Here is a fantasy coin from the realm of King Arthur! It is 1bout 19mm in diameter, and weighs bout 2.3 grams of .900 fine silver.

While contemporary tales and films tend to place King Arthur in the 10th to 12th centuries, historians tell us that the real historic King Arthur lived much earlier... in the 5th to 6th centuries, just after the fall of the Roman Emprire. So... here is a coin as the real Arthur Pendragon himself might have issued it... in late Roman style with Latin inscriptions. The work is much better than most contemporary examples of the period... but then we presume that Arthur would have permitted only the finest available work to bear his name and image.

The portrait is modelled on those of the mid-third century Gallic Emperors, who were more rugged looking and shown wearing the radiate crown. Originally rays of light around a portraits head indicated deification. By the mid third century, the coin portraits clearly show the rays had become a metal head band with spikes, tied at the back with a ribbon, and worn rather casually toward the back of the head. It was probably the inspiration for medieval crowns. The drapery suggests the Roman military wool cloak worn on campaigns. The inscription is ARTORIUS DUX BELLORUM BRIT(anniae), meaning "Arthur, War Lord of Britain". Arthur was regarded as the last "Roman" leader in Britain at a time when rex, meaning king, was regarded as a barbarian title.