The geometric shapes around the portrait are not ornament but teaching materials: the 2020 coin shows Maria Montessori together with elements of her educational system.

Montessori was born on 31 August 1870 in Chiaravalle, in the Marche. She was one of the first women to attend medical school in Italy and graduated with honours from the University of Rome in 1896. On 6 January 1907 the first Casa dei Bambini opened in Rome’s San Lorenzo district, where her method took shape: observing children acting freely in an environment prepared for their needs. She died on 6 May 1952 in Noordwijk aan Zee in the Netherlands.

The method soon spread beyond Italy: by the 1910s Montessori schools had opened in Europe, the Americas and Asia, and she herself was honoured on Italian currency and on stamps of many countries.

The portrait in a geometric composition is by Luciana De Simoni (initials LDS); the coin also carries the inscription MARIA MONTESSORI, the years 1870 and 2020, the RI monogram and the R mint mark of Rome. It was released in June 2020 with an issuing volume of 3 million. In the same year Italy devoted another 2 euro coin to the 80th anniversary of the National Fire Corps.

UNC grade: the coin has not circulated, shows no wear and keeps its mint lustre, with the small didactic figures sharply defined. It complements a collection of Italian commemorative 2 euro coins and a set on great educators and women in history.

Would you like to complete the whole series? See the other issues in the VPcoins catalogue.