Front: “Your life is what your thoughts make it” · Marcus Aurelius, AD 121 to 180
Back: “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
At a glance
- Theme: control what you can, let go of the rest
- Good for: pressure, leadership, staying steady when things go wrong
- Gift for: readers of Meditations, a boss or mentor, a father, someone who loves Marcus Aurelius
- Finishes: Antique Silver (brass alloy), Antique Bronze (brass alloy), Antique Copper (solid copper)
- Size: 39 mm, about 1 oz, die struck in the USA
The meaning
Marcus Aurelius ruled Rome from 161 to 180 and wrote Meditations, private notes to himself, much of it while on military campaigns. The lines on this coin are popular wordings of two ideas from that book: your life takes the shape of your thoughts, and your mind is the one thing really in your control.
It is the most practical idea in Stoicism. You can't control traffic, markets or other people. You can control how you respond, and that is where your strength is.
The design
The front shows the emperor's face as if carved from an old marble bust, part of it broken away, with his name and dates beside the quote. The back sets the second quote inside a ring of radiating lines.
On good days and hard days
- On good days, it reminds you that your thoughts shaped the good things in your life, and can shape more.
- On hard days, when outside events feel out of control, it brings you back to the one thing you do control: your mind. Realize this, and you will find strength.
Carry it
Keep it in your pocket for the moments when something outside your control starts to take over your day. Customers carry the silver one themselves and give the bronze to friends.
Give it
It is our go to gift for anyone who loves Meditations. One customer gave it to their boyfriend, a Marcus Aurelius fan, and wrote that he loved it. It also suits a new manager or a father who leads by example.
Specs
- Diameter: 1.54 in (39 mm), about the size of a silver dollar
- Thickness: 2.7 mm
- Weight: about 1 oz (28 g)
- Material: brass alloy (Antique Silver, Antique Bronze) or solid copper (Antique Copper)
- Made: die struck, minted in the USA
- Each coin is antiqued with a special patina so it looks like it has already been in circulation. The patina never settles the same way twice, so no two coins look exactly alike. Small variations in color and shading are normal, and they are what make your coin one of a kind.
Questions
Did Marcus Aurelius say “you have power over your mind, not outside events”?
It is a popular modern wording of an idea that runs through Meditations: what disturbs us is our judgment, which is within our control.
What is a good gift for someone who loves Marcus Aurelius?
A coin with his words they can carry every day. This is one of our most popular Stoic gifts.
Which other Stoic coins are there?
Seneca for worry, Stoic Virtues for character, Memento Mori for time, and The Obstacle Path, which also quotes Marcus Aurelius.
For keys: Marcus Aurelius Key Tag.
Care: keep it dry and wipe it with a soft cloth. No polishing needed; the aged finish is part of the look.
Original design by EDC Reminder Coins, protected by copyright. We don't take custom orders.