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Like New First Edition Hardbacks
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Mordenkainen
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:07 am

Given that the first edition materials are around 40 years old at this point, I'm curious how many Mint/Like New first edition hardbacks are circulating out there. Like everyone else, I have tried to collect books in the best condition I can find, but almost everything I've seen has been exposed to handling and the elements for forty years, especially given that they were never shrink wrapped or boxed. I figured this community would have some extra special collectibles, so if anyone is up for sharing what their best hardbooks like look, I'd love to see them and stoke my collector's jealousy.

stylean
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 11:12 am

The obvious two to start with:

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And then these two, one of which I thought I'd never find a NM copy of and the other that I obsessed over because I had the most fun with it as a kid:

Attachment:

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Mordenkainen
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:15 pm

stylean wrote in Like New First Edition Hardbacks:The obvious two to start with:

And then these two, one of which I thought I'd never find a NM copy of and the other that I obsessed over because I had the most fun with it as a kid:

Wow, I've never seen boxed or shrink-wrapped hardbacks before!

dbartman
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:06 pm

Those limited edition bonus packs were a rare exception to SW'd hardbacks, as they were bundled with an exclusive module. This bundle was really meant to get rid of the excess stock they had of these hardbacks, which did not sell as well as TSR had anticipated.

Obviously there aren't a lot of these left in SW.

That's a nice looking Oriental Adventures. For some reason a lot of those were damaged, even when they were brand new.

stylean
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:40 pm

yeah the OA took a good while. I think I cycled through maybe 6 or 7 tries on eBay before I found this one. I got the two SW ones from a member here about 6 years ago I think.

Sir Kill Alot
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 8:36 pm

I have a perfect copy of a 1st print Deities & Demigods that was opened once to confirm it was a first print. It has not seen the light of day in probably 25 years. Thinking about it more that's a damn shame. I'll dig it out when I get a chance and post a pic.

The book I have trouble with is Unearthed Arcana. The spines on those are awful with pages seemingly just falling out. Have several copies like that. :twisted:

-SKA

aia
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 3:32 am

I have an UA not in mint conditions but very fine... The best part is that it is autographed by EGG!

Sir Kill Alot
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 11:15 am

Very nice aia. If there is one regret I do have with all of the time and effort I put into collecting is that I never travelled to conventions when I was younger and able to. It would have been nice to meet all my childhood idols (people whose names are on these items I so closely covet) and the people whose fingers are on the pulse of this extraordinary community (which is all of you here).

-SKA

chromaticknight
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 7:56 pm

Here are my best (that I can find right now) first 3 hardbacks:

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Mordenkainen
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:56 pm

chromaticknight wrote in Like New First Edition Hardbacks:Here are my best (that I can find right now) first 3 hardbacks:

Very nice!

(Looks like you need a first printing DMG to match your PHB and MM.)

chromaticknight
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:55 pm

Mordenkainen wrote in Like New First Edition Hardbacks:
Very nice!

(Looks like you need a first printing DMG to match your PHB and MM.)

My first print DM Guide doesnt look as nice as the one i posted

Mike

Mordenkainen
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Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:01 am

chromaticknight wrote in Like New First Edition Hardbacks:My first print DM Guide doesnt look as nice as the one i posted

Oh I'm still jealous, my 1st prints (of which I only have 2 of the 3 you showed) are nowhere near as nice.

SimperingToad
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Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:25 pm

I think my best copies are a 2nd print MM, 1st print DMG, 2nd print D&DG, and a 4th+ Holmes (with unopened dice). They all have slight flaws, so I think they are probably VF to NM- at best.

The Holmes is probably my fave out of the bunch. I picked this up sometime about 2008 from NobleKnight, and I believe this is the exact print run that I began with waaaay back in 1978 that was owned by a couple of neighborhood buddies. Took me 30 years to get my own copy.

Art of dragons doing what dragons do. Site of a friend. Dragonstuff

Mordenkainen
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:55 am

This looks gorgeous. I can't decide if my collecting focus is the quality of the item or the earlier printings...

** expired/removed eBay auction **

brute
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:25 pm

Amazing copies. The corners look sharp.

Sir Kill Alot
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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:46 pm

Very nice guys. So hard to find those old hardback anywhere close to those conditions.

-SKA

Waynes_Books
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:43 am

Seems like in the last 10 years in general conditions of the AD&D hardcovers out in the wild have taken a steep dive. Now I'm impressed when they have clean edgepaper and only a name written inside the cover. Fewer and fewer original owners selling I reckon.

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Tarmogoyf
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:30 pm

High condition books are getting so pricey that it may be worth buying a low grade and having it restored.

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