Well, that could be why within a few decades Balin felt the dwarves had to go reopen the mines of Moria. They needed the riches from there just to keep up with inflation.

very possible. So, how does adding the riches of Moria work into the mix?

During his hajj to Mecca Mansa Musa gave away so much gold he devalued the metal across northern Africa for a decade oops

My roommate returned from a showing the other day saying this was worse than Prometheus. Ouch.

Just got back. I enjoyed it but was constantly saying to myself "this isn't needed, I'd cut this whole section out of my hypothetical 1 movie supercut". Specifically, the entire sequence with the dwarves inside Erebor where Smaug uselessly chasing them around. There's a whole damn movie coming, so don't expect us to believe that the dwarves are going to prevail in their plan! Especially when you heavily foreshadowing that Bard's remaining black arrow is going to do the killing... Meanwhile your big bad villain is looking weaker with every minute that goes by without a dead dwarf.

Smaug and Bilbo was utterly brilliant (and Smaug in general, truly amazing work done on him), and is the highlight, much the same as the Gollum scenes in the first.

I was baffled by some decisions though, they add so much junk into the story, including a love triangle that seems almost entirely for the benefit of broadening the film's appeal, but skim over the Beorn scenes in just a few minutes. I guess I was disappointed as I always remember that chapter fondly - and the way that Gandalf introduces the dwarves gradually in groups so as not to overwhelm Beorn. It would have been a really nice call back to their introduction to Bilbo as well.

Finally, my main complaints about the Hobbit continue sadly, way too much going on, way too many cartoon stunts, and absolutely no subtlety. Further, the writers don't trust the audience to get anything without somebody saying it (and Bilbo appears to be the main voice here). But goddamn it, I still like them - they're Tolkien.

I was really hoping that Smaug would keep his gold plating for the rest of the movies, ala Ed Harris' hand in The Abyss, and just be FAAAABulous looking for the rest of the series. Plus I would love to see Smaug just flying away shouting down "Another set of armour BIIIICTHESSSS, SUCK IT"

It would have been awesome.