The cost of an OD&D box • Collecting General • The Acaeum

The Acaeum Forums • Collecting General

The cost of an OD&D box
	Page 1 of 1

Author

Thork N Hammer
Prolific Collector

Posts: 458
Joined: Mar 26, 2010
Last Visit: Sep 08, 2018

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:18 pm

Not the contents, mind you. Just the box.
1. Are these ever offered on their own? I've never heard of such a thing, but...
2. What would one be worth*? I did a search, but it just came up with sets/contents included.
I feel terribly stupid wondering about this. :oops:

*obviously, not 1st-3rd prints, but 4th and up.

"Here's to swimmin with bowl-legged wimin"

Grug Greyskin
Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 632
Joined: Mar 17, 2008
Last Visit: Jul 26, 2026
Location: Evergreen, CO

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:45 pm

Thork N Hammer wrote:Not the contents, mind you. Just the box.
1. Are these ever offered on their own? I've never heard of such a thing, but...
2. What would one be worth*? I did a search, but it just came up with sets/contents included.
I feel terribly stupid wondering about this. :oops:

*obviously, not 1st-3rd prints, but 4th and up.

I have never seen such a thing, however, as the box is normally the toughest part of a set to keep in good condition, I would think in top shape it might fetch close to the price of a full set with books, where any flaws would drop the price rather quickly, and anything less than fine condition probably has no value without the set as a whole. Just my two cents.

Serian
Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 166
Joined: Jan 08, 2011
Last Visit: Aug 22, 2018

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:05 pm

Thork N Hammer wrote:Not the contents, mind you. Just the box.

...

I feel terribly stupid wondering about this. :oops:

You shouldn't. I would love to get hold of an authentic "just the box" to go with my set of 1st printing booklets. You aren't the only one keeping half an eye open for such an oddity.

I've never run across a "just the box" being offered. Usually the box is the first part of the set to take damage and come apart in chunks. It's also the least "valuable" part of a set from a gaming perspective, since it is easily replaceable (again, from a player perspective, since all it does is neatly keep your rule books together).

If you are just looking for a container rather than a collector's entity, maybe these will work:

http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/candies/2-piece.htm

The one pound boxes are 9-1/8 x 6-1/8 x 1 1/8" which is just about perfect for holding the halfsize booklets.

Sea-to-sky-games
Prolific Collector

Posts: 808
Joined: Dec 31, 2005
Last Visit: Jul 28, 2026
Location: Dallas, TX

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 10:28 pm

Thork N Hammer wrote:Not the contents, mind you. Just the box.
1. Are these ever offered on their own? I've never heard of such a thing, but...
2. What would one be worth*? I did a search, but it just came up with sets/contents included.
I feel terribly stupid wondering about this. :oops:

1. I have also never seen an empty box.
2. An empty box doesn't really have any value to me, so it's hard to say, but if I had the books and just missing the box I'd probably be willing to pay $50 for a nice OCE copy.

grodog
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5923
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Aug 07, 2026
Location: Wichita, KS, USA

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:01 pm

ISTR two woodgrain boxes being sold in the past 2 years or so, but it has been awhile. IIRC they did go for a pretty penny (I didn't win either

Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

misterspock
Sage Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 2763
Joined: Sep 25, 2007
Last Visit: Feb 22, 2026

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:34 am

I think this was prob one you were talking about. There was this dude in Georgia who sold a woodgrain "box only" back in July 2011 for around $232 on ebay. He actually bought it from a live auction site a couple weeks before that for approx $170 incl the buyers premium/shipping/etc and then flipped it on ebay.

I don't think I've seen the 4th, 5th or OCE on their own.

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

red_bus
Sage Collector
JG Valuation Board

Posts: 2886
Joined: Feb 10, 2003
Last Visit: Aug 07, 2026
Location: Olde London Towne

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:29 am

This site has some handy made-to-measure boxes ... they are not coated (although I am sure there are websites that will do that as well).

http://www.postpack.co.uk/acatalog/Besp ... boxes.html

http://www.greyhoundbox.co.uk/custom-boxes.html

Hmmm, thinking about this, it seems quite affordable to store a pile of one's collection in perfectly fitting boxes

Although I try and store in plastic containers and in plastic folders (where appropriate) - I guess storing in a box is fine, assuming you don't have heat or damp issues.

Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!

sauromatian
Sage Collector

Posts: 2554
Joined: Jul 25, 2007
Last Visit: Jan 06, 2024
Location: Far Harad, Texas

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:59 am

red_bus wrote: it seems quite affordable to store a pile of one's collection in perfectly fitting boxes Although I try and store in plastic containers and in plastic folders (where appropriate) - I guess storing in a box is fine, assuming you don't have heat or damp issues.

This could be more convenient than magazine bags, as it's hard to find digest size.

Invincible Overlord
Verbose Collector
JG Valuation Board
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 1624
Joined: Aug 19, 2008
Last Visit: Aug 21, 2023
Location: Chicago, IL

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:32 am

grodog wrote:ISTR two woodgrain boxes being sold in the past 2 years or so, but it has been awhile. IIRC they did go for a pretty penny (I didn't win either ).

Correct Allan...

... and I thought that Pip picked one of them for ~$400

Pip if you still have it I'd be interested in Frankenstiening another box!

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

TheHistorian
Sage Collector

Posts: 2589
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Last Visit: Mar 11, 2023
Location: Seattle, WA

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:21 pm

It seems like it would be a tough acquisition all around. Logically, there have to be more people with the books looking for boxes than the reverse.

If it were me, I'd buy a full a set and sell the duplicate books.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

Thork N Hammer
Prolific Collector

Posts: 458
Joined: Mar 26, 2010
Last Visit: Sep 08, 2018

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:17 pm

Well, my LBBs finally arrived.
So, not having 100s of $ to purchase a box, I made my own.
It doesn't have the mounted horseman cover, or the OCE cover, but the Men & Magic cover pasted atop it .
Its funky, its rough, it smells funny, and reminds me of my military days in certain ports o'call. :oops:

But, should a box become available, I'm still interested.
:lol:

"Here's to swimmin with bowl-legged wimin"

bombadil
Long-Winded Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 3807
Joined: Feb 23, 2005
Last Visit: Feb 12, 2025

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 8:00 pm

Yes, I also seem to recall at least a couple of boxes having been offered up for sale in the time I've been a member here.

edit: Oh, yeah, cost? Memory's dim, but between $250-500 rings a bell for some reason.

Let mirth prevail!

ExTSR
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor
Valuation Board

Posts: 1945
Joined: May 01, 2004
Last Visit: Aug 07, 2026
Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:24 pm

Thork N Hammer wrote:should a box become available, I'm still interested.

Similar to ranged weapons and other variables, I sometimes use the BAG system -- condition Bad / Average / Good.
(If there are hardcores around I get more specific, no BAGs.)

So your Original Woodgrain price would be, I'd guess, 75/150/300

I can't help but remember that oddity I sold* at GenCon, prolly 20+ yrs ago, prolly to Strat o'champ:
Decent shape woodgrain box. No cover sticker, small side sticker per OD&D iirc.
The side sticker is important, showing it an original OD&D and not a later Tractics or something.
ouat I saw that one, with others, in TomWham's office at TSR. He ended up with some extra woodies when they went to the whites.
Don't think Tom has any left, but it never hurts to ask...

F * auctioneer

My friends Dave & Gary made a quantum leap in entertainment. Remember them.

stratochamp
Sage Collector

Posts: 2024
Joined: Feb 12, 2005
Last Visit: Jul 04, 2026

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:50 pm

Your memory is amazing Frank. I knew the box you were referring to, but I had to go pull it down from the shelf to refresh the details.
The box is actually in great shape (probably very fine) with a small white D&D sticker. Included in the box were Tom's handmade (and hand colored) Snit's Revenge Tournament Set. The counters are 1.5" squares mounted on a thick backer. I can't believe you remember selling me this! And yes it was circa 1990, if I remember correctly :-)

Shrink is not a condition

ExTSR
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor
Valuation Board

Posts: 1945
Joined: May 01, 2004
Last Visit: Aug 07, 2026
Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:24 am

Well, I see an (unbelievable) amount of stuff, but special things -- woodies, baggers (Tamo/Inver), others -- tend to stick.

Not dead yet y'know... ;>

Keith the Thief
Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Apr 19, 2026
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:28 pm

TheHistorian wrote:It seems like it would be a tough acquisition all around. Logically, there have to be more people with the books looking for boxes than the reverse.

If it were me, I'd buy a full a set and sell the duplicate books.

This is what I'd do, as well.

And, no, I've never seen one for sale, either. But it's a really good question.

"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

The Acaeum Forums • Collecting General

Page 1 of 1