Lord of the Rings - The Hobbit - An Overview.

This page is an update of the post I first did in 2012. I have decided to include all the stamps relating to all six movies. This page will then act as a summary to all my posts as well as providing an overview of all the stamps issued. 
When you take all these stamps and put them together they make an impressive collection, really displaying Peter Jackson's version of J.R.R. Tolkien's characters. I like the long rectangular shape of the stamps which have been used in both portrait and landscape formats to achieve great results. I also like how NZ Post has chosen to use this same format for the Hobbit movies as well.
For a collection of all the miniature sheets released with these issues,
view our post 2016 A Journey Through Middle-earth.

2001 - Fellowship of the Ring.
      In December 2001 the movie "The Fellowship of the Ring", based on the first of the J.R.R. Tolkien books, was released. This movie had been entirely filmed and produced in New Zealand. To mark the release of this movie, on the 4th of December, NZ Post issued a series of postage stamps featuring scenes from the "Fellowship of the Ring."
        For a more detailed look at the stamp issue see my post 2001 Lord of the Rings I.

                                      
Gandalf & Saruman - 40c.                                             The Lady Galadriel - 80c. 

                                                           
 Guardian of Rivendell - $1.30.                                                                       Strider - $1.50.         


Sam and Frodo - 90c.


 
Bonomir, son of Denethor - $2.00.


2002 - The Two Towers.
         The following year saw the release of the second film, "The Two Towers," and again NZ Post issued a set of stamps on the 4th of December to mark this event.
         For a more detailed look at the stamp issue see my post 2002 Lord of the Rings II.

Aragorn and Eowyn - 40c.


 
Orc Raider - 80c.


                                                      
Gandalf the White - 90c.                                                            Frodo is Captured - $1.50.


The Easterlings - $1.30.


 
The Shield Maiden of Rohan - $2.00.


2003 - Return of the King.
       The third and final movie "The Return of the King" was released in 2003 and again NZ Post released a stamp issue to mark this event.
        For a more detailed look at the stamp issue see my post 2003 Lord of the Rings III. 

                                                          
Legolas - 40c.                                                                                   Frodo - 80c.


                     
      Aragorn - $1.30.                                 Gandalf the White - $1.50.


Merry and Pippin - 90c.


 
Gollum - $2.00.


2004 - Landscapes of Middle-Earth.
         Following the success of three Lord of the Rings stamp issues celebrating the three movies NZ Post decided to issue one further series in 2004 featuring landscapes of Middle-Earth. The set of eight stamps depicted 4 different landscapes each as they appeared in the trilogy and as they appear today.  The locations are given below the stamps.

        For a more detailed look at the stamp issue see my post 2004 Landscapes of Middle-Earth. 
  

The Ford of Bruinen - 45c.                       Slippers Canyon (near Queenstown) - 45. 



 South of Rivendell - 90c.                                  Mount Olympus (National Park) - 90c.

 Edoras  - $1.50.                                          Erewhon (Southern Alps) $1.50.

Emyn Mull - $2.00.                                        Tongariro National Park - $2.00.

 2012  The Hobbit I - An Unexpected Journey.
Finally in 2013 Peter Jackson returned to the works of  J.R.R. Tolkien to make movies of his book, The Hobbit. Like the Lord of the Rings, this book will be divided into three movies, released over the period of 3 years.
        For a more detailed look at the stamp issue see my post 2012 The Hobbit. I
  

                   
Bilbo Baggins - 70c.                                        Gollum - $1.40.
Gandalf - $1.90.
Thorin Oakenshield - $2.10.
                                             
Radagast - $2.40.                                                                 Elrond - $2.90.


2013 The Hobbit II - The Desolation of Smaug.
          Here is Peter Jackson's second Hobbit movie. Probably the best part was Smaug the dragon but I was disappointed he never appeared on one of the stamps. For a more detailed look at this stamp issue see my post 2013 The Hobbit. II

                                                            
'Thorin Oakenshield - 70c.                                                                         Gandalf - $1.40.     


Tauriel - $1.90.
Bilbo Baggins - $2.10.
                                                            
Legolas Greenleaf - $2.40.                                                                Bard the Bowman - $2.90.


2014 The Hobbit - Personalised Stamps.
A rather interesting issue consisting of a collector miniature sheet and the editor to make some great personalised stamp by turning your photograph into a dwarf. For more on this set go to 2014 - The Hobbit Personalised Stamps.


 2014 The Hobbit III - The Battle of the Five Armies.

 Here we are at the final Hobbit movie. It will be interesting to see if this will be the final issue of stamps. After the third Lord of the Rings movie NZ Post did a set on locations of Middle-Earth so I am wondering if they might do something similar next year too.
For a more detailed look at this stamp issue see my post 2014 The Hobbit. III
                                   
         80c – Smaug.                                                      $1.40 – Bilbo Baggins.

$2.00 – Gandalf.

$2.10 – Thranduil.

                                        
$2.50 – Bard the Bowman.                                            $3.00 – Tauriel.

$2.50 – Bag End.

 2016 A Journey Through Middle-earth.
(Special Collectables)
In the depths of Mount NZ Post, designers were secretly at work crafting the master stamp, the one stamp that would rule other Lord of the Ring / The Hobbit stamps.

"One Stamp to rule them all,
One Stamp to find them,
One Stamp to bring them all and
in this blog page bind them."

Unnumbered mint gummed miniature sheet featuring the ‘One Ring’ embossed in 22 carat gold foil.

Limited edition book containing a complete set of individually numbered miniature sheets produced by New Zealand Post for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogies (37 miniature sheets).



Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ

You can visit their web site and On-line Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/