3077) The Lord of the Rings - "The Return of the King", New Zealand: 20th Anniversary Celebrations: New Zealand Post has brought out a set of six stamps showcasing characters from the movie which was filmed in New Zealand: Date of Stamp Set issue: 01.11.2023:
Links":
1) "The Lord of the Rings - Rings of Power", Republic of Malta: The Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) has issued two Commemorative Coins - a 10 Euro Silver Proof-like Coin and a 2 1/2 Euro Cupro-nickel Variant on behalf of the Central Bank of Malta: Year of Coin issue: 2022 (Coin available frm the beginning of 12/2022)
2) The Lord of the Rings - "The Return of the King", New Zealand: 20th Anniversary Celebrations: New Zealand Post has issued a set of six stamps showcasing characters from the movie which was filmed in New Zealand: Date of Stamp set issue: 01.11.2023
All three of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" films ("The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers", and "The Return of the King") as well as his Hobbit films ("An Unexpected Journey", "The Desolation of Smaug", and "There And Back Again") were filmed in New Zealand.
"One Ring to rule them all, one Ring to find them, one Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them"
The Ring made of "Ashta Dhatu" ("Eight Metals") in my possession:
When I was studying in the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), where my father was a Senior Professor in the Medical College, we received a visit from a Maulvi ("Muslim holy man") who had divined that I was not succeeding in my entrance exams to the Medical College, as I was surrounded by a "Dark Power".
He recommended that I should wear a ring of "Ashta Dhatu" ("Eight Metals") which would ward off the Dark Powers and I would succeed in whatever undertaking I took in life.
An "Ashta Dhatu" Ring is prepared in a certain methodical way, with a few select metals, the method of making which, only a few ring makers are conversant with.
So, this ring was got prepared for me by my uncle with attendant mantras in light of the Sun at a certain auspicious time.
I have always worn this ring ever since and have succeeded in achieving my set goals, as I am always surrounded by the "light powers".
There is a proviso, that if I take off the ring for any reason whatsoever, I have to follow a certain method for re-wearing it, which again only a few persons (including me) know of.
I was rather pleased to discover a few years ago that J.R.R. Tolkien had written these two Tales - "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" which had these "Rings of Power" which had movies made out of them which had received world-wide acclaim. We have seen all the films on them, including one on the life of Tolkien himself.
The Lord of the Rings, was one of the most successful franchises ever made, based on the books of Tolkien.
These books evolve around the hobbit "Frodo Baggins", who gets possession of a special ring. This is the instrument from the Dark Lord Sauron, who will do anything in his power to get ahold of the ring.
Frodo Baggins and his friends are therefore sent on an adventure through Middle Earth.
I am just wondering whether my "Ashta Dhatu" ring, if discovered some 1,000 years later by someone, will prove to be as lucky for the finder, as it has been for me.
The 2022 Television Series "The Lord of the Rings":
We all waited for the televising of a brand new "Lord of the Rings" Series - "The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power".
The storyline takes place in the Second Era in Middle-Earth, a few thousand years before the events in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring took place.
We saw the premier show on Amazon Prime of "The Lord of the Rings: "Rings of Power" which is a prequel of the movie series "The Hobbit" and the first part of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" franchise.
On the day of the premiere, the new series had 25 million viewers - a new record for Amazon Prime.
It also gave us a chance to look back on the success of the original films. We saw the entire series of these films all over again after finishing the "Rings of Power" TV series.
About John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (or J.R.R. Tolkien):
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, (1892–1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and academic who is best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works -
"The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings", and "The Silmarillion".
It was during Tolkien’s prominent career as Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford, when he brought the world of the "Dark Ages" to life in his teaching, writing, and studies.
About JRR Tolkien: A Distinguished Writer, Poet and Scholar:
Commonly known as JRR Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born to Arthur and Mabel Tolkien on 03.01.1892 in South Africa.
His father had left Birmingham in 1899 for a position with the Bank of Africa, and, after a year of travelling around South Africa, was promoted to a managerial position in Bloemfontein, part of the Orange Free State.
Tolkien’s younger brother Hilary was born two years later, however, the brothers only spent a short period of their childhood in South Africa as in March 1895, Mabel took the boys back to Birmingham in England.
Arthur was to join them in time for Christmas, but he became seriously ill and died in February 1896. Rather than return to South Africa, Mabel decided to stay with her two children in England, where she rented a cottage in Sarehole, a small Warwickshire village east of Birmingham.
Orphaned at a Young Age:
Whilst living in Sarehole, Tolkien gained a place at a prestigious grammar school in central Birmingham called King Edward VI School.
To accommodate the eight-mile round trip, which was too far for an eight-year-old boy to undertake each day, the family moved to Birmingham.
In April 1904, Mabel was diagnosed with diabetes, a serious and untreatable condition at the time. In November that year, Mabel passed away at the age of 34.
She had named Father Francis Morgan, her close friend and religious mentor, as the boys’ guardian in her will.
King Edward’s School, New Street, Birmingham, c.1859.
An Aptitude for Study:
Despite his grief at the passing of his mother, Tolkien prospered at school, showing intellectual prowess and taking part in various extra-curricular activities, such as swimming, rugby and drama.
He developed a burgeoning talent for languages, studying ancient languages, such as Gothic and Old English, and even took to inventing his own.
It was at King Edward VI School where Tolkien became a founding member of the ‘T.C.B.S.’ along with three of his close friends, Rob Gilson, Chris Wiseman and Geoffrey Smith. The initials stood for the "Tea Club and Barrovian Society", with the club first meeting in the school library and later in a café at a nearby department store called Barrows. They would discuss visions for a better world - one they would create together using their individual talents.
A Master of Languages:
Just as Tolkien had gained a scholarship at King Edward VI School, in 1911 he was offered a place to study Classics at Exeter College in the University of Oxford.
The course entailed studying Latin and Greek, although Germanic philology and the languages of Northern Europe – the languages that had fascinated him since childhood – strongly piqued Tolkien’s interest.
In his third year as an undergraduate, Tolkien requested to change his field of study and asked to join the English School.
Fortunately, they granted his request, allowing him to maintain the Classical scholarship that provided him with sought-after financial support.
Tolkien (smoking pipe at window) with friends at Exeter College, Oxford, May 1914.
Serving in the Great War:
In August 1914, Germany declared war on Britain while Tolkien prepared to start the final year of his undergraduate degree in October.
Intent on completing his course, he joined the Officer Training Corps and undertook army training in tandem with the completion of his studies.
After sitting his final exams, Tolkien joined the Lancashire Fusiliers in June 1915.
Serving as a Second Lieutenant, he went on active duty at the Western Front, enduring four months of trench warfare as part of the Somme offensive.
The war claimed the lives of two of his dear schoolfriends and members of the T.C.B.S., Rob Gilson and Geoffrey Smith.
Tolkien contracted trench fever in November 1916, which marked the end of his warfare participation on the continent.
He spent the rest of the war in and out of hospital battling the illness, the periods between which saw him undertake training in Staffordshire or light defensive duties on the Yorkshire coast. It was during this period that Tolkien began to write down the first tales of his Elvish mythology and record his invented Elvish languages.
Academic Career:
In the wake of the First World War, Tolkien needed to secure employment so he could provide for his young family. He initially undertook a job creating definitions for words starting with the letter ‘w’ in the New English Dictionary (now known as the Oxford English Dictionary), a job he supplemented with a part-time role tutoring English at various Oxford colleges.
During this time, the first of Tolkien’s Elvish tales - "The Fall of Gondolin", was read aloud to Exeter College’s Essay Club.
In 1920, Tolkien secured a full-time academic post of Reader in English Language at the University of Leeds, becoming the university’s Professor of English Language four years later.
Whilst at Leeds, he continued to develop his Elvish mythology in private. He returned to Oxford in 1925, assuming the position of the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon, a position he held for the next 20 years before becoming the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature, which he held until his retirement in 1959.
Tolkien and his four children, at home in Oxford, July 1936, a year before The Hobbit was published.
Global Fame and Recognition:
Tolkien’s love of languages started as a child and this passion, combined with an interest in Norse and Celtic mythologies, later encouraged him to invent the realm of Middle-earth and its encompassing mythology.
He even wrote poetry and created artwork inspired by this world, some of which would feature in his best-known works The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954–55), the latter of which garnered Tolkien worldwide fame and is now regarded as the blueprint for modern fantasy fiction.
Tolkien passed away in 1973 and his life’s work that gave a panoptical account of his Elvish mythology "The Silmarillion", remained unpublished. Tolkien’s youngest son, Christopher, edited the work posthumously and it was eventually published in 1977.
About The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King 20th Anniversary, New Zealand Stamps:
The Lord of the Rings" is a high-fantasy epic novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien. The story is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth and is divided into three volumes: "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "The Return of the King." The book was originally published as a trilogy in the mid-20th century but is often treated as a single, continuous narrative.
The Set of Six Stamps issued by the New Zealand Post depicts characters from the Stories by Tolkein:
$2.00 Arwen:
Tying her fate to the mortal Aragorn, the elf princess Arwen helps inspire his journey towards his destiny as King. This scene can seem mysterious to people who are new to Tolkien.
Online experts the "Council of Elrond" explain that here Arwen reads about the "Paths of the Dead", which Aragorn travels on later.
Sets for the elf stronghold of Rivendell included Kaitoke Regional Park near Upper Hutt, but, as Ian Brodie notes in his location guide, animators added digital enhancements later.
$2.00 The Lair of Shelob:
A stunning achievement of set construction, Shelob’s Lair is also a place of treachery. Promising to lead Frodo safely to Mount Doom, Gollum tricks him towards the monstrous spider.
At first Frodo escapes using a light Galadriel gave him, but Shelob stings him eventually.
Filmed in the Wellington studios, this scene features, according to the documentary ‘Designing Middle Earth’, artificial rocks inspired by seaside rocks at Seatoun, boiled bones from a local butcher, and synthetic cobwebs cooked in a deep fryer.
$3.30 The Army of the Dead:
With the forces of Gondor outnumbered, Aragorn takes to the "Paths of the Dead", calling on dead warriors to recover the honour they’ve lost.
The "Army of the Dead" prove a decisive factor, overrunning Sauron’s terrified orcs and other creatures, with Legolas and Gimli competing for success at their side. The film’s ‘behind the scenes’ documentary shows the crew scouting locations for the Paths of the Dead, settling on the distinctive Putangirua Pinnacles in the Wairarārapa.
$3.30 The Shieldmaiden of Rohan:
Brave in battle and loyal to her family, Eowyn, the "Shieldmaiden of Rohan", is a widely loved female Tolkien character.
Denied the chance to fight for her people, Eowyn rides in secret to the "Battle of Pelennor Fields".
When the Witchking boasts that no man can kill him, Eowyn utters her famous line ‘I am no man’ and slays him (with the hobbit Merry’s help).
Parts of the battle were filmed on a field near Twizel, using New Zealand extras on horseback – many of whom were women in disguise.
$4.00 Gandalf and the Moth:
The desperate "Battle at the Black Gate" turns in the West’s favour with the flight of the Moth, which announces the arrival of the Eagles of the North.
Filming for scenes at the Black Gate took place on Rangipō land in the "Waiōuru Army Training Area".
As the crew explain on the documentary, defence personnel swept the ground first for explosives left from previous military exercises, and some stood among the scene’s 350 extras in full-plate armour.
$4.60 The Ring is Mine:
With his quest nearly over, Frodo struggles against the Ring’s seductive allure. Unable to release it into the fires of Mount Doom, Frodo cries "the Ring is mine", prompting a fight to the death with Gollum.
Mount Ngauruhoe, in the Tongariro district, provided a perfect double for Mount Doom, but the documentary shows a special table that Wētā Workshop built for the shots where lava flows down the side of the erupting volcano.
Five First Day Covers (FDCs) affixed with the Individual Miniature sheets cancelled with a special postmark/handstamp dated - "01.11.2023".
Six Full Sheets (FS) of 20 Stamps of each variant.
Maxi Cards
Miniature Sheets (MS)
Technical details:
Issue Date: 01.11.2023
Designer: Sacha Lees, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Process: Offset Lithography
Size(s):
Stamp Size: 50.00 mm x 35.71 mm (horizontal),
Sheet Size: 112.00 mm x 66.00 mm (horizontal)
Stamp Values: $2.00 x 2, $3.30 x 2, $4.00 & $4.60
The Tarot Card Collection:
11) "Wheel of Fortune", Tarot Cards, Niue Island: The Eleventh $2 (Two Dollars) Coin Card released by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2023
12) "Justice", Tarot Cards, Niue Island: The Twelfth $2 (Two Dollars) Coin Card releasedby the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2023
13) "The Hanged Man", Tarot Cards, Niue Island: The Thirteenth $2 (Two Dollars) Coin Card released by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2023
14) "Death", Tarot Cards, Niue Island: The Thirteenth $2 (Two Dollars) Coin Card in the Major Arcana released by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2023
15) "Temperance", Tarot Cards, Niue Island: The Fourteenth $2 (Two Dollars) Coin Card in the Major Arcana released by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2023
Other Posts on James Bond movies/franchise on this blog:
i) A James Bond Mega issue by Royal Mail, UK, celebrating the 25th Bond Movie "No Time to Die" and presenting all six actors who have acted as James Bond over the years, together with "Q Branch's" path defining gadgets/machines; ii) A combo issue of Royal Mail Stamps and Royal Mint, UK's Gold, Silver and BU Coins
ii) Casino Royale Poker Chip Replica, Tuvalu: Perth Mint Australia has brought out $1 (One Dollar) Silver Bullion Coins that mark James Bond Day: Coins issued on behalf of Tuvalu: Date/Year of Coin issue: 04.010.2023
Links:
The Punk Universe Banknote/Voucher & Coin Series:
Links to other Coins in the Cyborg Revolution Coin Series" issued in this Series:
Great Birds Coin Series:
i) Wandering Albatross, Niue Island: "Great Birds Coin Series": First Coin in the Series: A $5 (Five Dollars) Wandering Albatross shaped Silver Coin released by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of the Niue Island: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2023
Runes:
1) Did You Know Series (81): Runes, Germania Mint: A set of six Silver Antique Finish (AF) Runes - part of a set of 24 - used as a Divination Tool by using stones with symbols to answer questions about the last, present, and future: Year of Runes minted: 2023
Links to interesting posts from the South Pacific Island of Fiji:
Posts on Disney Occasions - Disney100:
i) Mickey Mouse and Friends, Niue Island: "Disney 100 Years of Wonder Coin Series (1923-2023)": A 1 oz Silver Coin minted by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2023
ii) Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, Niue Island: "Disney 100 Years of Wonder Coin Series (1923-2023)": A 1/4 oz Gold Coin minted by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2023
Post of "Avatar - The Way of Water":
i) "Avatar - The Way of Water", New Zealand: New Zealand Post has issued a set of postage stamps, which feature characters from the movie, which was also filmed in New Zealand: Date of Stamps issue: 01.03.2023
Posts on "The Lord Of The Rings" on this blog:
Wildlife in the Australian Antarctic Territory Coin Series:
Australian Dolphins Coin Series:
Australia's Coat of Arms Coin Series:
Links:
Other links to some interesting posts on Coins brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of other countries including the Australian Continent:
Steampunk Coin Series:
Links to other posts on Metropolis Tiffany Art Coin Series:
Classic Australian Children's Books Coin Series:
1) "Animalia", A Book by Graeme Base, Australia: "Classic Australian Children's Books Coin Series": "35th Anniversary of Animalia (1986-2021);" The Royal Australian Mint (RAM) has issued a coloured 20c (Cent) Coin featuring the cover of this popular book: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2021
2) "Diary of a Wombat", Australia: "Classic Australian Children's Books Coin Series": 20th Anniversary of Diary of a Wombat (2002-2022)": The Royal Australian Mint (RAM) has issued the second 20c (Cent) Coin in the Series featuring this popular book: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2022
Links:
Links to Legendary Lands Coin Series:
Links to Code of the Future Coin Series:
Discovery of America Coin Series:
Links:
Fury of Nature Coin Series:
Amazing Animals Coin Series:
Links to posts on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Coin Series:
Links to posts on "The Mandalorian Classic Coin Collection on this Blog:
i) The Mandalorian, Niue Island: New Zealand Mint has issued Gold and Silver Coins depicting the popular STAR WARS spin-off; ii) "Grogu" ("Baby Yoda"): Year of Coin issue: 2021
2) "Cara Dune", Niue Island: Second Coin in "The Mandalrian Classic Coin Collection": New Zealand Mint has issued a $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Coins depicting character from the STAR WARS Spin-off, on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2021
3) "ASSASSIN DROID IG-11", Niue Island: Third Coin in "THe Mandalorian Classic Coin Collection": New Zealand Mint has issued a $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Coins depicting characters from the STAR WARS Spin-Off, on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2021
4) "GROGU" or "The CHILD" -("BABY YODA"), Niue Island: Fourth Coin in "The Mandalorian Classic Coin Collection": New Zealand Mint has issued a $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Coins depicting characters from the STAR WARS Spin-off, on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2021
5) "Grogu in his mobile Cradle/Pram" or "THE CHILD" - ("Baby Yoda"), Niue Island: Fifth Coin in "The Mandalorian Classic Coin Collection": New Zealand Mint has issued a $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Coins depicting characters from the STAR WARS Spin-off, on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2022
6) Ahsoka Tano, Niue Island: The Mandalorian Classic Coin Collection: New zealand Mint has issued Gold and silver Coins depicting the popular "STAR WARS" spin -off: Year of Coin issue: 2022
7) "BESKAR STEEL", Niue Island: "The Mandalorian Classic Coin Collection": New Zealand Mint has issued a $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Rectangular Coin depicting the highly impenetrable protection material in the STAR WARS Spin-off, on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2021
8) "Bo-Katan Kyrze", The Legendary Mandalorian Warrior, Niue Island: New Zealand Mint has issued $250 (Two Hundred Fifty Dollars - NZD) Gold, $25 Gold (Twenty Five Dollarrs - NZD) and $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Coins depicting the popular STAR WARS spin-off: Year of Coin issue: 2022
Links to "Star Wars: A New Hope™":
7) The Sand Crawler ("The Mandalorian" & "Star Wars: A New Hope"), Niue Island: New Zealand Mint has issued $25 (Twenty Five Dollars - NZD) Gold and $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Silver Coins depicting the popular STAR WARS spin-off: Year of Coin issue: 2022
Links to posts on Boba Fett:
1) Boba Fett, New Zealand: An elegant Silver Miniature minted by the New Zealand Mint, features the popular Star Wars Bounty Hunter in full armour with his blaster at the ready: Date of issue: 10.12.2021
2) Boba Fett "Slave I" Starfighter, Niue Island: A One Oz Silver Coin depicts Fett's legendary spacecraft: Date of Coin issue: 10.12.2021 (with year of issue inscribed as 2022)
Other Links:
1) The "Empire's Death Star" (Star Wars), Niue Island: A Kilogram Dimensional Silver Coin of $ 100 NZD (Niue) minted by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island:Year of Coin issue: 2021
2) "Star Trek", Starfield Command, United Federation of Planets, Tuvalu: $2 "Holey Dollar" united with a $1 "Delta" Coin-set
3) "Dune" (a Science Fiction Novel) by Frank Herbert, APMEX, USA: A set of Silver and Gold Coins/Rounds issued by APMEX celebrating the most iconic themes from the 2021 movie, based on the Novel being released in October 2021: Date/Year of Coins issued: 2021
Links to The Bad Batch Coin Series:
1) HUNTER - The Leader of the "BAD BATCH - STAR WARS, Niue Island: New Zealand Mint has issued Silver $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Coins on behalf of Niue Island, depicting the "Clone Force 99" Group Leader: Year of Coin issue: 2022
2) WRECKER - The Demolition Expert of the "BAD BATCH" - STAR WARS, Niue Island: New Zealand Mint has issued Silver $2 (Two Dollars - NZD) Coins on behalf of Niue Island, depicting the "Clone Force 99": Year od Coin issue: 2022
Links to interesting posts from the South Pacific Island of Fiji:
The Assassins Coin Series, Niue Island:
The Universe Coin Collection:
Links:
Links to Signs of the Zodiac Coin Series issued by the Czech Mint posts:
Femme Fatale Coin Series:
Women Warriors Coin Series:
For other interesting posts on Coins issued by the Slovakia National Bank, please visit the following links:
For other interesting posts on Coins issued by the Czech National Bank, please visit the following links:
Cycle of Armoured Vehicles Coin Series:
Links to posts on "Dog Breeds":
Links to posts from the Volga-Vyatka Mint (Numisart Mint) - Coin Series titled - "Confrontation":
Links to interesting posts from the South Pacific Island of Fiji:
Links to posts on Australia, New Zealand and Countries and Overseas Territories of the South Pacific etc on this Blog:
1) Bank of Papua New Guinea: 36th Anniversary Celebrations (1973-2008): A Commemorative Uncirculated Coin Set consisting of a 2 Kina Banknote & a 2 Kina Coin
The Earth and Beyond Coin Series:
Matariki: The Maori New Year:
Australian Wildflower Coin Series:
Steam Power - Australian Rail Heritage Coin Series:
Dreaming Down Under Coin Series:
Australian Coat of Arms Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Series:
"Australian Shipwrecks" Coin Series:
Beneath The Southern Skies Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Series:
Star Dreaming Coin Series:
Links to interesting Posts on coins from Tuvalu Islands:
Link to Posts from Tokelau:
Other interesting links to posts from Cook Islands minted by Coin Invest Trust:
Links to posts on issues from the Republic of Palau:
Links to other Coins issued in the Cyborg Revolution Coin Series by Republic of Palau:
Links to Posts on coin issues from Niue Islands:
Links to posts on "Dog Breeds":
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Coin Series:
The Tarot Card Collection:
The Witcher Coin Series, Niue Islands:
