In 2003 to celebrate the Lord of the Rings, the Royal Mint on behalf of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand released a very Limited Issue Lord of the Rings $1 One Dollar Silver Proof Coin struck in solid .925 Sterling Silver with pure 24 Carat Gold plating.
The reverse design depicts the Ring of Power, wrought by the Dark Lord Sauron to conquer the free peoples of Middle-earth, has now been found.
It grants great powers to its bearer - invincibility and long life - yet also it corrupts and deceives, luring the wearer to its own dark will, for it is a part of the Dark Lord and his evil is in it.
The obverse design is the stunning portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank Broadley.
These legal tender coins have been struck to proof quality using specially prepared dies and highly polished blanks.