The Royal Mint has unveiled a new 50p collectable coin to mark the 25th anniversary of Peter Jackson's film The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring. The coin, released on Wednesday, is the first in a seven-strong collection celebrating the epic fantasy films over the next three years.
Designed by Royal Mint coin designer Thomas T Docherty, the reverse side of the coin features the One Ring, complete with Elvish lettering and the Black Speech inscription: 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'
Some coins include a groundbreaking feature: when light strikes the surface, a hidden image of the Eye of Sauron emerges from the negative space at the centre of the Ring. Craftspeople engineered the coin's surface to focus light precisely to reveal this effect.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint, said: 'Even the most devoted Fellowship of collectors couldn't have imagined a coin quite like this. It's a remarkable feat of British craftsmanship, and one that fans will have to see to believe.'
Each coin's packaging features a map of Middle-earth, designed so the collection can be displayed together or individually. The coin is available from 9am on May 20 on the Royal Mint's website, with prices starting at £15.
