Numismatics

35th anniversary of the Erasmus programme

The finance ministers of the euro area took the decision to mark the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus programme in 2022 by issuing a joint commemorative coin of euro area Member States. The programme was set up in June 1987, and offers opportunities for cultural, social and academic exchange among European students. The programme supports education, training, young people and sports in Europe.

It took its name from the Dutch Renaissance humanist, writer, philologist, philosopher and theologian Desiderius Erasmus, who was one of the principal personalities of European intellectual life in the Renaissance, and is regarded as one of the initiators of Renaissance humanism. Erasmus lived and worked in several parts of Europe, seeking the knowledge, experience and awareness that can only be provided by such contacts with other countries. The name of the ERASMUS programme can also be read as an acronym for EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students.

The image for the national side of the joint commemorative coin was selected by European Union citizens based on online voting, and is a combination of the two main elements of the Erasmus programme: the original intellectual inspiration, i.e. Erasmus himself, and allegories of his influence on Europe. The first element is symbolised by one of the best known depictions of Erasmus, and the second by a series of lines that run through the centre of the coin linking the stars, representing the numerous intellectual and human exchanges among European students. The modern graphics of the stars form the shape of the number 35, relating to the 35th anniversary of the programme.

Artwork designed by: Joaquin Jimenez, Monnaie de Paris

Minting: UAB Lietuvos Monetų Kalykla/ Lithuania

Commemorative coin Commemorative coin - proof
Nominal value: EUR 2
Issued: 997,500 coins
Nominal value: EUR 2
Issued: 2,500 coins
Issue date: 1. 7. 2022 Issue date 1. 7. 2022

The list of Banka Slovenije's numismatic products and their availability as well as their price can be found at the following web page.