Five most expensive / hard to find foils from sets 1-10..

[Yanko Markovic]

I personally don't care, though foils sometimes do look great.

[Elessar's Socks]

For me, the few I actually get have to do with curiosity mixed in with the ooh factor. For example, I have a fondness for twinkling points of light so I wanted to see (from ST1E) something like Decius (ship lights and stars) and U.S.S. Enterprise-C with my own eyes. Maybe someone can confirm it, but I think Tower of Barad-dur has the same effect.

Though one was just for the humor value - Hobbit Farmer and his radioactive pig.

[ket_the_jet]

I've never understood the value of foils. Personally I find some foiled cards don't look as well as non foiled.

To me, it is a point of pride. It has also kept me in the game longer. I mean, to say that I have a great deck, for example, is nice...four Goblin Armory, etc... But when you say, "I have this badass deck with four foil Goblin Armory," well, gamers are impressed. On record, I only have two foil Goblin Armory.

I have a fondness for twinkling points of light

On the "cool lighting effect foils" conversation, Edoras Hall is all sorts of badass.
-wtk

[Gil-Estel]

It has all to do with collectebility....foils are more rare than 'ordinary' cards and thus people tend to collect it. I have a foil MoM set, which I collected myself, instead of buying it for cheap, haha.

[Witchkingx5]

On the "cool lighting effect foils" conversation, Edoras Hall is all sorts of badass.
-wtk

Have you ever seen Hornburg Hall (foil)? This one's awesome too! 

[rubbercarp]

I always felt that sites made some of the best foils (visually).

[Witchkingx5]

Actually, they are cus' the whole picture is much bigger than a picture of a usual card, even if Frodo, Courteous Halfling (foil) looks pretty awesome.

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

I always felt that sites made some of the best foils (visually).

Also, you only need one of each site, so one foil of a given site is enough. Not to mention that they generally stay in play longer than most cards.

[ket_the_jet]

I always felt that sites made some of the best foils (visually).

Maybe I'll scan a few full foil site paths (sites 1-9K from a few decks). Rubbercarp is right and a lot of the reasons mentioned are correct--wider sample area of a picture that is often more scenic in general makes for a great foil.

Some of my favorites, as per a conversation over here, are (in no particular order):
Morgulduin
Northern Ithilien
Edoras Hall
Pelennor Plain

Of course, I am only thinking King Block because that is what I most often see. Of course there are some great ones from Towers and Fellowship.
-wtk

[ununtrium]

sites are very nice, i agree.

Come to think of it, is it not quite pointless to have a foil ring? It always stays beneath the ring bearer so it is hardly ever seen in action...

If I had not collected the sets, I would certainly not have gone for the foiled versions of the rings.

[rubbercarp]

Come to think of it, is it not quite pointless to have a foil ring? It always stays beneath the ring bearer so it is hardly ever seen in action...

That's a pretty good point !

[Witchkingx5]

Come to think of it, is it not quite pointless to have a foil ring? It always stays beneath the ring bearer so it is hardly ever seen in action...

That's a pretty good point !

But it looks very well in your folder!

[legolas3333]

sites are very nice, i agree.

Come to think of it, is it not quite pointless to have a foil ring? It always stays beneath the ring bearer so it is hardly ever seen in action...

If I had not collected the sets, I would certainly not have gone for the foiled versions of the rings.

unless... you are playing one of those decks that kills frodo on purpose to get to sam, I.e. a Sam, GEW deck with merry, pippin, bilbo, etc. then you would see it for like 3 seconds when you move it.

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

Come to think of it, is it not quite pointless to have a foil ring? It always stays beneath the ring bearer so it is hardly ever seen in action...

The way my cousins and I play it, we keep the Ring to the left of the Ring-bearer (like another companion) and only put it under him when he's wearing it.

[ununtrium]

The way my cousins and I play it, we keep the Ring to the left of the Ring-bearer (like another companion) and only put it under him when he's wearing it.

That is actually quite a neat and practical way to do things.