Catalog
10 Dollars Holy Grail
| Issuer | Samoa |
|---|---|
| Year | 2025 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 155.5 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a richly ornamented three-dimensional chalice in the manner of a medieval reliquary grail, crafted entirely in gold (.999) plated silver (.999). The broad cup features elaborate repousse-style decoration incorporating beaded borders, foliate scrollwork, and applied boss ornaments at its upper register, with a row of stylized Gothic arch motifs encircling the lower bowl. The knop of the stem is decorated with green enamel panels, a central lapis lazuli cabochon, and an onyx gemstone inlay set within scrolled mounts. The flared foot rises in stepped tiers with vertical ribbing, while the interior of the cup is finished in a smooth, burnished gold-toned surface. The overall sculptural form evokes the iconography of the legendary Holy Grail. |
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| Edge | Segmented, plain (multi-section sculptural construction) |
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| Additional information |
The "Holy Grail" here is not metaphorical — this piece belongs to a category of high-relief collector issues produced specifically for the numismatic gift market, where the materials list does more selling than the coin's monetary function ever could. Samoa's liberal licensing of its sovereign coinage authority to foreign minting houses, primarily European, has made it one of the most prolific sources of novelty bullion-adjacent issues in the 2020s.
The lapis lazuli inlay sources from deposits mined almost exclusively in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, worked continuously for over 6,000 years.