10 Most Valuable Lord of the Rings Memorabilia
Lord of the Rings is arguably the greatest fantasy franchise of all time with a series of beloved books, movies, TV shows, and games to its name. Although it was already popular due to the work of the legendary writer J.R.R. Tolkien, it became a household name because of the movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson.
With such massive success came many different items of memorabilia, which have been the subject of widespread obsession amongst collectors and fans. Some of these items have been the subject of competitive auctions and buyers have spent plenty of their hard earned money to get their hands on a piece of history. While props used in the filming of the movies are incredibly valuable, they have been excluded from this list because they are almost impossible to get your hands on. With that in mind, here is the most valuable Lord of the Rings memorabilia.
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Dark Lord Sauron 1/4 Statue Prime 1 Studio
Outside of signatures, another type of memorabilia that always carries a large value is statues and figurines. When you combine this type of item with an iconic character in one of the biggest media franchises on Earth, you get one of the most expensive collectibles out there. This statue of the dark lord Sauron stands at 43 inches tall with exceptional detail, accuracy, and quality. True fans will want to bid on this statue for just under $2,000.
Item Value: $1,860
Check Out: 5 Most Valuable Star Wars Action Figures (You Probably Never Owned)
9. Weta Staff of Saruman replica collectible
We have already spoken about one iconic villain and here we have another collectible related to a different villain. This replica of Saruman’s spear is a fantastic piece in any Lord of the Rings’ fans collection since it features movie-accurate detailing. With an illuminated globe at the head of the staff, this item can fetch almost $3,000 at auction.
Item Value: $2,500
8. The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien, Rare 1968 Pleasure in Reading edition
The Lord of the Rings is part of the universe that J.R.R. Tolkien first established with his classic book, The Hobbit in 1937. Since this is such an important piece of literature, early editions of it can be incredibly rare. One of the more sought versions of The Hobbit is the Pleasure in Reading edition, which features a distinctive illustration of the dragon Smaug on its cover. Alongside that, this book is a first edition and comes with map illustrations within its endpapers, making it incredibly valuable.
Item Value: ~$2,600
7. Lord of the Rings Fellowship Rings Auto Dominic Monaghan Merry FOTR
When you think about expensive items of memorabilia, autographs should instantly come to mind. Getting a signature from a famous cast member would elevate the value of any item and this next entry is a classic example of that. One of the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings movies is called Merry, portrayed by Dominic Monoghan. This authentic autograph card features a portrait of the character with the autograph itself framed by the One Ring.
Item Value: ~$2,600
Check Out: 5 Best AEW Action Figures For Collectors (And Fans)
6. The Shards Of Narsil Limited Edition Replica
In the Lord of the Rings universe, “The Shards of Narsil” are the shattered pieces of the sword Narsil, which comes from the King of Gondor, Elendil. The shards were kept in Minas Tirith until an heir of Elendil could fight another great evil. In The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn carries the relic and then puts together the sword to claim his birthright as the King of Gondor.
As a result, replicas of The Shards of Narsil are extremely popular among fans. For example, this limited edition replica comes with a case, a realistic-looking sword as it appears in the film, and authentic papers and fact sheets. It was designed by production artist, John Howe, making it a valuable collectible and expensive treasure to protect in your own home.
Item value: $2,995
5. RALPH BAKSHI’S “THE LORD OF THE RINGS”: ICONIC MIKE PLOOG ROUGH PROMOTIONAL ART
Before Peter Jackson’s blockbuster movie trilogy, Ralph Bakshi directed an animated version of The Lord of the Rings in 1978. As part of this project, he had a series of promotional artworks produced to help market the movie. One of these rough promotional pieces emerged on the market from the director’s collection, selling for an eye-watering price. It features the fellowship of the ring in outline detail, showcasing the development of the promotional material.
Item Value: $3,500
4. Weta the Staff of Radagast replica collectible
You saw in a previous entry how expensive replica items can be and here we have another example of that with Radagast’s staff. It features a wood effect staff cast from the original mold of the actual movie prop. Alongside a detachable crystal, this is one of the most valuable Lord of the Rings memorabilia items ever made.
Item Value: $3,500
3. The Lord of The Rings First Edition 1955 by JRR Tolkien
We have already mentioned that first edition Lord of The Rings novels can sell for an extremely high amount but this next entry takes that to the next level. This fantastic 1955 published trilogy set features iconic and emblematic cover art on the original jacket sleeves. In addition to this, the set comes with striking red covers that would be the envy of any literary fan. Collectors know the worth of not only one first edition book, but especially, a trilogy.
Item Value: $4,000
2. Balrog Lord Of The Rings 2002 Sideshow Weta Polystone Statue
Villains have already proven popular on this list and this next item is a fantastic statue of one of the franchise’s most iconic monsters. It features the Balrog in exceptional detail with vibrant orange coloring for the fiery elements of the creature. It is manufactured from heavyweight polystone and presented on an impressive base stand with a total height of 34cm.
Item Value: $6,000
Also Read: 5 Rarest Disney Pins and Their Values
1. Lord of the Rings Pinball
Perhaps a surprising entry at the top of this list is the official Lord of the Rings pinball machine. Themed entirely around the Lord of the Rings, this machine features some interesting additions that let the player collect souls, avoid the Balrog, face the eye of Sauron, and launch the ball through the iconic One Ring. It’s a much larger piece than the others listed, which is why it can go for $10,000 in an auction. However, those who like collecting at-home arcade games will get a kick out of this unique option.
Item Value: $10,000
In general, Lord of the Rings memorabilia can generate a lot of buzz and bidding at auctions whether that be on eBay or in-person. The reason for this is the massive fanbase that came from the books and movies. Clearly, autographs, replicas, and even games can create demand for fans to own a piece of this beloved fantasy. If you have any of these most valuable Lord of the Rings items or anything similar, they could very well be considered a true collectible and be worth some serious cash.
More About:Rarities