British Royal Mint Issues 2009 UK Charles Darwin £2 Coins
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth on 12 February 1809 and the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection‘, the British Royal Mint has struck a series of limited edition proof and uncirculated collector £2 coins.
Charles Darwin is known throughout the world for his theory of evolution, which in the most recognized and simplistic description states that man descended from apes. It is this idea or theme that Suzie Zamit portrayed when she designed the reverse or tails side of the Darwin coin.
"My immediate idea was to depict Darwin looking back into the past so the starting point was to have him in full or 3/4 profile on one side and there were a variety of options for the other," Zamit explained on the Mint’s site. "I decided having Darwin and an ape was the simplest and most recognizable way of saying EVOLUTION."
The obverse or heads side of each legal tender coin features the current portrait of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS. The coin edge includes the inscription "ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 1859."
The Royal Mint has issued three coins struck in different alloys, with the following specifications and prices:
|
Alloy
|
Weight
|
Diameter
|
Mintage
|
Price
|
|
| BU Coin |
Bi-metal
|
12 gms
|
28.4 mm
|
25,000
|
£7.78
|
| Silver Proof Coin |
.925 Silver
|
12 gms
|
28.4 mm
|
5,000
|
£32.50
|
| Gold Proof Coin |
22 Carat Gold
|
15.95 gms
|
28.4 mm
|
1,000
|
£525.00
|
Orders may be placed from around the world through the Mint’s online store.
About the Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is a department of government and its primary responsibility remains the provision of the United Kingdom coinage. Its reputation, however, extends beyond this and internationally it has a reputation for making some fascinating coins for over 100 countries.
The history of the Royal Mint itself stretches back over 1100 years. There is an unbroken link from the scattered workshops of the moneyers of Anglo-Saxon London to a single mint within the Tower of London, from a purpose-built premises at Tower Hill to the huge modern coining plant in South Wales.
In April 1975 the Mint was established as a Government Trading Fund, operationally very similar to a government-owned company.
Subscribe to CoinNews | Get Coin News by Email
If you've enjoyed this article, please share it by clicking on the button below, and selecting a service so others can find it too. Many thanks.
Email this Article
Print this Article
Related News
May 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
The 2009 Darwin Brilliant Uncirculated Coin is packaged with an error it the text on card that carries the coin, referring to botanist J.S. Henslow as “JR Henslow”.