Italy · 35 years Erasmus Programme

Issue date1 Jul 2022

Total mintage3,000,000

EU maximum3,000,000

Editions4

Edge lettering2 ★ × 6, alternately upright/inverted

Inscription1987-2022 / ERASMUS / PROGRAMME / K / IR

DesignerJoaquin Jimenez

mintInstituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato, Roma

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin honours the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus programme. The design combines a well-known depiction of Erasmus with a beam of connections symbolising the intellectual and human exchange between European students. Some of these connections form stars, from which the anniversary number 35 emerges.

The design

The coin design depicts a combination of two main elements of the Erasmus programme: its original intellectual inspiration, Erasmus himself, and the allegory of his influence on Europe.

The former is symbolised by one of the best-known depictions of Erasmus.

The latter by a ray of connections extending from one beacon to another across the coin, representing the diverse intellectual and human exchange between European students.

In reference to Europe, some of these connections form stars emerging from the synergies between the countries.

The anniversary number 35 emerges from the stars in a contemporary graphic style.

The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring of the coin.

Background on the topic

Desiderius Erasmus von Rotterdam was a Dutch scholar, theologian and representative of Renaissance humanism. He lived at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries and spent time, among other places, in Paris, England, Italy, Basel and the Netherlands. He wrote his works predominantly in Latin, the common language of European scholars at the time. Through travels, periods of study and extensive correspondence, he was connected to an international network. His best-known works include the satire “The Praise of Folly” and a Greek-Latin edition of the New Testament. His name therefore stands for an exchange of knowledge that transcends political and linguistic borders.

The Erasmus programme named after him was established in 1987 by the European Community of the time. The designation is also an acronym for “European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students”. The programme was intended to enable students to complete part of their studies at a higher education institution in another European country. Financial grants, agreements between higher education institutions and the recognition of completed coursework were intended to reduce practical obstacles to studying abroad.

The European Credit Transfer System, or ECTS for short, also emerged from this context. It facilitates the comparability and transfer of academic achievements between higher education institutions. Over time, support was extended to additional groups and areas of education. Since 2014, the corresponding EU programmes for general and vocational education, youth and sport have been brought together under the name Erasmus+. In addition to higher education stays, these include school partnerships, vocational training, youth exchanges and the mobility of teachers.

The joint coin issue thus refers to an area of European cooperation that directly affects the education and everyday lives of many people. At the same time, the name is consistent with Erasmus’ own way of life as a travelling scholar. The fact that several euro-area countries used the same basic design underscores the cross-border character of the programme. The design was also selected following a competition in a public EU-wide online vote.