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This 2 euro commemorative coin is legal tender throughout the eurozone, issued by the Банк Греції for the theme "100 Years of the Academy of Athens". The issue’s original title in the issuer’s language is "100 χρόνια από την ίδρυση της Ακαδημίας Αθηνών".
Obverse
The obverse (the national, commemorative side of the coin) depicts the historic main building of the Academy of Athens — part of the neoclassical "Athens Trilogy"; a Greek flag flies on the façade, flanked by the year "2026". Above is the inscription "100 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΙΔΡΥΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΚΑΔΗΜΙΑΣ", and below the name of the state "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ". The outer ring bears the twelve stars of the European Union flag.
Reverse
The reverse is common to all 2 euro commemorative coins: it shows the denomination "2 EURO" and a map of Europe against lines symbolizing the ties between the continent’s peoples. This side does not change from country to country, so it is the obverse that makes the coin recognizable.
Historical context
The Academy of Athens was founded in 1926 as Greece’s highest scholarly institution, heir to the idea of the ancient Platonic Academy. It unites the country’s leading scholars in the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Its main building is a landmark of neoclassicism, part of the famous "Athens Trilogy" together with the university and the national library. The coin marks the centenary of an institution that embodies the continuity of the Greek intellectual tradition from antiquity to the present.
A neat accent for any set and a pleasant keepsake.