Eric Bloodaxe — son of Harald Fairhair, King of Norway, and the last Viking king of Northumbria — cuts one of the more dramatic figures in Norse history. His reign was brutal, his reputation fearsome, and his name has endured for over a thousand years. The Legendary Warriors series renders him here in a full-scene portrait that leans fully into that legacy, pairing the subject matter with the series’ consistently strong reverse design.
Key Features:
- Purity & Weight: 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver
- Metal: Silver
- Obverse Design: Eric Bloodaxe standing in battle stance, a large double-headed axe gripped in his right hand with a Celtic knotwork motif on the handle; a round wooden shield in his left hand bearing a central boss and decorative ring; horned helmet, fur-trimmed cloak with twin knotwork brooches, and a belted warrior’s kit; jagged coastal cliffs and fjord water in the background; inscribed “ERIC BLOODAXE”
- Reverse Design: A radial arrangement of historical weapons — axes, swords, a trident, pole arms, daggers, a flail, and a bow — fanning outward from a central floral medallion against a wood-grain background; inscribed “LEGENDARY WARRIORS” and “1 oz 999 FINE SILVER”
The obverse gives Eric Bloodaxe the full-frame treatment befitting his historical reputation. He stands squarely facing the viewer, massive double-headed axe raised in his right hand — the weapon that defined his name and legacy. The axe handle is decorated with a Celtic knotwork pattern, a detail that grounds the figure in the Norse-Celtic cultural crossroads he navigated as ruler of Northumbria. In his left arm he carries a round wooden shield with a central iron boss and a decorative circular ring, rendered with convincing wood-plank texture. He wears a horned helmet, its brow adding shadow to an already imposing face framed by a beard. A heavy fur cloak drapes across his shoulders, clasped at the chest by two large knotwork brooches on a rope-style necklace — the kind of adornment consistent with Viking-age chieftain dress. A broad leather belt cinches his mid-section over layered warrior’s garb. Behind him, the composition opens to a Scandinavian coastal scene — sheer rocky cliffs rising from dark water, the suggestion of a fjord stretching into the distance. The overall relief depth is substantial, with the figure projecting strongly from the coin’s field.
The reverse carries the Legendary Warriors series’ signature weapon rack — a dozen arms from across fighting traditions arranged radially around a central decorative medallion. Axes of different sizes anchor the composition, fitting given the subject, alongside swords, a trident, pole arms, a chain flail, daggers, and a longbow. Each weapon is individually detailed. The wood-plank background gives the arrangement the feel of a trophy wall, consistent with all entries in the series.
The round features a reeded edge and arrives in new condition.
Collectors building the Legendary Warriors set will find Eric Bloodaxe one of the stronger individual entries in the series — the figure, the setting, and the weapon choice all reinforce each other with unusual cohesion. Add it to your cart today.