That's a pretty awesome pack of goodies, John.  I was watching that auction, too, but hadn't asked any questions and couldn't tell enough about the contents and quality.  Turns out it was a great deal.  Congrats.  

Katchoo wrote:And btw, Gnat the Beggar... nice lot you got there!    I think it was in your favor that the seller didn't do the best job describing everything... or supplying sufficient photos.  If they did, I bet others would have fought you harder for it.  

~Kat  ^_^

No question about it and agree with your insight.

The limited description and the use of 3 of the 4 pictures just for the damaged OD&D Books and Box helped me considerably.
I barely even looked at the three later photos, but gazed at the first one SEVERAL TIMES... trying to see inside those binders, and under the piles...

The seller missed a good chance for more money by not showing/describing crucial details that would have blasted the auction beyond my reach for sure.

Even with the limited information, my gut told me to bid on this one and not to let it go, so I bid bigger than I wanted as soon as I saw and understood what I was looking at (Or thought I understood).
Got outbid at one point, then bid even bigger... and the second bid was enough.  

My two favorite items in that lot are:

1st Print Monster Manual: Awesome condition and a sure keeper for me.
Will replace the copy I previously had in my collection (And I thought it was a nice copy).

1st Print (White) Initial Guidelines Booklet I
This was easily the biggest surprise, as it was stashed inside one of the two 3-ring binders and was not mentioned or shown in any of the pictures...
According to our Judges Guild pages, these were only handed out at GenCon 76, and/or to folks who subscribed through that Convention.
I never dreamed I would ever see a copy in person, much less own one.

1st Printing (1976):  White I.  This was sent to those who had subscribed at GenCon '76 and were thus already waiting on their sub... then later destroyed.  Thanks to Mike 'Invincible Overlord' and James Mishler for help with this info

Third favorite item for me is the Guide to the City State.
Not for value ($30...+/-) but for the fact that I had been trying to nab one for a very long time.
 ...  hard to get one.

The first picture showed a lot of nice items.
And from that single shot, the Guide to the City State, the MM, DMG and the Lizard Man M&Ts were the reasons I stuck with this lot.

Great lot Gnat  

Gnat,

Gratz on the lot.  And, thank you for posting the pics.  I, for one, would not have recognized the JG item if I got it in a lot.  Your enthusiasm is contagious.  We are all lucky you got this lot and knew the relevance.  I probably would have dropped that in a poly bag and filed it without ever knowing how cool it is!  And, I'm probably not t the only one here who would have done that!  Kudos to you!

Nice lot, Beggar man. Always fun to buy something and discover it had secrets that far exceed what you expected.

I would dissect everything, searching what is what, each print, each maps, each homebrew-like item, as well.
And when I cannot identify something, he waits on my "to identify" stack until I finally find what it is

Gnat the Beggar wrote:Orange colored digest sized sheets (they look like the Reference Sheets for the OD&D Box Sets)

Can you elaborate on this one, John?  Or post a pic/scan?  From your description, this almost sounds like a set of goldenrod Greyhawk reference sheets.  But if so, why they would be with a 5th print whitey is difficult to explain.

Heh (and nice to see you, by the way), well, if that's the case then this might be the score of the year so far.

grodog wrote:Yes, I caught that too

Also curious about the homebrew maps:  I'd love to check them out in June, John---they look stylistically similar to the original Castle Greyhawk and El Raja Key maps.

yes, Zero Thinckness Walls, the maps are NOT single pegers either, they join at one side to the next one.

I am in contact with the seller, asking questions.
So far he responded once.
He is an older man who has not played D&D in 25 years...
Says he is happy to answer my questions.
I just sent a long e-mail this morning.... Loaded with them.

The Goldenrod Sheets I have are:
8-1/2" x 11" in size
Three sheets total
Double Sided
Were once stapleed
Were meant to be folded in half
In very nice condition

Another member here asked me about them specifically...
And sent me a link to a scan of one sheet..
One of the sheets I have is the same as that scan.
He also sent a link to a thread discussing the sheets, which I saved for reading later, but I have not been able to thus far.
I will post a (non-revealing) picture of them in a short while.

This selling crap on E-Bay can be a full time job.... and it aint fun at all.
Not that I did not respect them before, but I gain more respect for guys Like Badmike and other large scale sellers everytine I attempt to sell something and mess it all up.