Today, I was walking through our local Half-Price Books and came across a COMPLETE (I would almost say near mint) Planescape Boxed Set for $6.98, a T1-4 (excellent!) for $4.98 and a copy of Ruins of Undermountain II (excellent and complete) for $5.98.

Does anybody else find that Half Price is an EXCELLENT source for OOP stuff on occasion? I also picked up a new copy of the 3.5 Expedition to the Demonweb Pits (MINT) for $14.98....I left all of the Eberron books they had (about half a dozen) where they were  

i've always found that they're hit and miss.  the same HPB that was selling a 2nd Edition PHB for $15 was also selling a Complete Book of Necromancers for $4.98.  as far as i can tell their pricing is random...

Center_Stage_Hobbies wrote:There is a second store here - I have 2 within 10 miles - where the D&D jackass works there JUST to get the good stuff that comes in.

For example, one day we were discussing RPGS and I was asking why copies of d20 schwag were literally only 25% off retail...and he proceeded to tell me that he "keeps" the GOOD stuff for himself - which he not only prices, but gets to use his EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT ON!!! I gues he's using the schwag to make the money back.



Jerk.

Anyway, just wanted to see if anybody else used 1/2 Price as a resource...

It's hit and miss.  We have around 15 stores here in the D/FW area.  Some of the employees get "price happy" with older gaming items which leads to ludicrous pricing.  I've seen Deities and Demigods WITHOUT Cthulhu priced at $50, probably because someone told them it was valuable, but didn't tell them exactly why (and I've seen copies WITH Cthulhu mythos priced at $100 or more... ).  Last year I got a OCE white box set with all the supplements for $25, while right next to it on the shelf were common Judge's Guild items priced at $15-$20 each (they are still there a year later, BTW).  
  One of the nearest to my house gets a lot of gaming stuff in, but their pricing guy is an outright retard.  It's not uncommon for me to burst into laughter when checking out some of his prices.  Last year he had a A1-4 Scourge of the Slavelords without a mapbook....or a back cover for that matter...looking beat to hell, for $50.  It finally disappeared...I don't think anyone bought it, I think someone threw it away finally.  They have a Rod of Seven Parts on the shelf right now for $50...but it's missing all the maps.  Just the other day they got in some nice MERP items, hard to find second edition stuff like The Shire, Gondor, Moria, etc.  However, not a single one has the maps; and every one looks like someone tied it to the back of their car and drove around the block with them a few times making sure to stop at a muddy puddle along the way.
Cost for each item: $50 each!
    I find the good deals at HPB lie with the littler known gaming items, not the popular stuff.  You can get a good deal on something not as popular, like say Call of Cthulhu stuff.  BTW, I've asked several HPB employees how they price items, they do not use Ebay, but ABEbooks, which accounts for the sometimes idiotic pricing.

BTW, Center, you can make the Jackasses life miserable. Simply keep bringing the stuff up to the counter and asking why it isn't half price cover instead of what it's priced at (only 25% off).  You'll eventually get a manager, either at the counter, or someone will refer you, and unless the stuff is valuable/rare, the manager will want to know also.  HPB managers don't like to see stuff sitting on the shelves for no reason, when it's common crap especially, and the d20 stuff is common as dewdrops.

Mike B.

I can second what BadMike says about HPB in Dallas-Fort Worth --- they are hit-and-miss.

Boxed sets are often laughably overpriced and fscking taped shut.  Tape may every-so-slightly deter theft, but it definitely deters collecting.  A side effect of being clueless (or generous to balance the scales?) is that boxed sets can have more junk inside than they should.

Miscellanous bits and interesting items can also be found at cheap prices.  I recently saw the Silver Anniversary G1 and G2 modules for $0.98 apiece.

BTW, HPB is having a 20% off sale this weekend . . .

JohnGaunt wrote:I can second what BadMike says about HPB in Dallas-Fort Worth --- they are hit-and-miss.

Boxed sets are often laughably overpriced and fscking taped shut.  Tape may every-so-slightly deter theft, but it definitely deters collecting.  A side effect of being clueless (or generous to balance the scales?) is that boxed sets can have more junk inside than they should.

Miscellanous bits and interesting items can also be found at cheap prices.  I recently saw the Silver Anniversary G1 and G2 modules for $0.98 apiece.

BTW, HPB is having a 20% off sale this weekend . . .

JG I was once told by one HPB genius that "Taped shut items are sold as is"....which, BTW, goes for NOTHING ELSE IN THE ENTIRE FRICKKEN STORE!  Why not just either leave the box open, or admit your Price Gun Sally knows nothing about what is supposed to be in the box and sell them all for a flat, say $10 each.
That being said, I used my car keys to cut the tape on the sides and top and look inside....what are they going to do, not sell it to me?  

Mike B.

Dear god I wish Half Price Books were here in the central florida area

Badmike wrote:
JG I was once told by one HPB genius that "Taped shut items are sold as is"....which, BTW, goes for NOTHING ELSE IN THE ENTIRE FRICKKEN STORE!  Why not just either leave the box open, or admit your Price Gun Sally knows nothing about what is supposed to be in the box and sell them all for a flat, say $10 each.
That being said, I used my car keys to cut the tape on the sides and top and look inside....what are they going to do, not sell it to me?  

Mike B.

Idiotic HPB price of the day:

$100 for the Alternity Players HB preview edition...hell, even Troll and Toad only has $50-$60 on their copies....!

Mike B.

gyg wrote:you guys dont know how lucky you are!
The concept of going into a bookstore and finding any oop rpg stuff is completely alien to me.
The occasional charity shop find and that's about it - and even then I can go a long time without picking anything up at all, the last D&D item I got was a greyhawk adventures h/b and that was 3 weeks ago. (And believe me I look really hard!) (And I don't even remember when I last picked up a module )

HPB has shelves and shelves of the more common stuff (read: 3rd edition/d20), Plus allthe White Wolf World of Darkness stuff, Rifters, Shadowrun, etc.  It's really a boon if you are looking for the not so rare items and don't want to pay full price.

Mike B.

Not to rub it in, but....  

Went into Half Price just today and found.... (drum roll please)

H3 The Bloodstone Wars (for only $1.98, no less - and in EXCELLENT shape)
I10 Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill (in very good shape, with maps - for only $2.98 )



I am a very happy, happy man. Apparently their gaming specialist was out this morning - I don't know how these slipped by! Two days of good luck in a row. This means that they will have nothing but garbage probably for the next month or so....