2 Euros (Erasmus Programme)

The 2022 Erasmus Programme commemorative coin was issued across all Eurozone countries to mark the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus student exchange program. The European Commission launched this initiative to allow citizens to celebrate the program's enduring legacy of fostering cross-border education and cultural unity within Europe. Austria, like its fellow member states, adopted a common design to symbolize the shared values and connectivity promoted by the Erasmus movement.

The design was selected through a pan-European public vote, with the winning entry created by Joaquin Jimenez, a renowned medalist at the Monnaie de Paris. His concept blends the iconic portrait of philosopher Desiderius Erasmus with a series of interconnected lines that form a complex web across the coin's face, representing the thousands of student exchanges that have taken place since 1987. The design was widely praised for its minimalist aesthetic and its ability to visually translate the abstract notion of a European intellectual network.