Howdy folks:

I noticed an additional  print of the D&D Basic Game Red Box based on the information on the back cover. Sorry Foul, I am messing with a very long printing order.  I don’t own all of these printings and these back cover images were snipped from online so cannot be used for the site but are here on the post to show the differences. Does anyone have both of the two later printings with the 1988 and 1989 copyright? I am wondering if there is any difference in the contents.

The initial printing corresponds with the cover that is entitled Basic Rules Set 1 – What is currently the Twelfth (1983) print on the Acaeum

The next printing has the following modifications to the back and corresponds to the thirteenth print on the Acaeum.

“PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION” TM added to the top
Product number ‘1011’ added to top right
Logo change to indicate, “TSR, Inc.” instead of “TSR Hobbies, Inc.”
Address information added to the bottom left.
Barcode added to bottom right
Trademark line at bottom has been modified and it now in bold.


Beyond that there are two additional printings that I have found with the following differences on the back.

Crayon has been removed from the dice picture. (Crayon is still indicated on the contents list)
Price of $12.00 and ISBN number have been added above the barcode
Trademark line at bottom has been modified. Now shows only 1974 and 1988.


No quotes around PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION TM at top
Crayon is no longer indicated on the contents list.
Angled list of other TSR products has been removed.
“WHEN YOU’RE READY TO MEET THE CHALLENGE:” copy section is no longer angled.
Addresses have been moved to the lower center and the UK address has been updated to 120 Church End.
Trademark line at bottom has been modified. Now shows only 1974 and 1989


I am amused that the throughout the printings it always indicates that the product is “Now also available in French language translation!” when by 1989 it was available in many-many other languages.

Cheers,
Curt

I think I have those printings. I’ll check when I’m back home.

Mike

Current 12th print:

13th print (beta?)

•isbn code above bar code
• $12.00 above isbn code
• printed in USA added above UK address

14th print (beta?)

• quotation marks removed from products of your imagination at top
• no longer states “with marker crayon”
• angled product list removed
• “ challenge” section no longer angled
• UK address changed to 120 church end
• trademark line date changed to 1974, 1989

cgould42 wrote in Red Box Printing Research:I love that after all these years we are still finding printing differences on key titles. Continues to make the collecting hobby fun.

Amen to that! Always something new to discover in old school RPGs.