News from the underwater world: the mesmerizing eyes of a squid
The Lithuanian Mint is continuing its acquaintance with the unparalleled beauty of wild Africa and presents a new piece from the ‘Wild Africa’ series – a coin about the owner of exceptional eyes, the bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana).
The eye of a mysterious creature
The coin, titled ‘I am the biggest’, features the mesmerising eye of the bigfin reef squid. A special UV varnish technology was used to achieve its verisimilitude, and the eye is curved outward, as if a real squid was looking at you. The coin depicts the eye of Sepioteuthis lessoniana for a very special reason: this species of squids has a second transparent cornea, fully covering each large eye. As a result, the bigfin reef squid can both observe its prey and be aware of oncoming predators at the same time. Moreover, such impressive eyes help this creature navigate itself in the dark depths of the ocean – the bigfin reef squid can dive several hundred metres and more.
A huge creature with strange eyes
The squid looking at you from the reverse of the coin says ‘I am the biggest,’ and rightly so. Scientists calculate that this type of squids can grow so large that their tentacles may reach approx. 4 to 8 metres. Do not assume that this coin is the only opportunity to see such an animal. It has been noticed that they usually stick closer to the shore, so it is very possible to meet this mysterious squid with the strange eyes. This type of squids is mostly found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and has also recently been found in the Mediterranean, too.
Although the lifespan of the bigfin reef squid is usually short, approx. a year, these squids are interesting aquatic creatures, as they captivate scientists and researchers by exhibiting complex mating and spawning displays in the spring. These squids are also remarkable for their capability to change body colour upon hatching.
To convey the mystery and uniqueness of these squids, we have created an exclusively designed coin. It allows us to take a closer look at the mysterious eyes of the bigfin reef squid. The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
We invite you to order the new coin of the Lithuanian Mint ‘I am the biggest’ HERE.