King Arthur’s legendary blade, the sword Excalibur, launches MK’s new ‘Melee Weapons’ series of dimensional silver coins

We seem to be having a bit of a dimensional weapons day today, and after a Quicklook at Coins Today’s latest offering earlier today, here we’re with Mint of MK’s new addition. Just a few weeks ago, they debuted their new miniature RPG-7 rocket propelled grenade launcher coin, but this time, we’re on more familiar territory with a bladed weapon, the first in a new range.

Everybody knows the story of Excalibur, the enchanted blade drawn from the stone by King Arthur, as told in the medieval English folk tale, and while it has appeared on coins many times, I can’t seem to remember an actual Excalibur in miniature form. Mint of MK rarely disappoints, and it’s fair to say this one won’t either. The design is exquisitely detailed, with everything from the pommel to the blade richly decorated along its 220 mm length. It’s inscribed with the denomination on one side, for this is a coin issued for Cameroon.

The sword is offered in two different finishes, each in two different ways, and combined, they have a mintage of just 498 pieces. There’s an almost completely gilded variant, and, our favourite, one that’s antique-finished, with a UV enamel applied to the centre of the blade on each side that glows under UV light. Each variant can be purchased in an acrylic block with a box that has the COA on its slipcover. Alternatively, it can be had with a suitably appropriate ‘rock’, from which the blade can be pulled as easily as Arthur did so. We love the acrylic blocks, which make display so effortless, but the rock just seems so on point, we can fully understand why many would go that route. Available to order now..