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Originally Posted by Mithalwen
If you look at the line of the dwarves of Erebor in appendix A of LOTR (unless it is simplified), Gimli and his father are the closest living relatives of Dain the King and his heir. Clearly it is not merely due to Gloin's prior knowledge of Rivendell that he was chosen as an emissary. Gimli was the "noblest" dwarf of Erebor.who could have reasonably been sent on the quest. He also had enough status among his own fold to become their lord when he removed with them to Aglarond.
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Also, to build on this, Gimli is looking at inheriting a pretty sizeable fortune. Both his father and his Uncle Oin were members of Thorin's company. And while it seems that the treasure wasn't exactly split up as originally intended, all the surviving members of the company did EXTREMELY well. As near as we can tell, Gimli was Gloin's only son, and so the inheritor of his wealth. As for Oin, we are led to believe (at least, I am), that he had no offspring, and since he couldn't have carted much off to Moria, then it must have been inherited by Gloin (and thence to Gimli).
Of course, who knows whether or not Gimli was able to remove any of it to the Glittering Caves, but had he chosen to stay in Erebor, it would have been in the lap of luxury.