Canada rolls out new dinosaur quarter... and it glows in the (Jurassic) dark!


Fumbling around for change in the dark has never been easier as Canada has unveiled a new quarter that glows when the lights are out.

In a currency first, the Royal Canadian Mint will release a 25-cent piece next week featuring an image of a dinosaur whose skeleton is illuminated in the shroud of darkness.

The new coin is also a big moment for the pachyrhinosaurus lakustai, the first prehistoric animal ever to be featured on money.

Big change: The new Canadian quarter is the first  coin to feature the image of a dinosaur

Big change: The new Canadian quarter is the first coin to feature the image of a dinosaur

Mad money: In a fascinating twist, the dinosaur's skeleton glows brightly when it's dark

Mad money: In a fascinating twist, the dinosaur's skeleton glows brightly when it's dark

On the flipside of the coin is Queen Elizabeth II, but her image will not glow in the dark.

The lakustai is one of three species in the genus pachyrhinosaurus , the fossils of which were discovered in the 70s by Canadian science teacher Al Lakusta.

CNet.com reported that only 25,000 of the new quarters will be made, and - despite being worth 25 cents – will be priced at $29.95 ($30.07 in US dollars).

Flipside: The coin also features the image of Queen Elizabeth II, but she doesn't glow in the dark

Flipside: The coin also features the image of Queen Elizabeth II, but she doesn't glow in the dark

The Royal Canadian Mint also has $50 and $100 bills that are made of plastic, in a currency upgrade first announced last year.

The agency also sent a shock to the change purse several weeks ago when it announced that it was cutting off production of the penny.

The demise of the currency is part of budget reductions after businesses complained that penny was a problem for them.

Jim Flaherty, Canada's finance minister, said getting rid of the 1-cent piece will be a relief to all kinds of businesses big and small.

'It's a nuisance for small business,' he said at a news conference last month.

He added: 'The penny is a currency without any currency in Canada, and it costs us 1.5 cents to produce a penny'.

Supplies are limited: Only 25,000 of the new quarters will be made, and - despite being worth 25 cents ¿ will be priced at $29.95.

Supplies are limited: Only 25,000 of the new quarters will be made, and - despite being worth 25 cents ¿ will be priced at $29.95.