Silver coin notes enjoyed a big flurry of activity just a couple of years ago, headed by the New Zealand Mint and, to a lesser extent, CIT. For a short time, it looked like they were going to be huge, but interest tapered off quickly, resulting in a sparse release schedule these days. That’s a shame, as despite our agreement that these were not the ‘next big thing’, there’s still a welcome place for the format, exemplified by some fine map, and film poster offerings.

MDM also dabble in the format, their latest being a Harry Potter themed three-gram silver note, tagged as the first in a series of multi-franchise issues. The second is now here, and has made the jump to another fantasy universe, Lord of the Rings. It doesn’t seem aimed at any specific book, but rather showcases the legendary ring that sits at the core of this epic literary work.

There’s a colour application on both sides of this prooflike note, and it comes presented in a themed envelope-style sleeve, and with the mintage set at 20,000 pieces. There should be at least one more note to come in this series, one featuring another of the big fantasy franchises.