A method of preparing an ester of (meth)acrylic acid by transesterification with an alcohol, comprising, reacting a (meth)acrylic acid ester formed from an alcohol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms with a transesterifying alcohol, which is not a polybasic alcohol and which is different from the alcohol portion of said (meth)acrylic acid ester, in the presence of a catalyst system comprised of compounds A+B, wherein compound A is Li.sub.n Y, wherein Y is a halide, chlorate, carbonate, carboxylate of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxide of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydroxide or oxide, and n is 1 or 2, depending on the valence of Y; and compound B is CaX.sub.q, wherein X is oxide or chloride and q is 1 or 2, depending on the valence of X, with the provision that at least one of the two anionic components Y and X is oxygen-containing.