Austria 2018 Alfred Adler 50 Euro Proof Gold Coin

Alfred Adler (1870-1937), advocate of the second Viennese school of psychotherapy and founder of individual psychology. His optimistic doctrine of man came to world fame: Adler dared the individual to take his life into his own hands. He saw it as a work of art and artist in one.

The Anti-Freud

Alfred Adler was born in 1870 as the son of a Jewish grain merchant in Rudolfsheim near Vienna, today part of the 15th district. After completing medical studies at the University of Vienna in 1895, he opened a doctor’s office near the Prater; frequently circus performers and artists counted among his less wealthy clientele. After he had a falling out with Sigmund Freud, he founded the second Viennese school of depth psychology (called since 1912 the Association for Individual Psychology). In 1934 Adler emigrated to the USA; In 1937 he died of a heart attack in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Alfred Adler conceived of man as an inseparable unity of body, soul and spirit; Thus he is considered a pioneer of psychosomatics. From 1902 he took part in the discussion rounds of the Wednesday evening society of Sigmund Freud, but soon deviated from Freud’s psychoanalytical doctrine by deeloping “individual psychology”. Adler’s image of man is characterized by the fact that he not only regards the individual as the prey of his own impulses, not only as a victim of his milieu, but also trusts him with a bit of freedom.

In the interwar period, his optimistic teaching became world famous. To this day, individual psychology is taught and practiced.

The Coin

The denomination side shows a portrait of the physician and founder of individual psychology, Alfred Adler.

The other side shows an example of a nuclear family, composed of child, mother and father, the community – a key concept in Adler’s individual psychology – in the center. The coin’s design gives this community the appearance of a tiny universe in which the characters encircle each other.

Designer(s):

Austrian Mint designer Helmut Andexlinger is one of the world’s leading coin designers. He has created a number of prize-winning coin designs (View Designer’s Profile).

Herbert Wähner is a designer and engraver at the Austrian Mint. Both men studied at the Fachschule für Metalldesign in Steyr, Austria.

Coin Specifications:

* * *

Keep up with all the latest coin releases from the world mints by clicking on CoinWeek’s World Coin Profiles Page.