I've been surprised by the rise in prices of what I would consider merely common non-TSR items. Such things as the five Gamemaster publications, the Complete Dungeon Master series, etc. These used to max out at $20. Or things like Seren Ironhand which would max out at $50-$70 and would probably now hit $150-$200.

I don't know whether that is eBay's forced move into the retail sector and their destruction of the small hobby seller, or greater awareness of the products of yesteryear brought about by the quality of the OSR and discovery of how easy and open products were to be converted to OSR and 5E rulesets, or depreciation in the value of the dollar and the increases in overheads. I'd imagine its a case of all of the above.

I have this general feeling that less visible product from eBay is being picked up by collectors on the site, and there seems to be fewer newer collectors and/or less excitements about collecting than there used to be. eBay has built itself into a shop window where resellers polish their products and display them to say, 'look how good a shop I am', but have no real intention of selling to anyone, rather they are there to complete with other sellers to have the best shiny products in their catalogue. The nature of online retail with books is that they take up so little room that you do not need turnover to maintain the image of a successful online reseller. You just need the time to polish your image and enough churn to pay your fees (or enough residual income from elsewhere), and you can maintain your standing and cross your fingers waiting for the muppet who has $2K to blow on something he could have bought 10 years ago for $400.

dbartman wrote in Stupidly Rare Non-TSR Products:If someone is interested, you could try reaching out to Melnibonean or Stratochamp to see if there are any copies left.  It's been a while since anyone has inquired.

Could either Melnibonean or Stratochamp update this thread on these products (Eye of the Dragon and Brimstone) availability or in unavailability?  

mbassoc2003 wrote in Stupidly Rare Non-TSR Products:Is there a picture of Brimstone anywhere?

Here are mine:

Scott may have a copy or two of Brimstone left.
I have an extra copy of Eye of the Dragon, but I have no intention of selling it. We didn't make them to profit, just to break even.

stratochamp wrote in Stupidly Rare Non-TSR Products:Allan I thought Tome of Mid-Kimia was sort of a listing of their house rules as opposed to an RPG publication? I have a copy of the Palladium guys house rules like that from about 30 years ago.

It's a small-scope publication (60-100 copies is what I think that MP folks said) of the setting info/intro, and house rules/interpretations of what D&D means to them.  Your memory's correct, Bill.  Details at probable non-TSR discovery - The Tome of Midkemia

stratochamp wrote in Stupidly Rare Non-TSR Products:What do you mean exactly by Lair of the Spider Mother "pre-pub"? Are you referring to an editorial copy or an earlier version that was released to the public?

Yes, I bought a dot-matrix version of Spider Mother back at the Northeaster Con in North Jersey where I played "Treasure of the Dragon Queen".  It was definitely commercially available prior to the printing of the final digest booklet; details at non-TSR update on Mercury Games

stratochamp wrote in Stupidly Rare Non-TSR Products:When you mention Mitlanyal "pre-pub" are you referring to the 30 copy printing of it? I believe I have Dave Arneson's copy of that.

I'll have to look to see the limitation on it, Bill.  I had the EPT boxes out recently so should be easy to confirm

Allan.

stratochamp wrote in Stupidly Rare Non-TSR Products:Thanks for the reminder in that Mercury Games thread. I forgot that I won those other two Mercury Games items (and the other unpublished items).

De nada. I’m still interested in checking those other unpublished Mercury manuscripts out sometime, once we can get together post-COVID. I corresponded with them a little after the con, and my friend Alex did some art for them for a project that was never published. I may still have a photocopy of that piece, come to think of it.  I’ll have to look for that too, now

Allan.

Out of my price range already. Lol.
Besides, if it landed on my desk I'd scan it.

... which is why I wasn't in the queue to buy one the first time around.
In fact I've never had any of the Daystar West modules in my possession.
These are good investments whatever it sells for. I don't see there ever being a saddle stitched glossy cover GaryCon reproduction or a Goodman Games compendium of them all, so these will stay for the most part in the hands of people who frequent this site, even if it is just to lurk.

Aside... Anyone heard from Improv or TFM of late?

Wow. $1300 for a newly printed product! That's a luxury brand.
The same with Brimstone, or more?