invincibleoverlord wrote:Last night I read Frank Mentzer's upcoming GenCon auction for the copy of the original ToEE. I just got to thinking what do you guys think something like that would be worth? I can't see that much to just to read over the original in-the-works module. Granted I'd love to read it, but again putting a copy to auction? If you're going to sell a copy/copies… I'd say sell them. Get it copyrighted as is (If possible, WoTC may own the rights to this work in any form. Maybe that's what the deal is ) and sell them nicely reproduced (or not) for a small piece of change. I'd pay $20-25 for a limited # run, maybe more if it was nicely reproduced.



I know I'm going to catch hell for this, so this is JMO. You're thoughts?



Now if that original copy was on the block. Good luck to all the bidders just the same.

My feeling on this is a little less skeptical than some of the opinions expressed thus far.  I don't think Frank is out to make tons of money, he probably wants to share the "original" TOEE with the world, which I can understand.



It sounds like there were only ever two copies in existence, one of which may have been destroyed, and he probably can't bear to see the remaining original vanish into obscurity entirely.  If it were me, I'd have silently kept a "file copy" (neatly stamped to avoid future shenanigans), and have sold off the original to someone that would treasure it.



Does that bend/break copyright?  No idea, and I don't really care, and I doubt the current copyright holder cares, either.  Love to hear Frank's own take on this, though.

Dathon wrote:

Er... I'm no lawyer, but if it's illegal to make copies, wouldn't it be just as illegal to make and sell 1 as to make and sell 100?

I guess so. But when Frank said:



"This sale is structured mostly in reflection to that fact."



I took it to mean that, as Improvstone said, it's unlikely that WOTC would go after him for selling one copy. All the negative publicity from harassing a living legend over a single copy that he himself worked on would probably be the last thing WOTC wants to deal with.



Deimos3428 wrote:

I don't think Frank is out to make tons of money, he probably wants to share the "original" TOEE with the world, which I can understand.

I'm guessing that he'd love to share it with the world, it's just that copyright law screws that idea up. He admitted in that thread that it's being sold to help fund future development projects, which I think is great. And that's another reason why I wish he was able to sell copies at $25 a pop or something. There are roughly 1,600 registered members at DF alone. If a mere 10% of them wanted a copy of this for $25 (and I don't think that number would be unrealistic), that's $4,000.  8O



I seriously doubt that anyone is going to bid anywhere near that high for a photocopy. So that sucks...he could make a lot more if he was able to sell it by the copy instead of one auction.



I wish Frank could call WOTC and tell them "Listen you little losers! I'm gonna sell this the way I want and if I hear any lip from you, I'll ram a boot into your anatomy!".  :twisted:



I respect copyright as much as the next guy, but after what TSR and WOTC did to Gary and all that, I simply don't care about breaking copyright from them. Call it karma.  :wink:



Like WOTC should worry. What, do they think all their 3E players are gonna put off buying the "3.5E Guide to Godlike Forgotten Realms Characters" in order to purchase a photocopy of a game they've mainly never played?  :roll:

Halaster Blackcloak wrote:Just out of curiosity, what do the rest of you think the price would hit if the original (not the copy) went to auction?

I'd guess in the range of $2K - $3K, probably closer to the upper end given its wild popularity.  But that's just my guess.

invincibleoverlord wrote:That leads me to a question for you guys. Do you think there are serious collectors that don't for what ever reason make themselves known around here?

Have wondered about this on numerous occasions, most recently after the Kuntz auctions.  I believe there are, though in low numbers.

invincibleoverlord wrote:
That leads me to a question for you guys. Do you think there are serious collectors that don't for what ever reason make themselves known around here?

When selling my ST1, I had a couple getting in touch with me via my ebay account.  Presumably having an Acaeum account would have bought attention to them!

harami2000 wrote:
*tries to figure out how I can hop over to GenCon in the next 5-6 hours or so*

i was actually having that same thought this morning myself you know - until i couldnt get a flight to suit so that was that one finished before it started



Al

harami2000 wrote:

afoolandhis$ wrote:
Have wondered about this on numerous occasions, most recently after the Kuntz auctions. I believe there are, though in low numbers.

Agreed with y'both.

Just from a comparison with the Acaeum and ebay identities, I can think of a few: tauglorimorgorus, theshield2000 and, most especially:  



bill######(I can't think of what the acutal series of numbers is that follows bill's ID, but it is about 8 of them and I am sure you have all seen it before) and thefantasymuseum.



(I'll add beardedtoad as well, though I noticed that Frank gave him a neg for not  paying on a $921 item . . . )

killjoy32 wrote:

beyondthebreach wrote:(I'll add beardedtoad as well, though I noticed that Frank gave him a neg for not paying on a $921 item . . . )

what was the item?

Link is expired so DL36 will have to try and remember . . . however, I have seen him in the past - I think he was the one who helped bid the C2 Mono up to $1,600 + a ways back . . . can't remember for sure on that one though . . .

bill####### is actually a member here,  occassionaly posts under the name of stratochamp.