JasonZavoda wrote:I'd recommend some research then. Check out asking prices for metagaming items. See if anyone has any recent data they've tracked, and track any items currently on sale.
Oddly enough, I used to be the guy to go to for this sort of thing. I got my start on eBay 11 years ago by buying and selling Metagaming items, and there was a time around 2000 or so that I was probably one of the top five dealers in that area (for whatever that's worth).
It's been a while since I've been a big player on the Metagaming scene, but I have checked in from time to time over the years, and I can say, without any hesitation at all, that prices are
down, down, down since the glory days. There's just no comparison at all.
I just did a completed-items search, and I can hardly believe my eyes. There's The Fantasy Trip books for $20, like I mentioned earlier, but there's also super-cheap Space Gamers, boxed games for less than $10 (these were $40 to $50 items, easy,
BITD), popular Microgames for $10 or less, and on and on. Prices are down so much that I might actually start buying again.
Back to the OP: I think he has a very nice item there, and I think it
could bring in a handsome price, although I'd be stunned if it drew three figures, at least until the economy gets back to 2007 levels. And, again, I think the nice uncut counter sheet is the key; if it
does bring in a nice price, I think that will be the reason why.
But the printing isn't that important, frankly, nor is the comparison between different Melee editions. All of that is close to meaningless. Metagaming just doesn't attract print-run junkies the same way that D&D does; the casual collector just wants a copy of Melee, or Ogre, or whatever. The hard-core collector knows the difference,
but likely already owns the editions that he wants (Metagaming has never been that difficult to collect).
