New Zealand Turning Hobbits Into Actual Cash

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New Zealand Turning Hobbits Into Actual Cash

Posted by timothy on Thursday October 11, 2012 @03:10AM from the phase-two-is-to-revive-smaug dept.

Curseyoukhan writes "With its economy struggling, New Zealand hopes to cash in on 'The Hobbit' by turning it into actual cash. The nation is releasing special commemorative coins depicting characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved book. The coin release coincides with the premiere of the first installment in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of the book. It is also part of a publicity campaign aimed to rebrand the country '100 percent Middle Earth.'"

72 of 89 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Future historians will be confused by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-11 03:12 · Score: 3, Interesting

As they find the ancient coins, they will no doubt believe New Zealand was ruled by Hobbits.
1. Re:Future historians will be confused by tysonedwards · 2012-10-11 03:32 · Score: 1
  
  Well, considering that they have already released coins of poorly dressed older men in dire need of a shave (hobos?) and rabbits, seems to make sense that a hobbit had to be coming sooner or later.
  
  --
  Thirty four characters live here.
2. Re:Future historians will be confused by crazyjj · 2012-10-11 03:39 · Score: 2
  
  I'm just glad New Zealand finally found an industry more lucrative than sheep herding.
  
  --
  What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
3. Re:Future historians will be confused by Big+Hairy+Ian · 2012-10-11 03:53 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I've been short changed before but this is ridiculous!
  
  --
  Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
4. Re:Future historians will be confused by Grayhand · 2012-10-11 04:26 · Score: 1
  
  I've been short changed before but this is ridiculous!
  Next time you come up short you'll have an excuse.
5. Re:Future historians will be confused by Sulphur · 2012-10-11 04:40 · Score: 1
  
  I'm just glad New Zealand finally found an industry more lucrative than sheep herding.
  Are there sheep on their coinage?
6. Re:Future historians will be confused by ShieldW0lf · 2012-10-11 04:40 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  the value of New Zealand's currency has doubled, hurting exports and making it more expensive for tourists. Some 15 percent of the offices in Wellington's business district are empty.
  Maybe they should quit trying to structure their society into an amusement park and rely on others to handle the practical concerns that keep them alive, and instead take a hint from the likes of, say, North Korea, who actually face the problems that life puts in front of them and address them with their own hands instead of passing the buck to someone else like a little bitch.
  
  --
  -1 Uncomfortable Truth
7. Re:Future historians will be confused by Glothar · 2012-10-11 05:15 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Forget future historians, in 600 years, when Hobbitism rises as the worlds newest major religion, the coins will be used by fundamentalists as proof that Hobbitism is the One Truth, and encouragement for the furthering of their grim beliefs.
  A large sect of Hobbitics in Western Europe will base their entire world view on the belief that there was no allegory or symbolism in the Lord of the Rings, and thus Balrogs do have wings, foxes are sentient, and that if you become suitably evil, you'll turn into a floating eyeball. They'll lobby the Grande Bankocracy of America to force the teaching of Ainuism as an alternative to Evolution. In late November, they will gather together in a large field with a bucket of these coins, separate into five groups, and then murder each other until someone spots an eagle. Then, the group with the shortest individual gets all the gold.
  Why don't people think about consequences when they make commemorative coins like this?
  [/far-too-much-tolkien-knowledge]
8. Re:Future historians will be confused by sootman · 2012-10-11 05:34 · Score: 1
  
  On a related note, I thought Toy Story was great because they did such an incredible job of mimicking the styles of certain types of toys. Now when kids see the movies, they just think "Hey, it's a movie about those toys I have."
  
  --
  Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
9. Re:Future historians will be confused by the+Hewster · 2012-10-11 05:59 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe they should quit trying to structure their society into an amusement park and rely on others to handle the practical concerns that keep them alive, and instead take a hint from the likes of, say, North Korea, who actually face the problems that life puts in front of them and address them with their own hands instead of passing the buck to someone else like a little bitch.
  That way they could also enjoy a quality of life simimilar to those who live North Korea! Oh... wait... are you serious?
10. Re:Future historians will be confused by SplashMyBandit · 2012-10-11 07:27 · Score: 2
  
  > I'm just glad New Zealand finally found an industry more lucrative than sheep herding.
  It's called beef. There are still plenty of sheep about but the numbers have gone down as more cows have been raised - since milk solids and beef are worth more than lamb and mutton at the moment. Yes, I'm from New Zealand so we do hear about these things.
  Part of New Zealand's supposed "struggling" economy is the fact that our public debt (eg that of the government and people) is relatively low as a proportion of GDP compared to say, England, Greece etc. The economic growth rate is around 1% and poised to slow to about half that, but at least it is still growing. As a result the New Zealand dollar has been getting stronger vs the greenback etc. This helps importers but hurts exporters as NZ goods become more expensive overseas. Naturally every country would like to optimize exports vs imports, so it is a balancing act between making our goods competitively priced and easier to sell and our imports cheaper.
  One observer from the UK once noted that in the UK the public would have a large segment of national news devoted to football in New Zealand he found it was devoted to economic news instead. For a little flea like us, we notice whether the dog or the tail is wagging :)
  ps. I liked your joke. I just took the opportunity to bring up some tidbits you'd never hear otherwise - not that anyone is particularly interested, but the New Zealand economy is not often its own slashdot topic. Incidentally, New Zealand has some pretty hi-tech and innovative outfits, kinda like Israel (similar population) does (although New Zealand has a vastly larger land mass than Israel; about 77% of Germany in size).
11. Re:Future historians will be confused by jemmyw · 2012-10-11 08:06 · Score: 1
  
  We've been looking for an office in Wellington over the last few weeks. I'd say the reason so many offices are empty is due to their state (earthquake prone, in serious need of refurbishment, etc) rather than demand.
12. Re:Future historians will be confused by MrBigInThePants · 2012-10-11 08:49 · Score: 1
  
  You are wrong.
  OUr "public" debt is enormously high and is in fact one of the highest in the OECD per capita. (like iceland's was)
  Our government debt is low.
13. Re:Future historians will be confused by sootman · 2012-10-11 09:01 · Score: 1
  
  > I just took the opportunity to bring up some tidbits you'd never hear
  > otherwise - not that anyone is particularly interested, but the New
  > Zealand economy is not often its own slashdot topic.
  This is why I come to slashdot. Random cool stuff, written right now by actual humans (MS VB ShillBots aside) that I never would have heard about any other way. Good post, thanks. :-)
  
  --
  Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
14. Re:Future historians will be confused by rjmnz · 2012-10-11 10:55 · Score: 1
  
  Actually grandparent is right. Our public debt is our government or sovereign debt. This is the debt that the government and all of us collectively are responsible for. This is low.
  Our private debt is high. This is the debt you and I chose to take on (credit cards, car finance mortgage etc) and are individually responsible for.
  Fortunately for us this debt does not have as much impact on national credit ratings and perceptions of financial stability.
15. Re:Future historians will be confused by SplashMyBandit · 2012-10-11 14:32 · Score: 1
  
  Thank you very much. It makes it worthwhile to post knowing that some people enjoy learning about all sorts of random stuff (as I do too :) ).
  Lol, you are so right about the MS shillbots, but I think they're mostly about how Visual Studio (VS) is supposed to be the shizzle (no thanks, I'd rather be truly cross-platform).
  Cheers!
16. Re:Future historians will be confused by Blue_Wombat · 2012-10-11 17:44 · Score: 1
  
  The growth rate isn't 1%, it's 2.6% (Statistics NZ, quarter ended June). Also, the NZ dollar isn't as strong as many make it out - historically we were fixed against the $US (until the mid 1980s), and that's still what people seem to quote as "the" exchange rate. We are up against some currencies like the US and UK - because their economies are in the toilet and their central banks are debasing their currencies as fast as they can. Against other major trading partners (eg Australia, our biggest) the NZ dollar has actually weakened quite a bit.
17. Re:Future historians will be confused by rtb61 · 2012-10-11 22:29 · Score: 1
  
  I know it can be a little embarrassing for you country to alter it coinage something that'll last for hundreds even thousands of years over something so meaningless as a single movie but everyone makes mistakes, they oversee something rather insignificant as big and important, when it really isn't especially when it's involved in something as shallow as the movie industry. Suck it up, laugh at the idiot's that made the mistake, make fun of them and as you got modded turn it into a joke. It is silly and that is the only way to treat it, accept that quite a few people often get pulled in by the glitz and glamour.
  New Zealand will always struggle due to size, limited resources and isolated location, Australia suffers much the same with regards to isolated location. Such is life. The original founders across both sides of the Tasmanrecognised this which is why they incorporated the ability for both countries to unite but political idiots latter on got all nationalistic to suck in voters and screwed it all up. The spirit of ANZAC was basically killed by lying ass hat politicians.
  
  --
  Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
18. Re:Future historians will be confused by tehcyder · 2012-10-11 22:50 · Score: 1
  
  This is why I come to slashdot. Random cool stuff, written right now by actual humans (MS VB ShillBots aside) that I never would have heard about any other way. Good post, thanks. :-)
  You make it sound like details of the NZ economy are some exotic pieces of information you'd never have come across otherwise.
  
  Don't you ever read newspapers or look at internet news sites beyond the first couple of headlines?
  
  --
  To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
Soylent Green by thomasdz · 2012-10-11 03:13 · Score: 4, Funny

Personally, I'd grind my hobbits into a paste and sell it as health food. I'd make millions!

--
Karma: Excellent. 15 moderator points expire sometime.
1. Re:Soylent Green by tepples · 2012-10-11 03:16 · Score: 1
  
  Let me guess: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, except the hobbits in that book are called Eloi and the orcs called Morlocks.
2. Re:Soylent Green by dkleinsc · 2012-10-11 03:25 · Score: 2
  
  Grima, is that you?
  
  --
  I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
3. Re:Soylent Green by wonkey_monkey · 2012-10-11 04:30 · Score: 2
  
  I'd boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew.
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
turning hobbits into cash? by hamburger+lady · 2012-10-11 03:16 · Score: 4, Informative

is that like turning smurfs into gold? cause remember you need six of em.

--

---
Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!
1. Re:turning hobbits into cash? by sootman · 2012-10-11 08:54 · Score: 1
  
  > is that like turning smurfs into gold? cause
  > remember you need six of em.
  > Score:4, Informative
  I <3 /.
  
  --
  Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
Miss opportunity. by Dyinobal · 2012-10-11 03:23 · Score: 4, Interesting

They really missed an opportunity here, they could of minted coins that are meant to appear as if they had come from Smaug's Horde. I'd pay for a coin that was cast to look as if it had come from the lonely mountain.
Maybe I'm just a big nerd but I honestly don't think commemorative character coins are all that interesting. Give me something that is anchored in the story
1. Re:Miss opportunity. by EricTheGreen · 2012-10-11 03:36 · Score: 1
  
  And just imagine what they'd get for the Arkenstone....
2. Re:Miss opportunity. by chaos_technique · 2012-10-11 04:00 · Score: 1
  
  Hoard! (and this comes from a cheese eating surrender grammar nazi monkey)
  
  --
  Singe capitulard mangeur de fromage
3. Re:Miss opportunity. by Dyinobal · 2012-10-11 04:01 · Score: 1
  
  ah damn you're right sorry. Must be a hold over from my world of warcraft phase.
4. Re:Miss opportunity. by ColdWetDog · 2012-10-11 05:57 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe they should try their hands at rings. They have a volcano or two around there, do they not?
  
  --
  Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
5. Re:Miss opportunity. by pjt33 · 2012-10-11 08:36 · Score: 1
  
  They're late to the party. I saw the One Ring for sale in a souk in Muscat about seven years ago. In fact, that shop had at least two of them...
6. Re:Miss opportunity. by Macgrrl · 2012-10-11 11:58 · Score: 1
  
  Weta workshop had a number of 'One Ring's for sale that were made to the same specifications as those used in the film. I bought one for my husband a few years back. At the time they were out of gold rings in his size and we bought a silver ring. He recently got it electroplated with gold, it kept the engraving beautifully.
  
  --
  Sara
  Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
Anyone still fall for the commemorative coin scam? by Squidlips · 2012-10-11 03:24 · Score: 1

This is one of the oldest investment scams in the world. Who would be stupid enough to buy these...oh wait...
Re:Question for the fans. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-11 03:25 · Score: 1

And yet you care enough to point out how you don't know and bitch on here...
Wrong dimension in mind by RobertLTux · 2012-10-11 03:25 · Score: 1

You have the Early/Ancient Earth then Middle Earth and Late Earth ----this is NOW

--
Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
Forged in Mount Doom! by KatchooNJ · 2012-10-11 03:26 · Score: 4, Interesting

I can already envision the corny TV commercial hawking these things. If they showed the orcs producing the coins like they were churning out weapons in the movies, that would be pure perfection.

--
"Never give up, for that is just the time and place when the tide will change." -Harriet Beecher Stowe ^_^
Running Man by Ol+Biscuitbarrel · 2012-10-11 03:27 · Score: 1

How about a Most Dangerous Game Show? I'd buy that for a Sackville!
"Depicting Characters from the Book" by CanHasDIY · 2012-10-11 03:29 · Score: 1

The nation is releasing special commemorative coins depicting the actors who played the characters in the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved book

FTFY.

--
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
1. Re:"Depicting Characters from the Book" by magarity · 2012-10-11 04:44 · Score: 1
  
  depicting the actors who played the characters in the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved book
  That's how they get around paying Tolkien's estate. Otherwise the licensing would definitely make NZ come out in the red from the project.
2. Re:"Depicting Characters from the Book" by crunchygranola · 2012-10-11 05:33 · Score: 1
  
  depicting the actors who played the characters in the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved book
  That's how they get around paying Tolkien's estate. Otherwise the licensing would definitely make NZ come out in the red from the project.
  Wait a second. The actors control their own image for commercial purposes also. Why is there cut necessarily smaller? If Tolkien's estate wants some more scratch they can negotiated a deal that keeps NZ in the black also. Now they are getting 100% of nothing.
  
  --
  Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
3. Re:"Depicting Characters from the Book" by CanHasDIY · 2012-10-11 06:11 · Score: 1
  
  That's how they get around paying Tolkien's estate.
  How so? As The Hobbit is not illustrated, NZ coin designers would otherwise have to create the characters in their own vision, which would be considered an independent work, and thus, not subject to royalty.
  
  Or I haven't had nearly enough caffeine today and thus, am way off base. So it goes.
  
  --
  An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Re:Question for the fans. by blueg3 · 2012-10-11 03:30 · Score: 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-earth#Etymology
Re:Question for the fans. by EricTheGreen · 2012-10-11 03:32 · Score: 1

Sorta "middle" as in "between heaven and hell", with less a theological slant and more of a "where men lead their lives, between the worlds of the rest of the universe". If you know Norse mythology at all, think of Midgard (the "middle world", home of plain ol' humanity) vs. Jotunheim, Alfheim, Asgard, etc.
Hobbit Port by bosef1 · 2012-10-11 03:33 · Score: 1

Is this like Settlers of Catan, only instead of a sheep port, you have a hobbit port? "I'll get wood for two hobbits," indeed.
1. Re:Hobbit Port by dkleinsc · 2012-10-11 06:52 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  "I'll get wood for two hobbits," indeed.
  Kinky.
  
  --
  I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
For a second I thought... by Razgorov+Prikazka · 2012-10-11 03:38 · Score: 1

That Gargamel was finally successful replacing smurfs with hobbits...

--
rm -rf --no-preserve-root / ...and let /dev/null sort them out...
Alternative Article Title by RivenAleem · 2012-10-11 03:40 · Score: 1

"Current Length of Copyright Allows Authors to Print Own Money (from beyond the grave)"
Re:Headlines by TWX · 2012-10-11 03:49 · Score: 1

Soylent Greenbacks! It's made of short people!

--
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
Are the real currency? by Zcar · 2012-10-11 03:53 · Score: 1

Are these official New Zealand currency (typically minted by the Royal Mint in the UK or the Royal Canadian Mint), or commemoratives produced by the New Zealand Mint, a private company which doesn't produce New Zealand's currency?
1. Re:Are the real currency? by DiSKiLLeR · 2012-10-11 06:42 · Score: 1
  
  I thought NZ Currency was minted in Australia.
  For the longest time NZ had the exact same coins as Australia.
  
  --
  You can tell how powerful someone is by the magnitude of the crime they can commit and be able to get away with.
2. Re:Are the real currency? by Zcar · 2012-10-11 07:27 · Score: 1
  
  But where? It's not clear from the article. As far as I can tell, the New Zealand Mint doesn't produce any legal New Zealand tender, but they do produce legal tender commemoratives for other South Pacific countries, e.g. Fiji. And, this sort of coin looks like it's right up their alley with their Muhammed Ali, Star Wars, etc. coin sets. They could be legal tender on Pitcairn Island.
  Per the Reserve Bank of New Zealand coins have been minted at (as of 2009):
  Royal Mint: 1967, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
  Royal Australian Mint: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1988
  Royal Canadian Mint: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 2000, 2006, 2007 and 2008
  Norwegian Mint: 1996 and 1997 (Cupro-Nickel coins only)
  South African Mint Company: 1997 ($2 coins only), 1998, and 1999
3. Re:Are the real currency? by SplashMyBandit · 2012-10-11 07:32 · Score: 1
  
  Dunno about the coins but the 'paper' (plastic) notes get printed in Singapore, although may have moved to Hong Kong now.
4. Re:Are the real currency? by rossdee · 2012-10-11 08:26 · Score: 1
  
  "For the longest time NZ had the exact same coins as Australia."
  When was this? The 19th century
  NZ coins had their own designs way back in the days before decimal currency. I remember there was a Tui on the Penny
  You could find them as radding in the back of D cell torches
  I wonder how much my 1940 Centennial Half-Crown is worth these days
5. Re:Are the real currency? by bruce_the_loon · 2012-10-11 09:21 · Score: 1
  
  The article says the coins are legal tender if that answers your question.
  
  --
  Trying to become famous by taking photos. Visit my homepage please.
6. Re:Are the real currency? by compro01 · 2012-10-11 11:07 · Score: 1
  
  I believe current NZ coins are made by the Royal Canadian Mint. We make a lot of countries coins as they invented some interesting electroplating technique that makes nice looking plated steel coins that are difficult to counterfeit.
  
  --
  upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
7. Re:Are the real currency? by jrumney · 2012-10-11 12:46 · Score: 1
  
  Commemorative coins are legal tender. They are seldom used as such, since their market value is usually higher than their face value. Though sometimes they have been released into the market by Post Office counters giving them as change, and you do see the odd one in circulation for a while after release.
Re:Don't they realize who they're competing with n by atrain728 · 2012-10-11 03:56 · Score: 1

They're called Amnesians, and they have a hard time remembering.
Re:Headlines by azalin · 2012-10-11 04:09 · Score: 1

Isn't that basically the reoccurring storyline of the Smurfs?
Re:Don't they realize who they're competing with n by azalin · 2012-10-11 04:10 · Score: 1

I don't want Polynesians or Micronesians ... where are the regular Nesians?
They live in a certain Loch in Scotland
One does not simply . . . by pariahdecss · 2012-10-11 04:25 · Score: 1

. . . turn Hobbits into cash - it is actually a pretty involved process like breeding an army of Uruk-Hai - lots of resources and planning
Re:Anyone still fall for the commemorative coin sc by magarity · 2012-10-11 04:42 · Score: 1

The ones that just have face value are only have "collectable" value, yes, but the one that's pure gold could probably be classed as an actual investment.
Re:Warning to Tourists by Sulphur · 2012-10-11 04:48 · Score: 1

Remember folks, visiting New "Middle Earth" Zealand is all fun and games until a Ringwraith shows up in your hotel room.
And gets on your coins.
Re:Anyone still fall for the commemorative coin sc by mcgrew · 2012-10-11 05:58 · Score: 1

A Brit gave me a coin (I believe it's legal tender but I don't remember) commemorating Charles and Diane's wedding back in the early eighties, is it worth anything?

--
Free Martian Whores!
All Blacks by trandles · 2012-10-11 06:12 · Score: 1

I always knew the All Blacks were created by Saruman at Isengard.
Re:Warning to Tourists by DiSKiLLeR · 2012-10-11 06:43 · Score: 1

Remember folks, visiting New "Middle Earth" Zealand is all fun and games until a Ringwraith shows up in your hotel room.
Psssh. Nonsense. That kind of stuff never happens here.
Not that often, anyway.

--
You can tell how powerful someone is by the magnitude of the crime they can commit and be able to get away with.
Quite a "collector's Item" by kjshark · 2012-10-11 07:05 · Score: 1

You'd getting 1 oz gold in a $3,695.00 coin. Granted there's numismatic value, but at ( spot price last I checked ) $1767, that's quite a markup.

--
The difference between truth and fiction is that fiction has to be plausible.
1. Re:Quite a "collector's Item" by compro01 · 2012-10-11 11:10 · Score: 1
  
  That's 3,695 NZD.
  It's "only" $3,021 USD.
  
  --
  upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
ANY OLD HOBBIT! by gijoel · 2012-10-11 07:36 · Score: 1

ANY OLD HOBBIT!
ANY OLD HOBBIT!
ANY OLD HOBBIT!

We pay cash for any old hobbit! Go to tradeahobbit.com
With Xena-Gabby kiss follow up series by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · 2012-10-11 07:45 · Score: 1

Good luck surpassing the success of New Zealand's previous commerative stamp collection: The Large, Dark-Brown Areolae of Xena: Warrior Princess

--
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Smurfs by SharpFang · 2012-10-11 08:16 · Score: 1

I know Gargamel was trying to catch the Smurfs to turn them into gold. But Hobbits?!

--
45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
Re:Anyone still fall for the commemorative coin sc by pjt33 · 2012-10-11 08:38 · Score: 1

They're going for about 5 GBP on eBay, so don't get your hopes up.
'actual cash'... well that's an odd image by PJ6 · 2012-10-11 13:48 · Score: 1

The title had me thinking of a scene out of The Wall, with hobbits on a conveyor belt being dropped into a grinder oozing cash out of it.

Never mixed Pink Floyd with Tolkien before. I usually don't get really creative, screwed up images like that unless I'm dreaming. Thanks, Slashdot!