The Lord of the Rings franchise is full of incredible moments, scenes that range from beautiful to terrible, and sometimes both. So it’s no wonder the movies inspire artists to create. In their most recent line of Lord of the Rings collectibles (or “collectables” as they are called), NZ Post has once again joined with artist Sacha Lees. Lees “worked at Wētā Workshop during the making of the films” and was one of the artists responsible for bringing The Lord of the Rings movies to life. This time Lees lends her artistic expertise to the creation of beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps, coins, and enamel pins that celebrate The Lord of the Ring: The Two Tower‘s 20th Anniversary.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Commemorative Coins
Smithing has been an important part of The Lord of the Rings‘ legacy, as has New Zealand. As part of its celebration of The Two Tower‘s 20th Anniversary, NZ Post has released some gorgeous pieces of metalwork. Ones that even Sauron would surely long to hold in his hand… Or behold in his eye, as it were.
A release shares of the special Two Towers commemorative The Lord of the Rings coins:
This set of coins features each of the towers alluded to in the film’s title – Orthanc, the stronghold of evil wizard Saruman, and Barad-dur, where the spirit of the Dark Lord Sauron resides. The coins have a black proof finish and selective colour highlights the detail of Sacha Lees’ artwork.
A truly majestic addition to our Fellowship of beautiful NZ Post Collectables. And what better way to honor The Two Towers than with such artful renditions of its two towers. Orthanc and Barad-dur have honestly never looked better. It’s enough to make you say… My precious. You can now purchase the coins at NZ Post’s website.
The Two Towers Commemorative Stamps (Complete with Hidden Messages)
NZ Post has also brought us some tremendously beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps in recent years. And this set celebrates one of our favorite The Lord of the Rings movies, The Two Towers. Continuing in their playful and fun tradition, NZ Post has also hidden secret messages in these stamps which should delight fans.
We love seeing some of our favorite characters, like Legolas and Gandalf, being featured in these gorgeous renditions. And the The Lord of the Rings scenes depicted on these stamps are absolutely as stunning as ever. Antony Harris, NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables, mentions in a release that the previous set of stamps sold like hotcakes. He notes, “These sold across the globe like nothing we had ever seen before.” And for good reason. We’ve said it before, but these stamps aren’t just stamps, or even just collectors’ items. They are works of absolute art.
Can’t see the hidden messages from afar? Well Nerdist and NZ Post have you covered. Take a look a below to see the secrets of the stamps, and then head on over to NZ Post’s website to snag a set for yourself so you can take a look up close.
The hidden messages on the stamps are absolutely a highlight of these stamps. They really bring the spirit of The Lord of the Rings to life.
The Lord of the Rings Enamel Pins
Lees and NZ Post also use their The Lord of the Rings powers to offer us a set of enamel pins. These Lord of the Rings enamel pins may not be the first ones you’d imagine, but they bring powerful parts of the movies to life.
Currently, three LOTR pins are available:
Gollum – a silhouette of Gollum in a forest over a green background, gazing up at the One Ring
Mount Doom – an illustration of Mount Doom with the One Ring floating above
Eye of Sauron – Bag End, Barad-dûr and Mount Doom surrounded by the ominous Eye of Sauron
We have to say, we love that these enamel pins capture the darkness of The Lord of the Rings movies. It really adds a fun element to the merchandise. These pins remind us beautifully that the world of the Lord of the Rings is a harrowing one, especially if one gets too close to Mount Doom. Danger, in its many tempting forms, lurks around the corners. We’ll feel totally badass with these pins on our vests and lapels.
The image of the Shire burning surrounded by the Eye of Sauron makes for an especially visceral pin. The vision of the Shire in flames is one of the most harrowing ones Lord of the Rings creates as it offers us a total ruination of innocence. But it also reminds us of the importance of fighting for what we love. Even if that leads us into Mordor. As Stranger Things‘ Eddie Munson might say, “The Shire is burning, so Mordor it is.” And now, there’s an LOTR enamel pin for that.
NZ Post’s LOTR enamel pins, stamps, and other collectibles are now available for purchase through their website.
Originally published on July 28, 2022.
