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Proudly minted in the USA

Carpe Diem Coin

170 reviews
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Finish: Antique Silver
1

A second coin is just $20 more + FREE US shipping.

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One for you, one for someone who matters.

Delivery

Ships in 1 to 2 business days.

Sending it as a gift?

What you get

Ready to keep.
Ready to give.

Every coin arrives in its own retail blister, protected and ready to collect or give.

  • Individually packaged coin
  • FREE sticker(s) with every order
  • FREE velvet bag for 1 to 5 coins
Carpe Diem Coin in its retail blister, with free stickers per order and a green velvet bag
Read the coin

Eight details. One day at a time.

The front holds a whole life in one hourglass. The back turns it into a clock you can carry.

Carpe Diem coin detail: winged hourglass with Carpe Diem across the middle, Antique Bronze
Front

The winged hourglass

Time with wings. It does not walk, it flies, and the sand never stops for anyone.

Carpe Diem coin detail: young human profile in the upper glass under the word Tempus
Front

The living face

In the upper glass, a young profile: the life still waiting to be poured. TEMPUS above it.

Carpe Diem coin detail: grains of sand falling through the neck of the hourglass
Front

The falling grains

Between CARPE and DIEM, three grains drop through the neck. This moment, and this one, and this one.

Carpe Diem coin detail: skull in profile in the lower glass above the word Fugit
Front

The skull

In the lower glass, the same profile as bone. FUGIT below it. Every grain lands here in the end.

Carpe Diem coin detail: sun on the left edge and crescent moon on the right edge
Front

Sun and moon

Day on one side, night on the other. The rhythm that measures every life, including yours.

Carpe Diem coin detail: Memento Mori lettering around the lower edge
Front

Three reminders

Around the edge: Memento Vivere, remember to live. Memento Mori, remember you will die. Tempus Fugit, time flies, in the middle.

Carpe Diem coin back detail: Roman numeral clock ring with XII at the top
Back

The Roman clock

Twelve Roman numerals ring the back. The same hours that ran in Horace’s Rome run in your day.

Carpe Diem coin back: Enjoy life today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised
Back

The words

“Enjoy life today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised.”

Your day, right now

This is how much of today you have left.

00h00min00s

left of today, where you are.

Most of it is still ahead. What would make today worth remembering?

Measured from your own clock, to midnight. The sand moves while you read.

Carpe means pluck

Pick a few moments before the day lets them fall.

Horace chose carpe, the word for picking ripe fruit. A day is not seized all at once. It is picked one moment at a time. Tap the ones you will live today.

0 of 8 moments picked today
Where the words come from

Eight lines, written in Rome in 23 BC.

Horace, Odes 1.11. A winter sea, a glass of wine, a friend asking the stars how long she has left. His answer has travelled two thousand years.

Read the poemClose the poem
  1. Tu ne quaesieris, scire nefas, quem mihi, quem tibiDo not ask, it is not ours to know, what end the gods have given
  2. finem di dederint, Leuconoe, nec Babyloniosto me, to you, Leuconoe. And do not consult the Babylonian
  3. temptaris numeros. Ut melius, quidquid erit, pati,charts of the stars. How much better to bear whatever comes,
  4. seu pluris hiemes seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam,whether Jupiter gives us more winters, or this one is the last,
  5. quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus marethe winter now wearing the Tyrrhenian sea
  6. Tyrrhenum: sapias, vina liques, et spatio breviagainst the rocks. Be wise, pour the wine, and since our span is short,
  7. spem longam reseces. Dum loquimur, fugerit invidacut back long hopes. Even as we speak, envious time
  8. aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.has slipped away. Pluck the day, and trust tomorrow as little as you can.

The same promise is on the back of your coin: yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised.

The meaning · Carpe Diem

Life is not waiting for later.

We fill our lives with plans for later: when there is more time, more money, a better moment. Meanwhile today happens quietly, in a conversation, a shared meal, a walk, something learned. Carpe diem is an invitation to be present in the life you already have.

Memento vivereRemember to live.
Tempus fugitTime flies.
Memento moriRemember you will die.

The three phrases around the hourglass work as one sentence. Time is moving. It will not move forever. So live, and do it now.

Read today

Prepare for tomorrow. Live today.

Carpe diem is not a call to recklessness. Horace asks for wisdom, not excess: plan if you must, but do not postpone your life inside the plan. Seneca said it in four words: dum differtur, vita transcurrit, while we postpone, life runs past.

Seizing the day rarely needs anything extraordinary. Really listening. Saying something kind. Beginning what matters. Sitting a little longer at the table.

Remember to live. Today is already part of your life.

Read more

The coin gathers the whole idea into a winged hourglass. A living profile fills the upper glass, a skull rests in the lower one, and the grains fall between the words Carpe and Diem. The wings say time flies; the sun and moon mark the days it flies through.

Kept in a pocket, it becomes a small moment of waking up from routine. When the day starts to blur, touch it and ask one question: what would make today worth having lived?

Seize the day. It is the only one you are holding.

Carpe Diem coin real size, 1.54 inches (39 mm), next to a US quarter, in bronze, copper and silver finishes

One day, 1.54 inches across.

Die-struck in the USA, then chemically aged so every grain of sand, every feather and every numeral stands out. Heavy enough that you notice it in your pocket, which is the point.

1.54″39 mm, about a silver dollar
1 ozHeavyweight coin
10 gauge2.7 mm thick
Die-struckMinted in the USA

Antique Bronze and Antique Silver: brass alloy. Antique Copper: solid copper. No two coins are identical; coloring and patina may vary slightly.

Three finishes

Choose your finish.

Carpe Diem coin back in Antique Bronze, Roman numeral clock and Enjoy life today

Antique Bronze

Warm gold highlights, like late afternoon light. The most popular finish.

Carpe Diem coin back in Antique Silver, Roman numeral clock and Enjoy life today

Antique Silver

Cool and bright, like moonlight. Silver finish on brass alloy.

Carpe Diem coin back in Antique Copper, Roman numeral clock and Enjoy life today

Antique Copper

Solid copper with a deep patina that keeps changing with time.

Complete the set

Carry it. Display it. Give it.

With any coin in your cart, every accessory is $5 less and orders over $49 ship free in the US.

Carpe Diem key tag in Antique Bronze with key ring, winged hourglass

Carpe Diem key tag

The hourglass on your keys. Ring included.

$58.00less with your coin
From our customers

170 reviews, and counting.

“Received my 3 coins today within 4 days. Exactly as advertised, excellent workmanship and heavy weight. Great value! I ordered these for my best friends to share our gratitude and bond.”
Bob W. · Carpe Diem Coin
“Beautiful coin, great addition to my collection.”
Anthony Iannantuono · Carpe Diem Coin
“The coins are great quality and very detailed.”
Dalton Wade · Carpe Diem Coin
Keep exploring

Other coins about time and living fully.

Memento Mori Coin front, half face half skull with Roman numeral dial, Antique Bronze, held in hand

Memento Mori

Remember you will die. So live.

 Fleeting Time Coin front, skull and hourglass, What you are I once was, Memento Mori, Antique Bronze

Fleeting Time

What you are, I once was.

 Life Spiral Coin front, Memento Mori with a spiral of human figures, Antique Bronze

Life Spiral

From the first breath to the last.

 This Too Shall Pass Coin front, Roman numeral clock with sun and moon, Nothing lasts forever, Antique Silver

This Too Shall Pass

Nothing lasts forever.

 Amor Fati Coin front, flaming heart bound in thorns, ringed by roses and two cherubs, Amor Fati, Antique Copper

Amor Fati

Love your fate.

 Smile Coin front, a smiling face, Use your smile to change the world, Antique Bronze

Smile

Use your smile to change the world.
All designs

See all coins

Mix any designs. Every coin is $5 less from two.
Good to know

A few answers.

What does Carpe Diem mean?

It is Latin for “seize the day,” more literally “pluck the day,” like ripe fruit. It comes from the Roman poet Horace, Odes 1.11, published in 23 BC. The full line is “carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero”: pluck the day, and trust tomorrow as little as you can.

What do Memento Vivere, Tempus Fugit and Memento Mori mean?

Memento vivere: remember to live. Tempus fugit: time flies. Memento mori: remember that you will die. Around the hourglass they read as one thought: time is moving, it will not move forever, so live now.

Is Carpe Diem a Stoic idea?

Horace was a poet, not a Stoic teacher, but the idea sits close to Stoic thinking. Seneca wrote to Lucilius: “dum differtur vita transcurrit,” while we postpone, life runs past. That is why the coin sits naturally next to Memento Mori.

What is on the back of the coin?

A ring of Roman numerals, like a clock face, around the words “Enjoy life today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised.”

Is it a good gift?

Yes. It suits a graduation, a retirement, a birthday, a new job or a friend who keeps saying “someday.” Tick “This is a gift” to add a free printed note.

What are the finishes made of?

Antique Bronze and Antique Silver are brass alloy; the silver finish is not solid silver. Antique Copper is solid copper. All three are die-struck in the USA and chemically aged.

How does free US shipping work?

US shipping is free on orders of $49 or more. A single coin ships for $4.99. Add any second item, a coin of any design or an accessory, and every item is $5 less.

When will my order arrive?

Orders ship in 1 to 2 business days. US delivery takes 3 to 5 business days after dispatch, international 14 to 21 days.

Can I buy the leather sleeve separately?

Yes, for $51.00. Bought together with a Carpe Diem Coin, it is $46.00.

What if I need to return it?

Email us at [email protected] within 30 days of delivery. Undamaged items are refunded for the amount you paid; shipping is not refunded. Items bought with a discount code are final sale. Full shipping and returns policy.

The full details
About this coin

Front: “Carpe Diem.” Back: “Enjoy life today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised.”

On the front, a winged hourglass holds a living profile in its upper glass and a skull in the lower one, with Tempus above and Fugit below, a sun on one side and a moon on the other, all ringed by Memento Vivere and Memento Mori. On the back, a ring of Roman numerals frames the words Enjoy life today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised.

On busy days, it reminds you to look up. On hard days, it reminds you that this day still counts.

How to use it

Carry it in your pocket. Each time your fingers find it, ask one question: what would make today worth having lived? Then do one small thing about the answer.

Who it’s for
  • Anyone who keeps saying “someday”
  • Graduates, new parents and anyone starting a new chapter
  • Retirees ready for the life they postponed
  • Travellers, creators and people who collect moments
  • Readers of Horace, Seneca and the Stoics
  • Meaningful gifts for a birthday, a graduation, a retirement or a friend who needs a nudge
Care instructions

Avoid water, chemicals, and prolonged direct sunlight. Store it in its sleeve or display it in a dry place. If needed, clean gently with a soft, dry cloth. No polishing required.

Sources

Horace, Odes 1.11 (published 23 BC): “carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.” Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 1.2: “dum differtur vita transcurrit.” English translation of the ode on this page by EDC Reminder Coins.

Original artwork and copyright

The artwork and design of this coin are original creations, fully protected by copyright and part of the exclusive EDC Reminder Coins collection. Any reproduction, imitation, or unauthorized use is prohibited.

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

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.