(Finally posted after a firewall bug was fixed  . . . no longer shaking with excitement!)

STILL SHAKING WITH EXCITEMENT HERE . . . sorry about that! Today I received from the UK a yellow-endpapered/flyleaved 232-page DMG that in the original eBay posting was neither a 1st Print nor a double-endpapered Second Beta Print or Third Gamma Print, nor a horribly scarred Third Beta Print. I was pretty sure (like 99.99% sure) it was going to be a Third Alpha Print, which I previously had a few years book. But I held onto wistful hope that it was the extremely rare, extremely high-demand Second Alpha Print, so I willingly paid more for the the UK Global Shipping Program postage, than I did for the item itself which only had one other bid. (There was zero mention of the error printing in the eBay posting, but close observation made me do this gamble without asking for more photos.)

I opened the package, quietly turned the book to page 98, and saw the Monster Manual unicorn, along with all of the other error pages that make this a Second Alpha Print! I had to sit down because my knees were getting wobbly and my whole body was shaking---just wow, WOW! Apparently this was identified as an error because of a cull-mark at the bottom page edge next to the spine, but obviously someone in the UK bought it before it could be shipped back in the recall, and kept it.

Not going to overly boast about it, and I obviously will be reselling it in the near future. But before I do that, I would like to ask if the Acaeum would like a page-by-page documentation of the Second Alpha Print since there doesn't seem to be many photos of it out there, and have it on file for everyone to use. I had previously asked about including proposed, common "DMG Sixth Print Delta"in the database (it's just like the 6th Gamma but has slightly smaller dimensions, a rough-textured cover and a lighter weight) but there was only mild interest. But EVERYONE knows about the Second Alpha Print, though photos seem to be lacking.

Would it be okay if I got the official approval to do this small project for the Acaeum, before I get around to selling the book?

Here's a quick peek, by the way---actual project photos will be much better quality, and you won't see my face in them. I just had to get a quick shot up right away while seated at my laptop computer. My knees were temporarily a bit too wobbly to walk to my smartphone in the other room.




---Pauly

dbartman wrote in DMG 2nd Alpha print Details:Congrats!  That is truly a rare one indeed.

It would be good to verify the printing details match with your copy.

Thanks! I will provide much better photos later, but it has the following things that jump out at me right away:

MONSTER MANUAL PAGES (with regular DMG pages between them). All of these are clear, and not printed directly over DMG text.
---Unicorn/Vampire pages on pp 98-99 (Vampire errata has been corrected)
------Wraith/Yeti on pp 102-103
---Index of Major Listings pp106-107
---DCS illustration of fighter/bugbear/gargoyle/naga/giant centipede + TSR pricelist (with DMG "future release")  on pp110-111. Do note this is NOT referred to as "Referees Guide".

"Cull mark" (not a magic-marker slash) cut into the the bottom edge near spine, plainly visible when the book is closed and viewed from beneath. I believe this was clearly meant to be sent back to TSR, but never was. Apparently the previous owner (a British person) is the original owner and  was able to buy and keep it. He even used it for play. I could message him for more information about the copy, but seeing that he had no idea this was the famous error print, I'd feel a bit awkward.

This is the original auction posting, where I paid attention to the fact there are single endpapers, rough cover, normal sized lettering in yellow banner,  and 232 pages:

** expired/removed eBay auction **


Other details:
Rough textured cover, all lettering inside the banner, yellow endpapers/flyleaves, no repasted endpapers.

Pre-Revised illustrations (Todd Oleck, etc) many of which (especially crying succubus, Blink Dog+Displacer Beast  and green dragon + kobolds)  are of different sizes than they were in the Revised Edition printings.

I'm pretty sure this is genuine---that is why I am offering to do page-by-page photography, and such, so the community knows exactly to look for in pictures and words. It seems like every time in a blue moon when the Second Alpha Print is put up for auction, nobody bothers to save the photos.

---Pauly

Some very quick photos to satisfy curiosity (but not the much clearer daytime photos I intend to take), five in all.

Hi Paul!

Congrats on your acquisition!  Certainly a rare trophy, and a great price.

I think the best venue for any scans/pics you want to take is in this thread right here.  Maybe rename the thread title (edit your first post) to something like "DMG 2nd Alpha print Details" or something along those lines.  As it stands, I think interest would be minimal in simply showing scans of MM pages on the main site; there's nothing different about those pages, they just happen to be bundled into that DMG print.  Ergo, if someone wanted to see exactly what the story was with this print, they could reference your post here (and ask you questions directly).

Foul

Changed thread name from "Does Acaeum need a DMG 2Ap feature for its database?" to "DMG 2nd Alpha print Details" as suggested by Foulfoot. The next several replies will be as previously mentioned, with text from the DMG page's description for the 2nd Alpha Print, along with my photos. I am no expert photographer, but hopefully these pictures will be of some use to the community.


---Pauly

"Cover art is of three adventurers fighting a large efreet "

"Endpapers and flyleaves are a yellow-orange color"

"Textblock is now stitched 1" apart, on this an all subsequent prints (up to and including the Eighth print)

Spine inlay is no longer yellow and red striped fabric, on this and all subsequent prints "

(Note the cull mark in the upper photo!)

"102/103 (facing pages)"