Front: “Dum Spiro Spero” (while I breathe, I hope)
Back: “Every breath is a new chance” · “Always keep hope”
At a glance
-
Theme: hope, when hope is all there is
-
Good for: illness, a hospital stay, a long recovery, waiting for news
-
Gift for: a friend in treatment, a caregiver, someone from South Carolina, anyone who needs a reason to keep going
-
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
Dum spiro spero is Latin for while I breathe, I hope. It echoes a line in Cicero's letters: for a sick man, as long as there is breath, there is said to be hope. Today it is one of the two mottos on the seal of South Carolina.
The hope on this coin is the stubborn kind, the kind that gets you through one more day, one breath at a time. The back says it plainly: every breath is a new chance, so always keep hope.
The design
The front shows a burning torch rising above two coiled serpents and crossed arrows, with a swallow on each side. Sailors used the swallow as a sign of a safe return home. The back is a blazing sun with a spiral at its heart and the words around the rim.
On good days and hard days
-
On good days, it is a reminder to be grateful for every breath and every new chance.
-
On hard days, when the news is slow and hope feels thin, it gives you words to hold on to: while I breathe, I hope. Every breath is a new chance.
Carry it
Keep it close on the days when the news is slow and the waiting is long. Hold it, read the back, and take the next breath. Customers often mention how good the weight feels in the hand.
Give it
Give it to someone in a hospital bed, in a long treatment, or waiting on news that won't come fast. It says what is hard to say out loud: keep breathing, keep hoping. It also suits caregivers, who need hope as much as anyone. One customer has bought them twice to give away and says they are always received well.
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 dum spiro spero mean?
“While I breathe, I hope.” As long as you are alive, there is reason to hope.
Where does dum spiro spero come from?
It is an old Latin saying that echoes a line in Cicero's letters, and it is one of the state mottos of South Carolina.
What can I give someone who is sick or recovering?
Something small they can hold when words don't help. This coin is made for that moment: every breath is a new chance.
Other coins you might like
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.
Orders ship within 1-2 business days.
Domestic delivery: 3-5 business days after dispatch.
International delivery: 6-18 business days after dispatch.
Need it faster? Select Priority Mail or UPS Expedited shipping at checkout to reduce delivery time.
