Middle Earth Coins!!

Funny about the price they want. I wouldn't even think about buying these because of the price, even if it is a limited addition. I'd rather spend the money on real coins!

Quick glance I thought they were Star Wars Characters. Then I realized that Bilbo was carrying a sword and 'Yoda' was Smeagol.

Eh.. can't see what I was talking about anymore with Smeagol.

I like the last fantasy piece--it's more in the character of Tolkien's work.
As for those New Zealand issues--they honestly don't look that great for their asking price.

http://www.shirepost.com/wp/

Tom is a member of the forum (tmaring).

Wheatiefan now I HAVE to check out the shire mint..and will most likely try to buy something thats as awesome as what you posted . I love LOTR and even though I thought these silver coins looked like crap from the start, they just made the coins you posted look that much more intriguing

Ah yes, Aegon is way cool. That die set was hand-engraved by the late Greg Franck-Weiby... one of the most prolific of the tranditional direct-engraving die sinkers of recent times. The stag was insprired by the scythian style art as depicted in a National Geographic article a few years ago. The tryptych of the three heads with the hair flowing between them was a totally unique and wonderful creation of Greg's. In the story the two women are both his sisters and his wives. (yeah... let's not get into that) But I always felt that this die was one of Greg's finest achievements in an artistic sense. Of course Greg also cut the dies for most of the nicer Middle Earth pieces as he was both an expert engraver as well as a Tolkien enthusiast and linguist. We're not doing any of those anymore, though there are still quite a few floating around from the old days. The pennies were done every year from 1401 through 1407, with different trees and dates.

Nowadays the big deal is the Game of Thrones, for which I am officially licensed. The 6th pressing of the Iron Coin of the Faceless Man is underway now. Press counter was a 750 when I left the shop to come in for dinner. Here's a video of the striking process, done on a vintage Waterbury Farrell 150 ton knuckle press.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Y...ure=g-crec-u
and another of the blanking process, done on a 10 ton manual screw press.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yc...ure=g-crec-u
Have fun! Tom Maringer

The newest release just went live, the sixth pressing of the iron coin of the Faceless Man. Press counter ended at 3,000 when all was done... counting offcenters and doubles. ebay listings, online store listings, and website pages have been revised to the new type. http://www.shirepost.com/wp/the-iro...aceless-man/

The entire batch has been brutally mistreated by furnace-heating, tumbling, and chemical treatment to appear old and pocket-worn. I realize that coin-purists may not like that treatment... but it certainly adds to the feeling of authenticity.

Have fun!

Tom

Well... I did find a half dozen or so mint-state pieces lodged in a flap of the struck-coin chute after I tore the press set-up down... so there are just that few of the entire 3000 press-run that escaped the tumbler.