Sir Perceval, also known as Percival of Wales, is one of the most significant knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. Son of King Pellinore in many traditions, he was raised in seclusion by his mother, who sought to protect him from the dangers of knighthood after the death of his father. Sheltered from the world, Perceval grows up innocent and uncorrupted, unaware of his noble origins.
Upon discovering the existence of knights, he leaves his home and travels to Camelot, where his natural courage and purity of spirit quickly set him apart. Though inexperienced at first, his sincerity and determination guide his path, making him one of the central figures in the quest for the Holy Grail.
Unlike other knights, Perceval’s journey is marked by spiritual growth rather than martial glory. His initial failure to ask the sacred question of the Grail becomes a turning point, leading him on a path of repentance, self-discovery, and enlightenment. Through humility and inner transformation, he comes closer than most to understanding the divine mystery of the Grail.
Sir Perceval represents innocence, faith, and moral awakening, embodying the spiritual ideal of knighthood within the Arthurian tradition.
The reverse side of the coin depicts one of the main legends surrounding this knight, Sir Perceval, showing him facing a shocking scene during his quest for the Holy Grail. Upon reaching a clearing in the forest, he sees a lion and a serpent locked in a fierce fight to the death. Without hesitation, Perceval, guided by his sense of honour and justice, decides to help the lion and kills the snake with his spear. The lion, freed from its mortal enemy, retreats into the forest without showing any aggression towards the knight. That night, Perceval has a strange and revealing dream. In his vision, a young woman of noble and pure appearance approaches the lion and gently caresses it, symbolising virtue and the Christian spirit. Then he sees an old woman with a dark and menacing appearance, bent over the snake’s corpse, bitterly lamenting its death. Upon awakening, Perceval realises that he has made a symbolic decision, favouring the forces of good and justice over those of evil and corruption, further strengthening his path to the Grail.
The obverse of the coin features the twelve coats of arms and the names of twelve houses of Camelot, Arthur Pendragon, King of Britannia, and the eleven most representative and famous knights of the Arthurian legends.
