Well, Horror on the Orient express falls into both the collectible and the boxed adventure category, though it falls just outside your preferred range (1991).

There weren't many other adventures that came in a box: the first ed of Masks of Nyarlarthotep, the first Spawn of Azathoth.  There may be more (the 1st versions of Cthulhu by Gaslight and The Dreamlands came in boxes, but those are more settings than adventures.), but that's all that's immediately coming to mind.  As a side note: if you pick up a first ed. Masks then I also recommend getting Terror Australis, which contains the "missing" Australian chapter that was later added into the Complete Masks printings.

For rules, I'd suggest the 3rd ed. hardback that GW put out in the mid-80s.  It's essentially the same as the previous editions, but reorganized in one volume and with some wonderful colour illustrations.  Tends to be a bit cheaper than the boxes as well, and you don't have to worry about missing parts.  (Though there is that lovely Games Workshop binding quality to watch out for...)

For adventures, if you want something early then there's always Shadows of Yog-Sothoth, which was the first published campaign for the game.  Another I enjoy/would recommend is 1989's Great Old Ones -- a classic collection of scenarios, in my mind.

My recommendation would be to try to snag one of the early boxed sets.

The first edition was in a 2 inch thick box similar to the SPI/Avalon Hill board games.

The next few printings were in a 1 inch thick box.

The classic adventure that all long-term CoC fans have loved over the years is Masks of Nyarlathotep. It was originally released as a boxed set. Players that approach this campaign with a dungeon-crawl style will be subject to repeated TPK's.  

Alternatively, Shadows of Yog-Sothoth was a fabulous campaign supplement that introduced players to major cults (The Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight) and the chance of meeting major mythos creatures.

Another angle for the game is Dreamlands supplement. Originally released in a boxed set, it has been reprinted in several versions.

Cthulhu by Gaslight was another early "setting" release, also as a boxed set.

Yog-sothoth.com has a list with writeups about Call of Cthulhu material. The link below just lists the Chaosium items. If you click on the Back to Search Form you can search for products from 14 other companies that have published material for Call of Cthulhu.

http://tinyurl.com/3dsdz4

You didn't specify minis, but the list of Grenadier Call of Cthulhu minis is fairly short.

Grenadier released two boxed sets of CoC minis - Adventures (sic) and Creatures.  The box art is nothing exciting, but they are boxed sets.  I don't know anything about the blister-packed minis.

. . . http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/cthulhu.html

The boxed sets go for over $20, but I haven't tracked them recently.  It's not a bad price for such a specialized set of minis, if CoC is what you are now chasing.

If you decide to chase loose CoC minis, do not buy from eBay seller collectorfigs, as he is an infamous recaster.  He sells "white metal" recasts but does not advertise them as recasts.

I'd pick up one of the box rule sets, or maybe the 4th edition rules. For supplements, you really can't go wrong with one of the "Lovecraft Country" themed supplements---Arkham Unveiled,Return to Dunwich, Kingsport, or Escape from Innsmouth. They stay pretty close to the source material and each one contains many game sessions worth of fun.

Any of the early module sets....Shadows of Yog-Sothoth, Fungi From Yuggoth, The Asylum, Curse of the Cthonians....are pretty good glimpses at what early play in CoC was like.....sometimes short, brutal and deadly!  Actualy, what Red Bus said is correct, some of the more recent scenario packs are much better than the older stuff due to this very element....advancing a story rather than just killing everyone off.

Masks of Nyarlathotep is a must. It's not only the best CoC supplement ever published, it's probably one of the best RPG supplements published for any genre ever.  It was probably the first ever RPG supplement to treat the players and game master as thinking adults, as the plotline is quite complex and intriguing, yet infinitely satisfying. If you finish this adventure, it's the same feeling as running the same character through the GDQ series or T1-4 and having them survive.

Some recent items that are quite good include Beyond the Mountains of Madness, which is a phone book length adventure well worth the effort. The Great Old Ones has some of the best scenarios for CoC I've ever read, although unfortunately I've never had a chance to run these.  I would actually give a thumbs down to Orient Express, which I feel is too padded and runs far afield, and a lot of the 3rd party stuff like TOME supplements and even Pagan stuff.  While quite good, I would aquaint myself with some more accessible material first.

Oh, and if you haven't yet, I would at least read a few Lovecraft stories (particularly The Call of Cthulhu, The Dunwich Horror, At the Mountains of Madness, and Shadow Over Innsmouth) to get a feel for what the game is trying to replicate. Unlike the over the top gore fests of Lovecraft inspired stuff like Re-animator and From Beyond, his fiction is very subtle in its menace and horror.

Mike B.

As a long time HPL fan, thanks for a great thread. I've wanted to pick up an item or two of the best CoC has to offer.

Cheers!

Have to say I prefer the separate 1920s Sourcebook, but this is probably a nostalgia thing. The cover alone takes me back every time. I'd choose the 2nd edition box (2301-X) because it mirrors the original format and can be had for pennies compared to a 1st edition.

Agree with comments on Pagan and wouldn't limit yourself to pre-90s or you'll miss some of the best material. Just creeping in to your criteria is Green and Pleasant Land, though might not appeal as much to non-Brits.

CoC can be an expensive business laden with frustration. I'm too afraid to total up what I've spent getting my own collection together.

megnelwil wrote:Agree with comments on Pagan and wouldn't limit yourself to pre-90s or you'll miss some of the best material. Just creeping in to your criteria is Green and Pleasant Land, though might not appeal as much to non-Brits.

CoC can be an expensive business laden with frustration. I'm too afraid to total up what I've spent getting my own collection together.

I'm pretty sure I have less Cthulhu stuff than you do, and even I don't want to total up my collection.  That stuff gets expensive.  (And one of these days I shall get my hands on Green and Pleasant Land.  The going price seems to be "1 bid more than whatever I bid", but I'm in no hurry.)

That all said, I also second what other people have said about extending your date range a little.  CoC's prime period continued on into the early 90s, and you'll miss some classics by skipping it.  Not to say it's all quality material (Goatswood or Cairo, anyone?), but it's definitely more hit than miss.

red_bus is quite an expert on all things Cthulhu so I've little to add other than a view that Masks of Nyarlathotep is the best gaming campaign of any genre I've played (GM was on top form throughout ... cheers red_bus).

OK, with the link provided above, I see a 1st, 2nd and 'Complete' Edition of Masks. Sound correct? Is there a link to a page with better images of Masks?

The only thing on Ebay after a quick search was a card game by the same name.