Prehistoric Animals: American Scimitar Sabre-Tooth Cat
The scimitar cat (Homotherium serum) is arguably one of the most awe-inspiring animals of theIce Age. Famous for its knife-like fangs, the scimitar cat's teeth were shorter than those of the better known sabre-tooth cat, Smilodon fatalis, but were equally lethal: its sabres were coarsely serrated, just like a steak knife, making them perfectly suited for slicing through the soft flesh of its prey.
This fierce feline was a master at pursuing prey, which consisted of ungulates including horses and camels. The scimitar cat would charge from behind a bush or tall grasses with blinding swiftness, bowl over its intended prey and slash the throat with its lethal canines. Then, once the uproar subsided, the cat dragged its latest meal to its den.
It was roughly the size of a lion, but with a lighter body that gave it more running flexibility than itsIce Age cousins, other sabre-tooth cats and the American lion. It had a short tail like a lynx, and long, powerful forelimbs but slightly shorter hind legs that gave it a hyena-like stance.
This fascinating cat ranged from Beringia, a prehistoric grassland region from Siberia to Alaska too dry for glaciers, all the way to southern North America by way of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Alberta. Having gone extinct sometime between 13,000 and 11,000 years ago, the scimitar cat's demise was likely linked to that of the large Ice Age herbivores.
Specifications
No.149166
Composition 99.99% pure silver
Finish proof
Weight (g) 31.39
Diameter (mm) 38
Edge serrated
Certificate serialized
Vace Value $20.00
Artist Julius Csotonyi (reverse), Susanna