Front: “Memento Vivere · Carpe Diem · Memento Mori · Tempus Fugit” (remember to live, seize the day, remember you will die, time flies)
Back: “Enjoy life today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised.”
At a glance
- Theme: living now: saying yes to the day in front of you
- Good for: a new chapter, travel, retirement, people who keep waiting for later
- Gift for: best friends, graduates, retirees, anyone who needs a push to enjoy life
- 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
Carpe diem comes from the Roman poet Horace: seize the day, and trust as little as possible in tomorrow. This coin pairs it with three companions. Memento vivere, remember to live. Tempus fugit, time flies. Memento mori, remember you will die.
Where our other memento mori coins look at death, this one looks at life. Same truth, other side: time is short, so enjoy it.
The design
A winged hourglass stands at the center of the front with Carpe Diem across it and the other three phrases around the rim. The back sets the quote inside a ring of Roman numerals, like the face of an old clock.
On good days and hard days
- On good days, it reminds you to say yes and enjoy today, because time flies.
- On hard days, when you keep putting life off until later, it reminds you that tomorrow is never promised. Seize the day, remember to live.
Carry it
Keep it in your pocket for the moments when you are about to say “maybe next time.” One customer uses theirs as a golf ball marker, which is as good a reminder as any to enjoy the round.
Give it
This is the coin people buy in threes and fours. Customers have ordered them for their best friends to mark a shared bond, and one keeps a spare in a pocket to give away when the right moment comes. It also suits a graduate, a newly retired parent or a friend about to travel.
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
What does memento vivere mean?
“Remember to live.” It is the bright counterpart of memento mori.
Is carpe diem from Horace?
Yes. It comes from Horace's Odes, written around 23 BC, where he urges the reader to seize the day and trust little in tomorrow.
What is a meaningful gift for a group of best friends?
Matching coins are a popular choice. Carpe Diem is one of our most gifted coins for friends, with a message everyone can share.
Other coins on the same theme
- Memento Mori Coin: the classic Stoic reminder, your time is limited
- Life Spiral Coin: for the hard worker who needs reminding that nothing comes along at the end
- Fleeting Time Coin: “What you are I once was,” for milestone birthdays
- Vita Brevis Coin: “You are dust,” memento mori with a faith angle
- Omnia Vanitas Coin: for ego and humility
- Memento Mori Coin, 1 oz .999 Silver: the heirloom version
For keys: Carpe Diem 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.