The sceptre was the chief mark of royalty in
Númenor, the King tells us; and that was also so in
Arnor, whose
kings wore no crown, but bore a single white gem, the Elendilmir, Star of
Elendil, bound on their brows with a silver fillet (I, 157, III, 123, 137, 145). In speaking of a crown (I, 182, 261)
Bilbo no doubt referred to
Gondor; he seems to have become well acquainted with matters concerning
Aragorn's line. The sceptre of Númenor is said to have perished with
Ar-Pharazôn. That of Annúminas was the silver rod of the Lords of Andúnië, and is now perhaps the most ancient work of
Men's hands preserved in
Middle-Earth. It was already more than five thousand years old when
Elrond surrendered it to Aragorn (III, 251). (...)