A piece of time to keep

Believed to have been invented in the eighth century, the hourglass used the flow of fine sand from one bulb to another in order to measure intervals of time with accuracy. As well as applications in religious and civic life, the hourglass was also useful to mariners. Despite being superseded by mechanical clocks, the hourglass remains relevant in modern culture symbolising the passage of time and the transience of all things.

Miniature hourglass insert

With an antique finish conveying the surface abrasions of an ancient artefact, the coin portrays an astrological design incorporating sinuous, organic lines characteristic of art nouveau. Comprising representations of the sun and moon with facial features, and phases of the moon, the artistry surrounds an hourglass insert filled with fine particles that mimic the flow of sand in an authentic device.