2009 Charles Darwin £2 BU

Description

Charles Darwin was born on 12th February 1809 and is best known for his work regarding evolution. He determined that all species had descended from a few common ancestors through the process of natural selection, explaining the similarities that can be seen in the natural world. Darwin published his theory of evolution in 1859 and it was soon accepted as fact.

This two-pound coin marks 200 years since Darwin’s birth and shows him looking into the face of a chimpanzee – one of the closest genetic relatives to humans, and an important part of the evolution model. This reverse design was created by Suzie Zamit and is used with the obverse by Ian Rank-Broadley. The edge inscription states “ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 1859” – the name of the book Darwin published his theory in.