Originally released as the Wintercon V tournament module in 1976, by Metro Detroit Gamers (who also later published Quest for the Fazzlewood).  It was later re-released (and extensively rewritten) for AD&D rules.

Lost Caverns of Tsojconth by Gary Gygax
S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth by Gary Gygax

Note the change in title from "Tsojconth" to "Tsojcanth".  Be aware that the difference in titles will probably not be enough to distinguish these versions; special emphasis will be needed.

Lost Caverns of Tsojconth was the second module for D&D ever written (the first being Palace of the Vampire Queen by Wee Warriors).  The first stand-alone module actually produced by TSR was G1 Steading of the Hill Giant Chief.  The first scenario for D&D was "Temple of the Frog", in the Original D&D Supplement Blackmoor.

S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is the loosely-based prequel to WG4 Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun.  It was originally to have been assigned code WG3, but this never materialized (incidentally, module I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City was originally earmarked to receive module code S4!)  Thanks to John Proctor for help with this info.

Printing Information

• First (1976):  Eight loose-leaf sheets and an outer folder in a Ziploc bag (unbound).  Monochrome.  Estimates place the number of copies printed at 300, in line with similar tournament-module releases of the time (Lost Tamoachan and Ghost Tower of Inverness).  Unlike those modules, however, Lost Caverns of Tsojconth was not serially numbered.  Note the slight title spelling difference, and that the module does not bear the code "S4".  (Thanks to Doug Bartholomew for the scan).

• Second (1982):  Dark brown color cover.  Two 32-page booklets.  Updated and expanded version, entitled Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.

We rank Lost Caverns of Tsojconth as rare and as valuable as its more famous Ziploc cousins.  The sale price in 1999 of $78 was on eBay, and obviously escaped the notice of serious collectors (including yours truly).  As you can see, subsequent bidders have not made the same error.  The recent rash of mint-condition copies is due to a verified stash of more than a dozen (!) copies found during a hobby-store takeover.

• Lost Caverns of Tsojconth
• S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth