'The Hobbit' characters on stamps, coins in New Zealand

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The characters from "The Hobbit" sequel are set to appear on stamps and minted coins in New Zealand.
Mail officials have created the postage and currency items, featuring Bilbo Baggins, Thranduil and Azog, to mark the release of the second movie in the trilogy - "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug", reported Contactmusic.
Last year, bosses at the agency released stamps ahead of the first film and this year they will feature new characters, including warrior Tauriel and Bard the Bowman.
A statement from the New Zealand Post's head of stamps and collectibles Simon Allison, read, "We had orders from Kazakhstan, Iceland, Libya, Bolivia and the Canary Islands - there are Hobbit movie fans literally around the globe that can't wait to get hold of the New Zealand Post-produced stamps and coins.

"Based on last year's experience, we know news of this release will spread far and wide and the orders will start pouring in. We'll be shipping Gandalf the Grey to Greece and they'll be going bonkers for Bilbo Baggins first day covers in Brunei," it said.
The movie, which stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom, is set to hit theatres in December.