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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Tom Maringer, post: 179336, member: 7033&quot;]Okay, I&#039;ll give it a go. One Shire silver penny to the person who can name the ponies that were stolen from the travellers at Bree. </p><p><br /></p><p>Background:&nbsp; This is related to THE LORD OF THE RINGS by professor J.R.R. Tolkien. This was the fictional coin that inspired me to get into coinmaking in the first place! In the story, the traveller&#039;s ponies are stolen while they are staying the night in Bree, and they are forced the next day to purchase a pony for the outrageous sum of twelve silver pennies to carry the baggage for their continued journey. I was initially shocked that twelve silver pennies would seem like a lot for a pony... and so began to research the cost of livestock and the value of silver coins in medieval times. Eventually I produced this coin in collaboration with master engraver Greg-Franck-Weiby. </p><p><br /></p><p>About the coin: It is dated 1402 (by the Shire Reckoning) and bears inscriptions in the Tengwar mode and the Kuduk tongue. It weighs about 6.2 grams of 90% coin silver and is about 23mm (15/16&quot;) in diameter. It is in VF or better heavily-circulated condition and shows some original cracking of the silver at the edge due to the great force of striking. The Oak tree on obverse (the first thing to wear away in circulation) is clearly visible. Though I have made a hundred or more other coin designs, because of its link to the story this one is considered by many to be the ultra-classic issue from Shire Post. An image of it appears on the cover of the 4th edition of Unusual World Coins where it is listed as X#23 on page 339.</p><p><br /></p><p>So there it is! Please send the answers to me by private message to avoid giving clues to others. I will post the answers and the reference for them once the contest is over. One silver penny to the first person who sends me a private message with the correct list of names of the ponies that were stolen at Bree. Hint: Watching the Peter Jackson film will NOT help you, as this is one of the episodes that he left out of the screenplay! Winner to provide a mailing address so I can send your coin. </p><p><br /></p><p>Good luck![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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