold of 999.9 fineness qualifies for the investment gold VAT exemption (0% VAT). Not CGT-exempt, as these are not UK legal tender. Mongolian Togrog denomination provides no UK tax benefit. Capital gains are taxable at the individual's rate above the annual allowance (currently £3,000).
• USA: The 999.9 purity meets the IRS threshold for IRA eligibility, though custodian acceptance of specialty coins should be confirmed. State sales tax rules vary; approximately 35 states exempt precious metals.
• Canada: Gold coins exceeding 99.5% purity are GST/HST exempt. Canadian-issued versions (such as the RCM Prehistoric Animals programme) benefit from both the purity exemption and domestic legal tender status.
• EU: Qualifying gold coins (legal tender, post-1800, purity above 900 fine) are VAT-exempt under the Investment Gold Directive.
• Australia: GST-free as investment-grade gold if purity exceeds 99.5%.
• Singapore: Qualifying gold coins are GST-exempt under the Investment Precious Metals scheme.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax of any kind.

The collector premium on these coins means they trade well above gold melt value. From a tax perspective, the full sale price (not just the gold content) is subject to capital gains calculations in jurisdictions where CGT applies. Buyers treating these as collectibles rather than bullion investments should factor this into their cost basis.

Prehistoric Beast vs Standard 1/10 oz Gold Coins

The Prehistoric Beast gold coin occupies a fundamentally different market position from mainstream fractional gold coins. The comparison is less about which is "better" and more about understanding what each product is designed for.

Standard 1/10 oz gold coins, such as the 1/10 oz Britannia, 1/10 oz Maple Leaf, or 1/10 oz American Eagle, are optimised for investment: low premiums over spot, high liquidity, broad dealer networks, and straightforward tax treatment. These coins are fungible, with each year's production being essentially interchangeable for investment purposes. Their value is determined almost entirely by their gold content.

The Prehistoric Beast operates in the collector-bullion crossover space. Its value is determined by gold content plus numismatic factors: the rarity of the design, the quality of the Smartminting relief work, the specific prehistoric animal depicted, and the limited mintage. This means the coin can appreciate beyond gold price movements if collector demand grows, but it also means the bid-ask spread is wider and the buyer pool is narrower when selling.

For buyers interested in prehistoric-themed gold specifically, the Royal Canadian Mint has produced its own dinosaur and prehistoric animal coins under various programmes, including the Prehistoric Animals series. These RCM issues benefit from the Canadian mint's global distribution network and well-established authentication systems, though they may not achieve the same ultra-high-relief effects as CIT's Smartminting technology.

The 1/10 oz weight class for collector coins is less common than for standard bullion. Most collector programmes focus on 1 oz or larger formats where the design details are more visible. The fractional size here provides a lower-cost entry point into the Prehistoric Beast programme, but buyers should confirm they are paying for the collectible value and not simply overpaying for 3.11 grams of gold.