MERP Prices • Collecting General - Non TSR • The Acaeum

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MERP Prices
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Prufrock
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:32 am

I have avoided collecting this line of products due to prices. Can anyone explain to me why they are so expensive? There seems to be no shortage of items. The production value does seem to be high, but I cannot see that driving the prices. It would seem that the prices listed on ebay right now would discourage most anyone from buying.

Martin

TheHistorian
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 11:28 am

Curiously, this question came up at DF a couple weeks ago:

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewt ... 11&t=46672

I think, basically, while there is a lot of supply out there, there was also a lot of interest, and that interest exploded after the movies. The late first edition and most of the second edition material didn't sell all that well at the time, so there is less of it available, and thus prices are higher. Basically, it's something that a lot of people have heard of. While WE know about much rarer non-TSR material from the same era, there are probably a thousandth (at most) as many people who know of such things at might be inclined to be interested in owning them.

So I'm going with overwhelming demand trumping a decent supply, causing prices to be strong.

My guess is that most of the line, with patience, could be assembled at reasonable prices. But I can't say for sure, as I sucked down all the pdfs back when merp.com had them in some quasi-legal state several years ago, so I have 98% of it in some form.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

Kingofpain89
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 3:09 pm

Prufrock wrote:The production value does seem to be high, but I cannot see that driving the prices.

I am of the opinion that the production values are a key reason why people are still after these. The maps are incredible. I can't think of another RPG that comes close except Harn. The adventures themselves are marginally decent but nothing special.

Prufrock wrote:There seems to be no shortage of items.

The majority of them are BIN's though....and the majority of those prices are completely insane.

If you really want to collect MERP, my suggestion as well is to be patient. It took me several years to amass my MERP collection and currently I am only missing a few items. I got most of the books for very good prices even though I didnt start collecting until about the time Fellowship hit theaters. I can only think of a few books that I overpaid for and I got real lucky to get all of my 2nd edition books in a lot so I paid just about ten bucks for each of them. Considering Northern Waste goes for around $100 on average it was a heck of a deal. Make sure that the maps are present as there is considerable value just in those.

Oh and since you regularly attend Gen Con, why not go to the afternoon RPG auctions and see if you cant pick up some there. If you recall, the last time I went I snagged copies of The Grey Mountains and Nazgul's Citadel for under $10 apiece. Both of those normally fetch between five and ten times that on Ebay.

You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

Prufrock
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 4:36 pm

Kingofpain89 wrote:Oh and since you regularly attend Gen Con, why not go to the afternoon RPG auctions and see if you cant pick up some there. If you recall, the last time I went I snagged copies of The Grey Mountains and Nazgul's Citadel for under $10 apiece. Both of those normally fetch between five and ten times that on Ebay.

Yeah, I thought of that also. Will keep my eyes open next year.

Martin

Badmike
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 1:59 pm

They are a crossover item....coveted by both RPG fans and those who are into Middle Earth, the original books, and the movies. The production value of these is pretty high, and print runs (IMO) are not large, especially for the 2nd edition items.

Mike B.

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TheHistorian
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 2:09 pm

Kingofpain89 wrote:The majority of them are BIN's though....and the majority of those prices are completely insane.

Out of curiosity, I took a look at completed items, and it looks like the number of actual sales beyond the $15-30 range is very very low. Which is a good reminder that prices asked are meaningless; it's prices realized that matter.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

Theleb
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:47 am

Prices will probably spike upwards again when the Hobbit movies finally hit theaters in the next few years.

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 8:11 am

Seller has some of the rarer 2nd ed books listed under 'books'

eBay listings

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