FoulFoot wrote:For what it's worth -- and I haven't been contacted by the seller, or anyone else, to attempt to verify the module, so I'm only going off the information on the auction page -- this is a tough call.

The biggest points for this being a genuine article are:

A) Seller has a very good, extensive feedback rating.  He could be deciding to "cash out" on one big scam here, but not very likely.

B) The module is not an identical photocopy of a pre-pub.  Anyone who was going to create a fake, or even just photocopy a genuine module, would at least get the cover page correct.

Without knowing more about it, or seeing some detailed scans, my feeling is that the module is exactly what the seller says it is.  It was given to him from a source at the RPGA, to be run as a tournament adventure at "Muscacon".  It is a pre-publication version of the pre-publication.

Now, the issue of how much it's worth is a completely different story.  It is probably a generic photocopy, and obviously has neither an original signature nor a serial number (the two things which make the pre-pub R modules collectible, and verifiable).  It would be, in fact, identical to R7-10 Dwarven Quest, which is just a photocopy.  How much would you pay for R7-10?  Or even better, how much would you pay for a genuine original D&D manuscript, which itself was just a photocopy?

A very difficult question.  If you could prove the photocopy was made in 1974... but then, we start to degenerate into silliness.

Bottom line: caveat emptor.  Buyer beware.  I believe this item is a genuine article, but it's value to the collecting community is highly subjective.  As a interesting piece of trivia, certainly, but as a centerpiece of your collection -- not so sure.

And you can be damn certain that the second module like this to surface will be met with a healthy dose of skepticism that it was run off last week at Kinko's.  

Foul

P.S.  Frank Mentzer would be a good source to contact about the existence of this, btw.

Kewl. Looks exactly like what it's purported to be.

These 1st runs of Falx were actually done on typewriters, TSR being in the process of upgrading the old Burroughs computer (used for payroll only) and still requiring all writers to use the communal typewriter room (reservations recommended).

That's indeed my handwriting & hand-drawn maps, albeit photocopied. And I did autograph and number every early copy. Most were returned to TSR and destroyed.

This is about as rare as it gets... moreso than Vampire Queen.

Frank

Ralf Toth wrote:Ah, and did anyone see a sale of a pre-pub R1, R2 or R3 on eBay?

FoulFoot wrote:

Ralf Toth wrote:In essence, I'd like to know, what is the big difference between the "pre-publication" versions of R1-R3 and any other official tournament (e.g. GenCon) module that explains their extremely high value? Is it only because R1-R3 were later released officially? Is it because of Mentzers autograph? Is it because they were sold at the convention through the hands of TSR employees? Or are all tournament copies worth around $800?

The pre-pub R-modules were indeed tournament modules.  Unlike most tournament modules, they were developed into retail TSR modules later, which is the real basis for their worth.  The term "pre-pub" is a bit misleading, and is only used to describe these modules in order to differentiate them from their mass-produced brethren.

Of identical rarity (and IMHO, value) are such modules as Lost Tamoachan, Lost Caverns of Tsojconth, and Quest for the Fazzlewood.  All were used as tournament modules, all were produced in very limited quantities, and all were developed into later TSR modules.  Therefore, they're highly collectible.

Tournament modules that fall outside this definition of "collectible" are modules that A) never developed into TSR modules, and/or B) have no easy way to tell if they are original copies used at the tournament.  Genuine, original tournament modules that were simply photocopies unfortunately fall into this category.  Again, this is my opinion.  The eBay auction right now seems to fall into this latter category.

Deadlord: I don't necessarily think that the module has to be a "post-pub".  It could easily have been printed earlier, with knowledge that the module would be used in the future at GenCon South (the modules to be used at tournaments are often identified months before the actual tournament).  The missing mention of GenCon East adds credence to the belief that the module was printed earlier than the numbered Pre-Pubs -- they hadn't yet decided to use the module at GC East.

Lastly: Frank Mentzer's comment is a little murky.  He indicates the module is genuine, and that he signed and numbered all the early copies -- but he doesn't explain how this copy does not have said signature and number?

Foul

Sotterraneo wrote:

dathon wrote:Can you ask Frank Mentzer how many pre-pubs were published?  

Do you have Frank Mentezer e mail address? I'd love to do an interview with him. Would you be willing to ask him if he would be willing to do such an interview?