The return of the 3.5 bubble! • Collecting General

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The return of the 3.5 bubble!
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SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:35 am

Well it looks like the wheel has turned and is beginning to produce another 3.5 edition bubble. Whether this is due to the successful launch of Paizo's Pathfinder or not I'm not sure but it's driving prices of the core sets again (at least it has for me).

I'm going to have to start some sort of spreadsheet to see if other 3.5 products begin moving up in value as well.

ashmire13
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:02 am

It would probably be about right... As soon as I even begin to look at something to collect, the prices shoot up as quick as.... :roll:

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

JohnGaunt
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:36 pm

I agree with SoulCatcher. Certain 3.5 hardbacks are rising in price --- PHB, PHB 2, Stormwrack, and Complete Divine come to mind. For example, prices on 3.5 PHBs started climbing around the time of GenCon, and they are now selling for over $25. Some recent PHB auctions ended with bids over $35.

Amazon is influencing or reflecting eBay prices, both high and low. It is also doing the same with non-WotC books. I am wondering if a profit could be turned by buying from Amazon and reselling on eBay.

However, many of the eBay auctions neglect to mention that the owner's name is written on the inside cover or has been blacked out with a marker. Other books are damaged (torn spine, corner dings, etc.) before or during shipment. Caveat Emptor.

astenon
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:48 pm

Well there's a PHB 2 for about $1 at auction right now, but it's listed amongst the 4E drek.

I saw that two Complete Divines were being sold for $75 or so; others were not so expensive!
I couldn't find anything on Stormwrack, and didn't look for the 3.5 PH.

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:29 pm

Magic Item Compendium and Spell Compendium are still running at a permium ($30+ each on a regular basis).

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:20 pm

ashmire13 wrote:It would probably be about right... As soon as I even begin to look at something to collect, the prices shoot up as quick as....

I can sympathise with that sentiment! I have never taken much of an interest in Ravenloft - there has been a lot on the market in Australia earlier in the year not selling for much. So suddenly a heap goes up and I think 'why don't I bid on some of this, will be an interesting read and I can pick it cheap'. The first couple of modules I put on a token bid of $5 ..... whammo! suddenly a bunch of Ravenloft 'must haves' burst onto the scene and the auction goes for $28 and all the listings since then in Australia have been high!

ashmire13
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 6:50 am

Yep, know that pain! :lol:

Although I think I may just be ahead of the next big one depending on what I can deal over the next couple of weeks....

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

Invincible Overlord
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:48 am

SoulCatcher78 wrote:Magic Item Compendium and Spell Compendium are still running at a permium ($30+ each on a regular basis).

And these two items will always be at a premium.

The MiC is a huge book of magic items

, and the Spell Compendium is a huge book of spells

.

Needless to say, they are actively used in our 3.5 home game.

RPGâ€™s, D&D in particular has had a major influence in my life. Itâ€™s bonded me together with life long friends...itâ€™s that bond in life not just as friends, but in our jokes, our mannerisms, and what we find funny. Invincible Overlord

FormCritic
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:45 am

I wonder if the recent upswing in price is due to the Pathfinder game or if it is a localized collecting thing.

There has to be a lot of these books lying around...and the people who want them for gaming must already have them. Right?

After an initial surge, 4th edition is reportedly having trouble...but is that necessarily related to Ebay 3.5 prices?

Were there people who got rid of their 3.5 books and are now rushing to re-acquire them? It doesn't sound likely.

"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:40 am

The overall better economic outlook may have some small impact on this. I've noticed 4E books are increasing in overall value as well (well some of them are anyway).

Another core rules set (my set that was in less than stellar condition) didn't last 12 hours with a $60 BIN on Sunday. Whatever's causing it is good for business so I'm all for it.

JasonZavoda
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:46 am

FormCritic wrote:I wonder if the recent upswing in price is due to the Pathfinder game or if it is a localized collecting thing.

There has to be a lot of these books lying around...and the people who want them for gaming must already have them. Right?

After an initial surge, 4th edition is reportedly having trouble...but is that necessarily related to Ebay 3.5 prices?

Were there people who got rid of their 3.5 books and are now rushing to re-acquire them? It doesn't sound likely.

Naw, I blame you formcritic and all these Acaeum 3.5 reviews.

SimperingToad
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:53 pm

Actually makes me wonder if buying those 3.5 DMG and PHB from the used book store for $9 each would be worth the effort.

FormCritic
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:51 pm

SimperingToad wrote:Actually makes me wonder if buying those 3.5 DMG and PHB from the used book store for $9 each would be worth the effort.

The 3.5 PHB is actually uncommon. If you're a re-seller...yes, get it.

"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

JohnGaunt
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:34 pm

SimperingToad wrote:Actually makes me wonder if buying those 3.5 DMG and PHB from the used book store for $9 each would be worth the effort.

Absolutely buy the PHBs. Used PHBs sell for over $20 on eBay. Unused PHBs are around $30 or more. Of course, check Amazon and recent eBay auctions for a sanity check.

The DMGs are a good buy at that price but not a great buy. Check Amazon prices before you buy the DMGs. If a lot of DMGs are sitting at the $10 - $15 range, then the eBay prices won't be much better.

simrion
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:02 pm

What's funny about this situation is the fact that the core books seem to be seeing a resurgence in price and desirability yet the FLGS has been dumping a lot of third party 3.x supps at a buck a piece! I'm not complaining mind you, I've been hitting the dollar boxes pretty hard of late and even snagged some surprises (couple of Earth 2089 supps and Coming of The Shadows for D20 Bab5, quite a few 3.x third party adventures too...) Of course my FLGS has really embraced the 4E product line and really makes it's money through, CCGs and various table top wargaming products.

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FormCritic
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:54 pm

simrion wrote:What's funny about this situation is the fact that the core books seem to be seeing a resurgence in price and desirability yet the FLGS has been dumping a lot of third party 3.x supps at a buck a piece! I'm not complaining mind you, I've been hitting the dollar boxes pretty hard of late and even snagged some surprises (couple of Earth 2089 supps and Coming of The Shadows for D20 Bab5, quite a few 3.x third party adventures too...) Of course my FLGS has really embraced the 4E product line and really makes it's money through, CCGs and various table top wargaming products.

This was a long-term result of the OGL. There was a lot of stuff on the market. Not all of it was good. Some of it was un-sellable. That stuff is still on FLGS shelves...and getting dumped off for $1 in some cases...although not around me.

"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:16 pm

Static Games in Glasgow are dumping the entire Esvidium back catalog of d20/3/3.5E at rediculous prices, along with everythin Esvidium wanted rid of from it's overstock. Maybe 50% of the stock they bought is WoTC hardbacks, and the rest is maybe 20% D&D d20 by other publishers, and 30% other games systems. They have 14 pallets of stock to sell off, and it's going through their store and their Amazon and eBay outlets.

So for Scot's, that's where all the Esvidium surplus stock has gone. I suspect some of it will work it's way up to Asylum in Aberdeen, but as of last weekend, it hadn't filtered that far north. These guys are willing to negotiate on cost for people buying a lot of cheap stock, and Glasgow is a decent day out and a straight motorway journey from the north of England.

>EDIT<

Their eBay IDs are daveba1 and zenga...

eBay listings

They're shifting most of their hardbacks at about £6.50, but they are willing to sell lower, particularly if you speak to them direct.

ATM they have Spell Compendium, Compendium of Magic Items, Undermountain and Greyhawk all listed at £6.50 BIN. I don't know which other hardbacks are worth buying, but the only ones they don't seem to have copies of are the DMG, PH and Spider Queen.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

Last edited by mbassoc2003 on Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:55 am, edited 3 times in total.

g026r
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:31 am

FormCritic wrote:This was a long-term result of the OGL. There was a lot of stuff on the market. Not all of it was good. Some of it was un-sellable. That stuff is still on FLGS shelves...and getting dumped off for $1 in some cases...although not around me.

One of the local stores has some 3rd party stuff for $5 or so (but mainly crap like Fast Forward Entertainment books), but for most stuff they're still asking for cover price. So yeah: damn you guys with the $1 books! :evil:

"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."

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