Eaglemoss lord of the rings chess set

Top Lord of the Rings Chess Set

1. ​​Lord of the Rings Chess Set from Noble Collection (A Collector's Item)

The Set’s Details

• Materials: Cold cast porcelain and pewter.
• Dimensions: 15” x 15” x 4.5”
• Pieces height: 2-3 inches
• Made by: Noble Collection

Do you remember when we mentioned that some of these chess sets are subtle in their LOTR styling? Well, this is not one of those subtle designs.

This chess set is a high-end piece made using the very best materials. It is nothing short of a work of art that shows in detail, the journey that was undertaken by Frodo and his friends, the enemies he meets and his ultimate destination at Mordor, to destroy the One Ring.

Below the playing surface, you will find a map of Middle-earth. The base has images of the most notable characters and scenes from the films. They are all made out of fine pewter.

The Pieces

Each of the pieces measures between 2-3 inches in height. The pieces are all carved out in perfect precision to resemble the actors who played the characters in the films. The board is an authorized chess set approved by all of the actors, which is why it is as accurate as possible.

Some of the pieces you will have the pleasure to play with include Aragorn, Arwen, Gandalf, Galadriel, Saruman, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Lurtz, Boromir, and four unique orcs, Orthanc Tower, Cave Troll, and Uruk Hai.

The Set’s Design

The board itself measures 15 by 4.5 inches. The top, where the pieces go, is Plexiglas and the rest of it is porcelain (cold cast). The Plexiglas and the design of the chess set prevent it from damage when you play.

Around the perimeter, you will see niches carved out where you can place the pieces after you are playing. It is quite an impressive set.

To differentiate the sides, the hero pieces have a green ring around their bases, while the villain pieces have a purple ring around their base.

Pros

• The board is very detailed
• The display is amazing
• It is a rare piece (collector’s edition)
• It is the real thing, signed off by the people behind the films

Cons

• It is rather small
• The bases might fall off after a while

Even with the minor flaws, it might have, this particular board is the closest thing you can come to perfection if you are looking for a LOTR chess set.

​Lord of the Rings Chess Set from Noble Collection

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2. ​Eaglemoss Lord of the Rings Chess Set

The Set’s Details

• Materials: Heavy plastic and metallic resin
• Pieces: Figurine (metallic resin)
• Dimensions: 20.47” x 20.47”
• Made by: Eaglemoss Collection

This chess set follows a more traditional but beautiful design, which stays true to the LOTR theme. This particular set is one of a three-set series made by the same manufacturer, featuring a separate collection of characters, each on uniquely styled boards.

In all honesty, the Eaglemoss Collector's set is a worthy chess set, which you can buy as an addition to the Noble Collection's version.

The Chess Set
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As a luxury chess set, the Eaglemoss makes this list because it strived to get the classic traditional look right, while also being very true to the LOTR theme.

The chess set is made of a heavy plastic material.

As for the characters, each one is a well-detailed and accurate depiction of the actors you saw in the films. Other decorations on the board include a map of middle earth, carved out on the playing surface. The map has the effect of achieving the look of a great display piece.

The Pieces Design

The best part about this chess set, however, is the pieces' design. All the familiar characters from the films are present in the collection of the pieces. The characters are painstakingly reproducedfor a level of perfection that is rare.

The level of detail achieved on these lead & resin pieces will appeal to anyone, even the players who are not fans of the LOTR story.

For the pieces alone, it can be argued that the chess set is worth the asking price.

The Eaglemoss version comes with a booklet that introduces you to the series and gives character introductions for each of the pieces.

Pros

• This board has some of the most detailed pieces.
• The design is more traditional.
• The pieces are accurate.
• It is bigger than the Noble Collection version.

Cons

• The level of overall detail is less copious than the Noble Collections version.

You will be hard-pressed to find a bad review of this chess set. It is as classic as they get without losing the LOTR aesthetic.

Eaglemoss Lord of the Rings Chess Set

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3. ​​Artschess Lord of The Rings

The Set’s Details

• Materials: Wooden board
• Pieces: Figurine (resin pieces)
• Dimensions: 14.5” x 14.5”
• Made by: Artschess

If you are looking for a combination of exquisite art and a great price, the Artschess board is the one to buy. The set is affordable. Unless you want to get something that will see frequent use, this board, made of hardwood, is what you will need.

The Board Design
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It has a great playing surface that measures about 11 inches square. The board is about 2.5 inches in height. The board itself is made of a hardwood, polished to a golden brown color, with a chequered finish.

The board opens up to reveal a foam storage compartment that will house all the pieces in cur-outs for each of the individual characters.

The Pieces Design
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When it comes to the pieces, the makers use resin to create a level of detail that is hard to achieve with most materials. The pieces feature every major character from the series. As with most of the others, it has the heroes on one side and the villains on the other side.

Unlike the other boards where the colors are singular, the splash of color on this one is quite visible and eye-catching. It will not be distracting though; the pieces are designed so you know which ones are on your side of the board.

User-Friendly
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All pawn pieces on each side are played using the same character. A pair of a single character represents the knight, bishops and rook pairs. The design makes it easy to know which character plays which part, unlike the other boards on this lost.

Furthermore, the pieces have small icons on each of them, to show their roles on the board. Even someone who has never heard of the world of LOTR can play without any problems at all.

Pros

• The pieces have icons for ease of use.
• The board design is made in the classic chess style.
• The pieces are colored in the same style as the films.
• The board opens up to reveal a pieces storage compartment.

Cons

• Being wooden comes with a lot of responsibility to keep it in top-notch condition.

As you will find out, the work that went into making this particular board, takes into account the classic style of chess and figurines design.

Artschess Lord of The Rings

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​What We Looked At​

The criteria for picking out the best chess sets takes experience and an expert understanding of the following things:

1. Material

Chess sets come in different materials. As a player, the material a chess set is made out of will be one of the first things you have to consider. Some materials last longer than others do. However, in choosing the material of your chess set, you will need to consider things like the kind of work you will need to put into maintaining them.

Metal chess pieces last longer than the plastic ones. However, they need to be cleaned using unique and specific methods to make sure that they retain their value.

2. Style and Design

The LOTR chess sets may share the same theme but they have differences in style. You will find many variations. Some of the chess sets you will encounter immediately jump out at you as being LOTR-themed.

Other are more subtle and follow the traditional, simplistic route of a regular chess set. The subtle kind will need a closer inspection for you to realize the design has LOTR themes as the inspiration.

​3. Price

Some of the LOTR-themed chess sets are pure works of art and the price is set to reflect that fact. Any of the Lord of the Rings chess sets on this list are verifiable works of art, each in their own right.

You might not be able to get the one from Noble Collection, it tops the list, but the rest are not sloppy either. They are all creations that truly reflect the vision of the LOTR series.