Hoping someone will help me out with answers to my questions.

Were printings ever done of either of the books without the 3 punches?

How rare really are the '1st editions' of these with the black number in the upper left corners (non white circles). Have you seen copies go for large sums? Or are they really not all that extra collectible?

Does K-B Toys have a connection in some way with B/X books or sets besides selling them at their stores at some point. Was there a leftover stock sellout when they went under or something related?

Thanks!

I've been through a ton of B/X sets and have never once seen a Moldvay Basic rulebook (or the Cook Expert rulebook)  without the three punches. (There may well be unpunched error prints, though.) Curiously, there seem to be a ton of blue "X1: The Isle of Dread" and Face-logo "B2: The Keep on the Borderlands" printings that have three-hole-punched booklets, but unpunched covers. As far as the first printing without the white circle goes (for both Basic and Expert sets from this period), it might be more scarce than the ones with the white circles, but I don't think it really affects the value much. I have several rulebooks without the white circle, most of which were included in book lots purchased a few years ago before the market got stronger.