2003 Topps Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Checklist, Trading Cards Details

February 15, 2016

2003-Lord-of-the-Rings-Return-of-the-King-Feature

If it worked for the first two movies, why change it for the third? 2003 Topps Lord of the Rings: Return of the King trading cards feature a format similar to the ones used for both Fellowship and The Two Towers.

The 90-card base set mains the same feel as earlier sets. Character cards give way to plot highlights. That said, some effects and points are save for the Update set.

Autographs are, once again, the primary chase. Landing one per box, many key actors are included on the checklist. Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis, Christopher Lee and Live Tyler are all back. However, the combination of repeat signers and not quite the same top-line depth as the first two sets may make this group seem a little weaker.

Ten Prismatic Foil cards are the only other in-pack inserts.

2003 Topps Lord of the Rings: Return of the King hobby boxes have one of three box loaders as well.

A binder was released for the set, but only in the UK. Each has nine exclusive cards that go together to make a puzzle.

2003 Topps Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Checklist

Click on links to shop for cards or check current market values on eBay.

Cards per pack: 7
Packs per box: 36 – hobby, 24 – retail
Boxes per case: 8
Release Date: November, 2003

Shop for 2003 Topps Lord of the Rings: Return of the King boxes on eBay.

Base Set

90 cards.

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2003 Lord of the Rings Return of the King Base

1 Gandalf
2 Frodo
3 Sam
4 Aragorn
5 Legolas
6 Gimli
7 Théoden
8 Éowyn
9 Éomer
10 Denethor
11 Faramir
12 Arwen
13 Pippin
14 Merry
15 The Witch-King
16 Elrond
17 Gollum
18 Sauron
19 Journey To Mount Doom
20 Friend Against Friend
21 Gollum’s Scheme
22 Victory Celebration
23 Pippin’s Folly
24 Fool Of A Took!
25 A New Danger
26 In Aragorn’s Care
27 Under A Wizard’s Wing
28 A Farewell To Friends
29 Escape From Osgiliath
30 Deadly Fellbeast Attack

31 Addressing King Denethor
32 What The Wizard Sees
33 Gandalf’s Plan
34 Lighting The Beacon
35 The Signal At Last
36 Leaving Edoras
37 The Road To Gondor
38 Return To Rivendell
39 The Sword Reborn
40 Faramir’s Suicide Mission
41 Monarch…Or Madman?
42 Dunharrow Encampment
43 A King’s Counsel
44 Anduril Bestowed
45 The Trio United
46 Fortress Of Evil
47 A Dangerous Trek
48 The Lord of Minas Morgul
49 Kingdom Under Siege
50 Rallying His Warriors
51 Barbarians At The Gates
52 Paths Of The Dead
53 “What Say You?”
54 King Théoden’s Crusade
55 Battle Of Pelennor Fields
56 The Rohan Offensive
57 An Army Of Monsters
58 Victory Or Death!
59 Whither Minas Tirith?
60 A Premature Funeral

61 Battling The Witch-king
62 Rescuing Faramir
63 Arwen Imperiled
64 Lured Into Death’s Domain
65 A Gift Against Darkness
66 The Threat Of Shelob
67 A Narrow Escape?
68 Captured By Orcs
69 Gorbag’s Prey
70 The Wounds Of War
71 United Against Sauron
72 Their Greatest Challenge
73 March On The Black Gates
74 Orcs Against Them
75 Fury Of The White Wizard
76 The King Has Returned
77 Decision At Mount Doom
78 The Trilogy Concludes
79 Movie Masterpiece
80 The Truth About Gollum
81 Making Up An Orc
82 Filmmaker In The Field
83 A Poet’s Approach
84 Making The Unreal Real
85 The Magic Of Blue Screen
86 Filming Pippin’s Perils
87 A Fateful Friendship
88 Master Of Middle-earth
89 Ghoulish Delights
90 Checklist

Autographs

16 cards, 1:36 hobby packs, 1:122 retail packs.

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2003 Lord of the Rings Return of the King Autographs Christopher Lee

Hopkins, Makoare and Ure only in Wave 2 boxes. Lee slightly short-printed compared to others (1:606 hobby, 1:2,059 retail).

Sean Astin as Sam
Billy Boyd as Pippin
Bernard Hill as Théoden
Ian Holm as Bilbo
Bruce Hopkins as Gamling
Christopher Lee as Saruman
Lawrence Makoare as The Witch-King
Bret McKenzie as Figwit
Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn
John Noble as Denethor
Andy Serkis as Gollum
Richard Taylor from WETA
Liv Tyler as Arwen
Karl Urban as Éomer
Stephen Ure as Gorbag
David Wenham as Faramir