misterspock wrote:One other thing to check, if you flip past that title page to pg 4, is there a "Special thanks are also give to Chaosium..." line as the last sentence at the bottom?

No "special thanks". I think this is a first printing.

Next box starts with some periodicals:

Dragontales Anthology
Tortured Souls - #1 and #3 (2 is likely hiding somewhere)
HarnLore #1 (spring 1987)
Citadel Journel (also spring 1987)
Ares #1 unpunched
Ares #3 punched
Dungeon #1-#7

Then a big bunch of modules. Will check if any of them are interesting.

Haunted wrote:
Some friends and I bought ours at GenCon, and approached Gary for the signature. He said "Ward and Kuntz are right there - have them sign this. They wrote it". We said "thanks, but you sign first" then we fled with our prizes  

That's pretty good!

How would a new Ward signtaure play alongside a vintage Gygax signature I wonder? Anyone want to hazard a guess with and without the extra signature?

Filling in a bit more [updated 9/9/11]:

Tamoachan 154: $1000-1500
AD&D PBM: $50-100
AD&D open scenarios: $100-300 each
GW novels (assume VF): $10 each x 14 => about $120 - $160 total
Inferno #1-#9 (assume VF): $60 total for all
Unopened minis: Guessing - need some help.
Grenadier:
Fantasty warriors: 9204 ($20), 1425, 1436 ($5-10 each)
UK Fantasy warriors: 1401, 1402, 1410, 1413 ($5-10 each)
Dragonlords: 2502 ($50-70)
Fantasy Lords: #115, 132, 181 ($5-10 each)
Ral Partha: ($5-10 each)
Personalities: 01-023, 047, 067, 096
Imports: FA6, FA28, FAC29
Elves: 12-050
Fantasy Collector: 02-093
RAFM: 3074 (5$)
Alternative Armies: CE2, CE3, CE13 ($5-$10 each)
Citadel:
Elf Warmasters: 0-7424-2, 0-7424-9, plus mounted general and repeating bolt thrower. $10 each, $15-20 bolt thrower.
Gygax signed 1st printing Dieties (Cthulhu): $75-150
Signed DL poster: Will try to get a picture of this next. Confirm which signatures.
Dragontales Anthology
Tortured Souls - #1 and #3: $10-20
HarnLore #1 (spring 1987): $5-10
Citadel Journel (also spring 1987)
Ares #1 unpunched ($15-20)?
Ares #3 punched ($5-10?)
Dungeon #1-#7 ($100 - 120 total by Acaeum index)

As I get confirmations on these I will take them off and add the next boxes !

All the pelasant banter here keeps me motivated to keep at the boxes. Thanks so much. Hoping I might get to meet some of the prestigious Acaeum personalities at GenCon next year. It may be I even recognize a few of you from all my years prowling around there...

The autograph is really tough to quantify. I've seen the run-of-the mill PHB 6th prints and DMGs later prints that have Gary's autograph go sometimes relatively inexpensive (approx $30-$50) and sometimes towards $120-$180. However, the higher end ones were early/1st prints of the DMG or PHB.

I would generally figure the Gary autograph could add about $15-$30 ontop of the actual value of the book. However, the fact that your book actually came from the first batch sold at that GenCon AND has the specific signature to prove it I think adds even more value. It's hard to tell the condition of the book from the photos (are there any other notes or scribbles, marks, stains in the book?) I'd figure if the book is in good condition, you could start out the bidding at $75-$100 and see where it goes. I think there's been a Gary-mania sweeping through over the last year so I could see it doing well.

btw, getting further autographs I think could add some value. Maybe figure $10 per signature, that would be my guess.

Haunted wrote:Tortured Souls - #1 and #3
HarnLore #1 (spring 1987)

Tortured Souls - $10-20 if they're complete
Harnlore - $5-10

mbassoc2003 wrote:[and a good photo of the sheets fanned constitutes a good eBay listing.

The sheets for each scenario are almost all still connected one to another on old style computer paper with horizontal perfs between pages. I dont think I want to seperate them?

I am almost sure that some parts of this collection will be sold or go to auction. I am weighing the pros / cons of ebay (total newb) vs next year's GenCon auction.

With Ebay - everyone around the world would get a chance to bid, and I see that some of the most prolific collectors of this kind of ephemera are "geographically challenged" when it comes being in Indianapolis. But - I have no Ebay reputation, and admit to being a bit anxious about screwing up something basic. If I go the Ebay route, I would likely list some of the least valuable stuff first while I get my feet under me and learn the ropes.

On the other hand, I am 90% certain that I will be in Indy next year, and have both bought and sold items at the auction there in the past (admitedly not in the last decade or so though!). I am hoping that, if I behave myself in the meantine, I might score an Acaeum beer invite, and could preview some of the items to interested members beforehand. Maybe participate in some trading and schmoozing.

For the members unlikely to attend GenCon - If you knew there was an item you wanted to aquire at the auction, do you trust your Acaeum buddies enough to bid an item for you (assuming they weren't your competition!)?

Are GenCon auctions of rare items competitive with ebay?

Thanks for the feedback on the Tortured Souls, Gygax 1st printing, Harnlore, etc. I have a German guest in town this evening for work, but hoping to get a bit more added late tonight.

The rest of this box. Mostly standard stuff for the era. No estimates needed.

A1, A2, A3, A4, A1-4
AC1
B1 (mono) - B11 (green B3)
C2, C3
CM2, CM3, CM7, CM9 (the missing ones likely in another box?)
D1, D2, D3 mono
DA1, DA2
DL1 - DL14
DQ1
EX1
FRA1, FRE2, FR9
Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (1031)
G1-G3 mono
World of Greyhawk Folio
GAZ 1 - GAZ 7
H1-H4

It seems I put them away roughly alphabetically...

Random stuff in this box:
Secrets of the Sages Summer 1988 (FR newsletter)
November 1980 The Dungeon retail order blank.

Lastly - The first 4 handwritten pages of "Helm of Selnor" from Treasures of Greyhawk. These might be my only handwritten pages. I may have done the rest on my old Mac Plus. Looking for any printed copies I may have kept.

mbassoc2003 wrote:I'd say you'll get more money out of eBay than GenCon. More bidders from around the world, and the big buyers from GenCon are very active on eBay when it counts.

spot on - 1% of d&d buyers are at gencon but 99% are on ebay (clearly these are made up numbers for the sake of illustration, but I'd be willing to bet ebay will garner  you more.(look at the price Malcolm paid for those O&Ws at the gencon auction as a case in point))