In 2013, Greece issued its two commemorative 2-euro coins – the 100th anniversary of the union of Crete with Greece and the 2,400th anniversary of the founding of Plato’s Academy – only in a proof set; they were not issued separately in proof quality. The set therefore became an important item in every collector’s collection. Its mintage was 4,000 pieces, and in addition to the commemorative 2-euro coins it also provides a complete set of Greek proof coins from that year.
In 2013, Greece commemorated the 100th anniversary of the union of Crete with Greece, a key moment in strengthening the Greek nation. After centuries of Ottoman rule, Crete became part of the Kingdom of Greece in 1913, a historic step in the process of Greek independence. The year 2013 also marked the 2,400th anniversary of the founding of Plato’s Academy, the world’s oldest institution of higher learning, established by the philosopher Plato in ancient Athens and foundational to Western philosophical thought.
