“Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero”. The full version of the famous latin phrase means”seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future.” Of course, there are multiple translations, but the general gist is encapsulated perfectly as one suggesting what you CAN do now is better than what you MAY be able to do tomorrow. On the surface it’s an unusual subject for a coin, but nobody ever accused the Art Mint of picking boring and/or mainstream subjects for its coins.

The realisation of phrase to coin is a clever one and as you would expect from this Parisian producer, also done to an extremely high standard. The traditional Western representation of Death as a hooded skeleton with a scythe is pictured, holding an actual working hourglass. There’s a perfect sense of depth to the design and it looks like Death is actually reaching out of the coin face and looking directly at you. The antique finish is a fine choice and the high-relief strike is clearly packed with detail. The text inscribed around the reverse face is beautifully atmospheric and caps off a mature, quality design perfectly.

The hourglass is no cheap and nasty piece of plastic either. A fully functional item that exhibits excellent detailing, it fits in with the rest of the coin and for us at least, is a rare example of something as bulky as this actually looking good on a coin. The obverse carries the usual Niue-issue required effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, but this face has also seen some customising from a basic look, with the presence of a border and plenty of texturing.

Packaging is similar to the Chess coin we looked at a couple of days ago – itself quite similar to those used by the Mint of Poland on their very high end items, so no complaints on that front. Of course, a certificate of authenticity is enclosed, and the coin also carries a serial number (of 500) on its edge. The coin should be available around the end of this month, although more likely later in January, and a couple of our sponsors have them up for pre-order now.