Greece

2013

Commemorative coin

2400th Anniversary of the founding of Plato’s Academy

Official Journal of the European Union

Portrait of Plato (in profile). On the left: the words ‘2 400 years since the founding of Plato’s Academy’ and ‘Hellenic Republic’ in ancient Greek lettering. On the right: ‘2013’ and the monogram of the Greek Mint. In exergue, ‘ΣΤΑΜ’ (monogram of the author G. Stamatopoulos). The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

The School of Philosophy founded by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (~428-348 B.C.) in the grove of the Attic hero Akademos in northwest Athens, called the Akademeia, existed for almost a millennium until Justinian I prohibited teaching in 529. Their teachings were passed on to medieval Europe via the Arab world. The coin depicts the head of Plato's bronze statue of Silanion, which is preserved in Roman copies and was placed in the Academy after his death.

Edge lettering

Designer