The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring — Frodo and Samwise (Silver Proof, Colour)

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first part of Peter Jackson's film trilogy based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings; the film reached cinemas in 2001 and began the journey in which the hobbit Frodo Baggins takes on the burden of the Ring of Power. From the very start he is accompanied by his gardener and loyal friend Samwise Gamgee. It is this friendship, rather than the might of arms, that becomes the main support of the march to Mount Doom.

In 2026, for the 25th anniversary of the film, The Royal Mint continued its seven-coin collection of 50p coins made with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products: after the One Ring came two new Fellowship of the Ring coins — this one, with Frodo and Sam, and the Sauron coin. The reverse shows the heroes shoulder to shoulder in portrait view, and the legend “The Lord of the Rings — The Fellowship of the Ring” is rendered in colour (on the gold version without colour printing).

The key moment of the book and the film is the Council of Elrond in Rivendell, where the fate of the Ring is decided. When neither Elves, Dwarves nor Men will take it up, Frodo volunteers: “I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way.” Thus the Fellowship of the Ring of nine companions is formed — Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas and Gimli. Sam, who refuses to let his master go alone, stays with him to the end of the road, right up to the slopes of Mount Doom, which is why the two hobbits are shown together on the coin rather than separately.

The film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released in December 2001 and won four Academy Awards — for cinematography, make-up, Howard Shore's score and visual effects; the trilogy as a whole won seventeen Oscars. It is to this anniversary that the Royal Mint timed the new collection of 50p coins: it will include seven coins, issued over three years on the anniversaries of the three films. The coins are struck in the distinctive heptagonal shape of the British 50p, traditional for the mint's themed issues based on books and film universes.

The silver version is struck in .925 sterling silver to Proof quality with colour printing: weight 8.00 g, diameter 27.30 mm. The maximum mintage in the Royal Mint specification is 7,513 pieces (stated limit 7,500). It is supplied in an acrylic block within a two-piece box sleeve. The launch price was £99.50. Such silver 50p coins are issued by the mint in small numbers and are aimed first of all at collectors.

Obverse

The obverse is the official side. The current coin portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings: the king is shown uncrowned, facing left. The legend reads CHARLES III·D·G·REX·F·D· — “Charles III, by the grace of God King, Defender of the Faith”; below are the denomination 50 PENCE and the year 2026. The coin is a curved equilateral heptagon with a plain edge.

Reverse

The reverse is the story side. Portrait views of Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee standing shoulder to shoulder, in their screen likeness from Peter Jackson's trilogy; around them runs the legend “The Lord of the Rings — The Fellowship of the Ring”. The legend is coloured by colour printing.