Have You Found a Rare Darwin £2 Coin in Your Change?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tiny-tim
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers on the rarity and significance of the Darwin £2 coin, which has been in circulation since 2009. Participants express skepticism about the likelihood of similar coins featuring scientific figures being issued in the USA, citing the country's tradition of depicting political figures on currency. The conversation also touches on the aesthetic differences between UK and US currency, with users favoring the designs of British notes and coins over the more uniform American bills. Additionally, the discussion highlights the unique characteristics of polymer currency, particularly the Canadian $100 bill.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of UK currency and its historical significance, particularly the £2 coin.
  • Familiarity with US currency practices and the cultural implications of currency design.
  • Knowledge of polymer banknotes and their advantages over traditional paper currency.
  • Awareness of the role of scientists in numismatics across different countries.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the history and design of the Darwin £2 coin and its significance in UK numismatics.
  • Explore the differences between UK and US currency design, focusing on cultural and historical influences.
  • Learn about the features and benefits of polymer banknotes, particularly the Canadian $100 bill.
  • Investigate the representation of scientists on currency in various countries and its implications for public perception.
USEFUL FOR

Numismatists, currency collectors, historians, and anyone interested in the cultural significance of currency design and the representation of scientific figures in monetary systems.

tiny-tim
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Messages
25,837
Reaction score
258
i found this in my change, apparently they've been in circulation since 2009 …

coin2.jpg


any chance the usa would issue a coin like this? o:)

(btw, for pictures of all the uk £2 coins see http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/pics/dec2p.html)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I remember this coin, it was for the bicentenary I think. I do prefer having him on the back of things, would be odd if it was on a dollar right beneath "in god we trust" :-p

2v1kfpx.jpg
 
I don't think Darwin will be appearing on any US money in the foreseeable future.
 
zoobyshoe said:
I don't think Darwin will be appearing on any US money in the foreseeable future.

Not as long as US money is tied to religion I guess.
Interesting contrast with the UK.
 
I like Serena said:
Not as long as US money is tied to religion I guess.
Interesting contrast with the UK.
A lot of other countries put scientists on money:
http://www2.physics.umd.edu/~redish/Money/


Newton was master of the mint for a while and actually executed a counterfeiter. Therefore, it would be humorously ironic to counterfeit some of these:

Newton_on_the_One_Pound_note.jpg
 
I think i might keep my eye out for one of these
 
I would love to have one of those coins, but I can't afford it.
 
zoobyshoe said:
I don't think Darwin will be appearing on any US money in the foreseeable future.

I like Serena said:
Not as long as US money is tied to religion I guess.

Also we prefer to put US citizens on our money. :wink:
 
I like Serena said:
Not as long as US money is tied to religion I guess.
Interesting contrast with the UK.

A plethora of whackos flipped out when "In God We Trust" was printed on the outer edge of the recent dollar coins. By gum, Francis Scott Key said "let this be our motto..." Who are we to argue with a second-rate poet?

Well he was.
 
  • #10
Chi Meson said:
Francis Scott Key said "let this be our motto..." Who are we to argue with a second-rate poet?

Well he was.

And let's not forget that "the rockets' red glare" referred to those incoming from the Brits 2 miles down the river; you guys didn't have them. :biggrin:
 
  • #11
I must say there are some excellent designs on both notes and coins here in the UK. They are so much more interesting than the rather bland and generic designs used on Euros.
 
  • #12
TheMadMonk said:
I must say there are some excellent designs on both notes and coins here in the UK. They are so much more interesting than the rather bland and generic designs used on Euros.

I guess the designs on the Euro have been hampered a bit by the various national prides, making them a bit bland.

But you made me want to compare the different bills, so I looked up a few pictures.

dollar-bills-of-1-2-5-10-20-50-and-100-worth-ff4ff.jpg


Bills.jpg


euro_notes3.jpg


To be honest, seeing them like this, I like the euro best.
The euro bills look the most clean and with subtle colorings.
And here are the old bills that I was used to, but that are no more.

guldenheimwee.png


They are a bit more colorful with some original designs in them.
The bills 50, 100, and the ones after had been redesigned leaving the concept of putting people on the money.
 
Last edited:
  • #13
I like Serena said:
To be honest, seeing them like this, I like the euro best.
The euro bills look the most clean and with subtle colorings.
They don't look like money to me. They look like tickets for public transportation.
 
  • #14
zoobyshoe said:
They don't look like money to me. They look like tickets for public transportation.

Hmm, I do not associate them with tickets for public transportation...

So which money do you like best and why?
 
  • #15
I like Serena said:
Hmm, I do not associate them with tickets for public transportation...

So which money do you like best and why?
I have to say, completely chauvinistically, that I like the U.S. money best because it's the only money that looks like actual money to me. The other stuff doesn't look spendable.

You don't have to get upset by that, it's the natural result of never having to handle any of the other money, never even seeing it, except on the internet.
 
  • #16
I love the UK, and am not at all happy about the revolution. Lovely coin, imo.
 
  • #17
I have to say, completely chauvinistically, that I like the U.S. money best because it's the only money that looks like actual money to me. The other stuff doesn't look spendable.

You don't have to get upset by that, it's the natural result of never having to handle any of the other money, never even seeing it, except on the internet.
I kind of agree. American currency looks more official. It has a bunch of text and numbers on it that, I guess, gives me that impression.
Some foreign money is too colorful and looks counterfeit.

Speaking of foreign money, I'm hoping the Zimbabwe economy does a 180 and these bills come back to full value. I have two of them.

Zimbabwe-100-trillion.jpg
 
  • #18
I like Serena said:
I guess the designs on the Euro have been hampered a bit by the various national prides, making them a bit bland.

But you made me want to compare the different bills, so I looked up a few pictures.

The British ten and twenty don't look like those any more, and you forgot the legendary fifty.

The thing I couldn't get used to in the US is that all the notes look and feel the same. British bank notes have a different size and colour for each denomination which are a good aid for the partially sighted.
 
  • #19
leroyjenkens said:
I kind of agree. American currency looks more official. It has a bunch of text and numbers on it that, I guess, gives me that impression.
Some foreign money is too colorful and looks counterfeit.
It seems that way to me, too. I did visit London for a week once (1973) and had a sort of surreal reaction to the money, that England was a weird place where you could spend fake monopoly money as if it were real.
 
  • #20
Wait'll you get a load of the new Canuck $100 bill. It's made of an almost indestructible polymer. Parts of it are completely transparent, and it's loaded with holograms. No more tragic crying over having left your money in your pocket when the pants went through the washing machine.
Brewski, I don't know about English money. Here, all of our bills, including the plastic ones, have Braille printing for the visually impaired.
 
  • #21
That's weird, I posted a picture of the 100,000,000,000,000 dollar Zimbabwe dollar bill, but now it's gone.
 
  • #22
leroyjenkens said:
That's weird, I posted a picture of the 100,000,000,000,000 dollar Zimbabwe dollar bill, but now it's gone.

It probably wouldn't fit on the screen.
 
  • #23
Danger said:
It probably wouldn't fit on the screen.

I saw it right after I posted it and it looked fine. But today it's gone. My post was also on the first page yesterday, so maybe something weird happened after it was put on the second page for whatever reason. Oh well.
 
  • #24
zoobyshoe said:
They don't look like money to me. They look like tickets for public transportation.
I agree. Whenever I travel to Europe I always have a feeling like I am ripping off the store keepers by exchanging Monopoly money for real items. It is a visceral feeling that I know in my head is incorrect, but I can't help feeling it.

Of course, for the past several years I just use credit cards for everything, which for some reason never feels like play money to me.
 
  • #25
leroyjenkens said:
I saw it right after I posted it and it looked fine.

Oops. I thought that you were just making a joke, because the existence of such a thing seems so ludicrous. My response was based upon thinking that the thing would have to be a couple of feet wide to accommodate all of the zeros.

I found another picture for you, though:

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/zimbabwe100trillion2009.jpg/][PLAIN]http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/2721/zimbabwe100trillion2009.jpg[/URL]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/PLAIN]
 
  • #26
on the topic of scientists on money:

nz100.jpg
 
  • #27
ThomasT said:
I love the UK, and am not at all happy about the revolution. Lovely coin, imo.
Revolution? :confused:
 
  • #28
Ryan_m_b said:
Revolution? :confused:

1688 and all that, when England was ruled by an orange. (Other citrus fruits are available).

Or maybe he thinks Oliver Cromwell should still be president?
 
  • #29
Danger said:
Wait'll you get a load of the new Canuck $100 bill. It's made of an almost indestructible polymer. Parts of it are completely transparent, and it's loaded with holograms. No more tragic crying over having left your money in your pocket when the pants went through the washing machine.
Brewski, I don't know about English money. Here, all of our bills, including the plastic ones, have Braille printing for the visually impaired.

yea their pretty cool, I agree about the washing machine. But what about the dryer? :smile:
Don't leave your wallet on the dash in the summer time! Time to google the melting point of these new bills...(-60 to 100 in celsius as per BoC)

Some say the new polymer $100's smell like maple.

I can't see these ever being counterfeited.
 
  • #30
nitsuj said:
Some say the new polymer $100's smell like maple.

I can't see these ever being counterfeited.

Simply soak your fakes in maple syrup for a while. :-p

Another scientist on money:

germany_2_mark_planck_1957.jpg


I have one of these somewhere at home, from my first visit to Germany in the 1970s.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Replies
8
Views
2K
Replies
12
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
5K
  • · Replies 34 ·
2
Replies
34
Views
8K
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
5K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
17K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
7K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K