Description : ERASMUS is a backronym for EuRopean Community Action
Scheme for the Mobility of University Students. The ERASMUS exchange programme is aimed at EU citizens who have
been studying at a university for at least one year and supports a three to twelve‐month stay abroad at a university
within the EU, or an internship. In addition, there are master's and doctoral programmes, programmes for young
entrepreneurs, for school education, vocational training and adult education. Internships as well as professional
development measures are financially supported and language courses abroad are also made possible for working people. The
backronym refers to the Dutch philosopher and theologian Erasmus of Rotterdam (∼1466‐1536), described as "the
crowning glory of the Christian humanists", depicted after a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger created in 1523. The
French coin designer Joaquin Jimenez, whose initials "J.J." appear next to Erasmus' pen, has designed as a
background a network of connecting lines between the twelve stars arranged in a circle and symbolising Europe, which is
intended to represent the manifold intellectual and human exchanges between European students. By relieving some partial
areas between the connecting lines, the numbers 3 and 5 emerge, referring to the 35th anniversary of the programme.
In a block of three to four lines of lettering arranged in a quarter circle at the bottom right, the commemorative period
is written as "1987-2022" (the last number also designating the year of issue) below the occasion of issue, followed by
the name of the issuing state, if this does not consist of an abbreviation placed in the centre of the motif.
National characteristics : The quarter circle at the bottom right has four lines; below the commemorative period, the
issue occasion "ERASMUS PROGRAMME" is written in two lines, below which is the issuing country "LËTZEBUERG"
(Luxembourg). At the top left is a latent image of the monogram of Grand Duke Henri, as Luxembourg law does not allow a
national coin to be issued without the effigy of the head of state (or at least not without his monogram). On the standard
coins, a staff of Hermes is depicted at the bottom on the left sleeve as the mint mark of the Royal Dutch mint
Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Houten. On coins in the proof production process a cornucopia is depicted at
the bottom on the left sleeve as the mint mark of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac on the left and the
designer's signet next to it on the right. The coin is one of those with a more textured background. |
