D&D General Wizards of the Coast releases pay-for-download PDF of the 1974 Original D&D Three Volume Boxed Set (including Tolkien references!)

[Rob Kuntz]

So I actually have these physical booklets, with the Tolkien references intact:

Chainmail - rules for medieval miniatures by Gary Gygax & Jeff Perrin 3rd edition (it says copyright 1975) - this is different from the others in that it has a silver cover and black plastic spiral binding
Dungeons & Dragons - Gygax & Arneson - Men & Magic - Volume 1 of Three Booklets (copyright 1974)
Dungeons & Dragons - Gygax & Arneson - Monsters & Treasure - Volume 2 of Three Booklets (copyright 1974)
Dungeons & Dragons - Gygax & Arneson - The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures - Volume 3 of Three Booklets (1974)
Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I Greyhawk - Gygax & Kuntz (1976, THIRD PRINTING)
Dungeons & Dragons Supplement II Blackmoor - Dave Arneson (1975)
Dungeons & Dragons Supplement III Eldritch Wizardry - Gary Gygax & Bryan Blume (1976)
Swords & Spells by Gary Gygax for use with Dungeons & Dragons (1976)

No boxes, just a bunch of loose softcover booklets, a little yellowed & battered.

I notice that the term "Dungeon Master" doesn't seem to exist yet in the 1974 books or in Greyhawk or Blackmoor - the term "referee" is always used. "Dungeon Master" does appear in Supplement III Eldritch Wizardry and in Swords & Spells. The Tolkeinisms are present in all books.

Are these considered valuable?

Very valuable, especially the 3 original set even without the box and insert. The others less so. I am guessing, though PM me for a professional appraiser's e-mail, that the 3 original w/out box and insert would sell at auction for $1,000-$2,000, depending. I note that you are missing Supplement 4 God, Demigods and Heroes (Kuntz and Ward)! for a complete run!

 

[Burnside]

Very valuable, especially the 3 original set even without the box and insert. The others less so. I am guessing, though PM me for a professional appraiser's e-mail, that the 3 original w/out box and insert would sell at auction for $1,000-$2,000, depending. I note that you are missing Supplement 4 God, Demigods and Heroes (Kuntz and Ward)! for a complete run!

Thanks Rob! And yes - that's the only one I'm missing. I'm hoping to snag a copy on eBay to complete my set at some point. The other books were a gift from my mom's husband, who would have been a teenager in the 70s. And I actually do have the inset for the original set as well - it's only missing the box.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

Thanks Rob! And yes - that's the only one I'm missing. I'm hoping to snag a copy on eBay to complete my set at some point. The other books were a gift from my mom's husband, who would have been a teenager in the 70s. And I actually do have the inset for the original set as well - it's only missing the box.

Cool. PM me and I will provide you with P. Stormberg's e-mail. He owns the Collector's Trove, has conducted many, many auctions for TSR Alum and others (myself included) and is your best bet for getting the best price if you ever decide to part with them. Good luck finding GD&H, it's not really rare so it should be a short hunt.

 

[Burnside]

Cool. PM me and I will provide you with P. Stormberg's e-mail. He owns the Collector's Trove, has conducted many, many auctions for TSR Alum and others (myself included) and is your best bet for getting the best price if you ever decide to part with them. Good luck finding GD&H, it's not really rare so it should be a short hunt.

Thank you! I will PM, although tbh I don't think I would ever sell them. If anything, if they really are valuable I may want to insure them and/or see about getting them conserved so they don't deteriorate any further.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

Thank you! I will PM, although tbh I don't think I would ever sell them. If anything, if they really are valuable I may want to insure them and/or see about getting them conserved so they don't deteriorate any further.

I understand. In either case you'll have the option. Paul has been in biz for 15+ years with a 100% rating on Ebay and isn't going anywhere soon. PM on the way.

 

[Stormonu]

I'm still able to download MPMB's Character Generator from my DMsGuild library even though they pulled the product years ago.

It depends if the author pulls the underlying PDF/file or just makes it unavailable for sale. Looks like in the OD&D case they just removed it from sale, but didn't physically remove the PDFs (yet).