You know, when you come to think of it; the numbers for the rings are quite symbolic. Three rings for the Elven Kings and there were three houses of the Elves: Vanyar, Noldor and Teleri. The Vanyar dwells in the West, of course, and the three rings were not made by Sauron either. Yet Sauron might have wanted to enslave all of the Eldar in Middle-Earth at least via those three rings.
The Seven houses of Dwarves corresponded likewise to Sauron's seven rings. Those rings were either destroyed or taken back. I wondered sometimes what Sauron did with those rings that he got back...
I do not know about the Houses of Men. I certainly know that there were three Edain house in the First Age. Perhaps there were six houses of Easterlings too? The nine Nazgul were literally like Sauron's nine fingers. To combat the nine Black Riders, Elrond send out nine walkers. Note that the Fellowship of the Ring, which comprised of the nine Walkers was eventually left with eight, since Boromir died on the way. But Sauron's Nine was made into eight too: the Witchking was killed. The parallel along those lines might have been coincidental, but it certainly even out the numbers of contestant in the end.
Er, if Gollum is to be counted as being on the side of the Evil, (not just Sauron) then the Nine Nazgul might be counted as ten. Gollum had not faded and was under no command of Sauron, but he definately represented evil and he had possessed for a long time the One ring that ought to have been in the finger of Sauron. If that is the case, however, I should count Gandalf's death in Moria as being parallel with the Witchking's defeat. Note the Parley at the gate of Minas Tirith. Gandalf, returned from the dead, facing the Witchking who is just about to die and not return. Then Gollum's death at Mount Doom might also parallel with the death of Boromir. Both of them betrayed Frodo, and both died and at the same time fulfilled their vow.
The One Ring is Sauron's own. Surely he would not want to make another for somebody else?
