Catalog
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
| Issuer | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Year | 2012 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Full-length portrait of Thorin Oakenshield, the Dwarf king from The Hobbit, depicted in three-quarter view facing left, clad in fur-trimmed armour with intricate scale and knotwork detailing on his gauntlets and bracers, and holding a sword upright in his right hand. The inner field features a faint engraved stone background evoking a mountainous realm. The outer border is divided into two registers: the upper arc bears the Latin legend 'MIDDLE-EARTH - NEW ZEALAND' in raised lettering against a dark background, while the lower arc displays Tolkien-inspired Dwarvish runes. The denomination '$1' appears to the left of the central figure, and the Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. copyright mark is visible in the upper field. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | MIDDLE-EARTH-NEW ZEALAND $1 |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Issued to coincide with the theatrical release of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in December 2012, this coin is part of a licensed series produced by the New Zealand Mint under agreement with Warner Bros. and the Tolkien estate's licensors. New Zealand's adoption of Middle-earth imagery for official coinage is a direct consequence of Jackson's productions being filmed there — a commercial and cultural alignment the Reserve Bank has leaned into repeatedly since the early 2000s. Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf king whose quest drives the narrative, was portrayed by Richard Armitage in the film trilogy.