Which character gives Bilbo Baggins the mithril coat in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit?

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Thorin Oakenshield gives Bilbo Baggins a mithril coat.

The coat is part of the treasure recovered from the hoard of the dragon Smaug beneath the Lonely Mountain. Thorin, the leader of the company of dwarves and heir to the kingdom of Erebor, presents it to Bilbo along with a sword. The armor is made of mithril, a remarkably light and strong metal prized by the peoples of Middle-earth.

The gift recognizes Bilbo’s importance to the expedition. Although Bilbo begins as an inexperienced hobbit who dislikes leaving home, he repeatedly helps the company through courage, cleverness, and independent judgment. The mithril coat later protects him from serious harm.

The item also connects The Hobbit with The Lord of the Rings. In Tolkien’s later story, Frodo wears the same coat during the journey and at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. The coat is therefore both a symbol of Bilbo’s adventure and a link between the two novels.