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CC 461 2022
Coincard
BU
Coincard
Slovakia · 35 years of the Erasmus Programme
Mintage4,000
Issue price€8.50
Issue date1 Jul 2022
PackagingCoincard
Edge letteringSLOVENSKÁ REPUBLIKA + ★ + Linden leaf + ★
Market price€19.99
Issue occasion
The commemorative coin honours the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus programme. The design combines a well-known depiction of Erasmus as an intellectual role model with a network of connections symbolising the diverse exchange between European students. Some of the connections form stars, from which the anniversary number 35 emerges.
The design
The coin design features a combination of two main elements of the Erasmus Programme: the original intellectual inspiration, Erasmus himself, and an allegory of his influence on Europe.
The first is symbolized by one of the best-known depictions of Erasmus.
The second by a beam of connections that crosses the coin from one beacon to another, representing the diverse intellectual and human exchange between European students.
With regard 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 coin’s outer ring.
The first is symbolized by one of the best-known depictions of Erasmus.
The second by a beam of connections that crosses the coin from one beacon to another, representing the diverse intellectual and human exchange between European students.
With regard 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 coin’s outer ring.
Background on the topic
The Erasmus programme was established in 1987 by the then European Community. Its name is also an acronym for “European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students”. Originally, its main purpose was to facilitate periods of study at higher education institutions in another European country. This included financial grants, cooperation between higher education institutions and procedures for recognising academic achievements completed abroad. In this way, a semester abroad was not to result in an unnecessary extension of the period of study.
The namesake was Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Dutch humanist, theologian and philologist of the Renaissance. He lived from approximately 1466 to 1536 and stayed, among other places, in Paris, England, Italy, the Netherlands and Basel. Erasmus worked with scholars in various countries and maintained an extensive network of correspondence. One of his best-known writings is the satirical “The Praise of Folly”. He also published a Greek-Latin edition of the New Testament. His travels, his cross-border exchange and his vision of a scholarly world united through education made him a suitable namesake for a European mobility programme.
The programme emerged at a time when European integration was intended to become perceptible not only economically and institutionally, but also in the everyday lives of citizens. Periods of study abroad were intended to promote language skills, personal contacts and knowledge of other educational and living environments. Later, the approach was extended to other groups and areas of education. Since 2014, Erasmus+ has brought together programmes for general and vocational education, youth and sport; in addition to students, these include trainees, teachers and youth organisations.
The occasion was suitable for a joint coin issue because the programme is based on cooperation across national borders and is not associated with just one country. The identical-design issue by several euro-area countries transfers this communal character to a means of payment that is likewise used across borders.
The namesake was Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Dutch humanist, theologian and philologist of the Renaissance. He lived from approximately 1466 to 1536 and stayed, among other places, in Paris, England, Italy, the Netherlands and Basel. Erasmus worked with scholars in various countries and maintained an extensive network of correspondence. One of his best-known writings is the satirical “The Praise of Folly”. He also published a Greek-Latin edition of the New Testament. His travels, his cross-border exchange and his vision of a scholarly world united through education made him a suitable namesake for a European mobility programme.
The programme emerged at a time when European integration was intended to become perceptible not only economically and institutionally, but also in the everyday lives of citizens. Periods of study abroad were intended to promote language skills, personal contacts and knowledge of other educational and living environments. Later, the approach was extended to other groups and areas of education. Since 2014, Erasmus+ has brought together programmes for general and vocational education, youth and sport; in addition to students, these include trainees, teachers and youth organisations.
The occasion was suitable for a joint coin issue because the programme is based on cooperation across national borders and is not associated with just one country. The identical-design issue by several euro-area countries transfers this communal character to a means of payment that is likewise used across borders.