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10 Tala Charles Darwin; Galapagos Iguana
| Issuer | Samoa |
|---|---|
| Year | 2009 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A large Galapagos iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) rendered in high relief with selective gold plating dominates the central field, depicted in profile walking across volcanic rock terrain. Fine detail is evident in the dorsal spines, scaled body, and long curving tail of the reptile. The legend 200TH BIRTHDAY OF CHARLES DARWIN arcs along the upper and right periphery, accompanied by a beaded inner border. The species name 'The Galapagos Iguana' appears in small lettering within the field above the animal, and the date 2009 is inscribed in the lower exergue. |
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| Additional information |
Samoa's commemorative program has long served Pacific island mints as straightforward licensing revenue, and this piece is squarely in that tradition. Darwin's 1835 Galápagos visit aboard HMS Beagle lasted just five weeks, yet the observations recorded there — particularly of the marine iguanas, which he initially described as "disgusting clumsy lizards" — proved foundational to the arguments he would spend the next two decades refining before publishing in 1859.
The partial gold plating was introduced by issuing houses around this period as a premium differentiator, timed to the Darwin bicentennial year.