In 2022, the EU Monetary Union issued a special 2-euro coin to mark the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus programme, which became part of the official Austrian euro coin set 2022. The set includes eight coins with denominations from 1 cent to 2 euros, in BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) condition, all hand-minted, uncirculated and meeting the highest quality standards. The hand-selected coins make this set particularly valuable for collectors.
The Erasmus programme was founded in 1987 and has since become a symbol of educational and cultural exchange among European countries. It aims to expand opportunities for students, teachers, trainees and apprentices to study and work abroad. The programme promotes intercultural interaction and European cooperation. Erasmus of Rotterdam - the inspiration behind the program:
The coin is dedicated to Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, a prominent Renaissance humanist, philologist and pioneer of the Enlightenment. Erasmus was a cosmopolitan who travelled throughout Europe and wrote about the most important aspects of human culture and society. His most famous work, In Praise of Folly (1509), criticizes the social and religious shortcomings of his time and is still part of world literature.
The Erasmus program continues to follow Erasmus's vision by supporting international cooperation and cultural understanding.
