Hobbit coins to become legal tender in New Zealand

The coins featuring characters such as Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the wizard will be legal tender in the country, New Zealand Post said, although their face value will be only a fraction of the cost collectors will be expected to pay.

The most expensive, made from 28.3 grams of pure gold, will set Tolkien enthusiasts back NZ$3,695 (Rs 1.6 lakh) but has a face value of just NZ$10, while the cheapest is a NZ$1 coin retailing for NZ$29.90. The coins go on sale from November 1 and New Zealand Post said it expected strong international interest. u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0