Celebrating one of the most famous creatures of the ice age, the Royal Canadian Mint has unveiled the first coin in its Prehistoric Animal series: the 2014 1/10 oz $5 Gold Woolly Mammoth.

Composed of 1/10 troy ounce of .9999 pure gold, each coin weighs 3.14 grams and has a diameter of 16mm.

Designed by artist Michael Skrepnik, the reverse depicts the side-profile of a giant woolly mammoth, its short fur — molted for the warm season — has been struck in a soft matte finish. The animal’s features were authenticated by the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. The coin is inscribed with CANADA, 9999, FINE GOLD 1/10 OZ OR PUR.

The obverse features Susanna Blunt’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth. It is inscribed with the words ELIZABETH II and 5 DOLLARS 2014.

Released in a limited mintage of 3,000 coins, the 2014 1/10 oz Gold Woolly Mammoth comes in a maroon clamshell with custom beauty box. Get yours from Provident Metals while supplies last.

The Woolly Mammoth

Extinct for roughly 10,000 years, the woolly mammoth once roamed the frigid flatlands of Canada. Related to modern-day Asian elephants, the mammal was the size of an African elephant: it weighed more than six tons and grew to be anywhere from nine to 11 feet tall.

Protected by a thick undercoat and a long, shaggy outer layer of fur, the woolly mammoth was well adapted to frigid temperatures. The gigantic creature lived alongside early humans, who hunted them for meat and ivory. The animals died out due to temperature changes, loss of habitat and over-hunting by humans.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology

A world-renowned center of palaeontological research, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is home to more than 130,000 fossils. A popular Canadian tourist attraction, the museum is located in Alberta, where it is run by the province’s Ministry of Culture. It is nestled in the Late Cretaceous Horseshoe Canyon Formation and the museum maintains countless ancient specimens.