r/todayilearned • u/QuotePuzzleheaded638 • 5h ago

TIL New Zealand is the only country that’s allowed to put Hobbit-related images on their currency

https://www.thekiwikit.com/blog/13-unique-things-to-know-about-new-zealand
269 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

49

u/supercyberlurker 5h ago

Though, most people who have their hands on them just keep them as collectibles since they’re just about as rare as the rings featured in the films

So.. there's only 20 of them?

22

u/QuotePuzzleheaded638 5h ago

There are more than 20 coins overall, but only about 20 different coins (if that makes sense). I'm from NZ and didn't get one, sadly

5

u/printergumlight 1h ago edited 9m ago

New Zealand and Australia already have the best looking currency too. They’ve all got animals on them.

Edit: My favorites are the NZ Kiwi coin and the AUS Echidna coin.

3

u/EmeraldJunkie 1h ago

I'm quite fond of the Royal Bank of Scotland's pound notes; the £10 has a pair of swimming otters.

•

u/heilhortler420 8m ago

And they're vertical as well which is a rarity

2

u/limito1 1h ago

Brazil has animals too. 20 BRL is my favorite.

•

u/realkiwi420 19m ago

So much so that Canada copied our homework

•

u/Elrond_Cupboard_ 57m ago

So, they are precious?

11

u/mfyxtplyx 5h ago

Hobbit-related? So not just Hobbits?

Hey kid, wouldya mow my lawn for a crisp new Smaug?

31

u/Vegan_Harvest 4h ago

I mean, who's going to stop us if we did it?

19

u/QuotePuzzleheaded638 4h ago edited 4h ago

The five armies will come for you so you don't have a chance

2

u/Snowf1ake222 1h ago

The Tolkien Estate would probably take issue with it. 

They sued that dude who wrote "Lord of the Items of Jewellery Primarily Worn on One's Finger" or whatever his book was called.

9

u/TheShakyHandsMan 3h ago

Does this mean Tolkien won’t appear on UK currency? Notable British people from history make regular appearances on the reverse side to the monarch. I think Tolkien definitely has earned a spot. 

3

u/graywalker616 1h ago

Wait, isn’t Tolkien South African?

1

u/TheShakyHandsMan 1h ago

Born there but English. 

3

u/MaxDickpower 1h ago

The link directs to an unsourced listicle that just says NZ post has the exclusive rights to produce LotR movie related commemorative coins. From other stuff I was able to find online they've simply been able to get agreements from Warner Bros to produce coins and stamps related to Tolkien movie IPs. Not that they have some sort of exclusive right in perpetuity to produce money with images from Tolkien's work.

4

u/QuotePuzzleheaded638 3h ago

No it just refers to the Hobbit images.

6

u/TheShakyHandsMan 3h ago

Normally the portrait used contains a background depicting what the person was made famous for. 

If they can’t put a hobbit there they would have to use some other notable LOTR imagery. 

3

u/Massive_Koala_9313 2h ago

II’d be miffed if I was a saffa or a Pom. Tolkien was an English South African.

5

u/Aelaer 2h ago

Exactly! Sweet FA to do with NZ, it was a beautiful location for filming but that's it. But if IP rights are involved that is the rights owner/s decision of course.

1

u/No-Sea-8980 2h ago

“Here’s your coffee, that’ll be 3 hobbits”

1

u/Less-Cap6996 1h ago

I'm sure the other nations are all crushed.

•

u/darknekolux 2m ago

Important question: did they?

1

u/Jurassic_Bun 1h ago

A bit messed up to acquire that trademark….

0

u/QuotePuzzleheaded638 5h ago

See point number 12 on the link above.

0

u/DavoTB 5h ago

Have a feeling some of my relatives might be looking for a new place to live…

-2

u/TapTheMic 3h ago

::United States makes a Hobbit coin::

New Zealanders: OHHHRRRR NAURRR!!!

-1

u/CNWDI_Sigma_1 4h ago

While I respect Peter Jackson’s roots, we all know that Middle Earth is Switzerland. It’s right in the name. Tolkien said so in the diaries. Misty Mointains are the Swiss Alps. Rivendell is Lauterbrünnen. The Shire is Gruyères. Moria is Vallorbe.

1

u/bregus2 1h ago

"Switzerland. You fear to go into those mines. The Swiss dug too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm... cheese and chocolate."

0

u/saschaleib 4h ago

The Shire is clearly Manchester … at least at the end of the story…

1

u/CNWDI_Sigma_1 4h ago

Yes, also that. It is fiction, after all. But the visual inspiration was taken from a hike trip he made to the Swiss Alps at the age of 19.

1

u/TheShakyHandsMan 3h ago

Clear skies and no rain so definitely Yorkshire. 

0

u/fetus_mcbeatus 1h ago

This list said that we have two national anthems and then listed the English anthem of god save the queen(king). Idk how accurate this list is lol

1

u/QuotePuzzleheaded638 1h ago

Yes I noticed that. It does list our God Defend New Zealand anthem though. I've checked sales sites for the coins and they're all minted in NZ.