faro wrote:I can't recall without my records whether Doug snagged that $1,400 copy a year or two back - that one was about as close as I'd seen to "minty".
Only one copy spotted in original bag and the 1st DG is about as rare, that way.

Yes, did not really want to say his name, but he recently snagged another copy that he told me was the nicest copy he had.
So (without seeing them in person) I think he has at least two copies at NM (+/-).

benjoshua wrote:To me, a great module is something like Ravenloft, Tomb of Horrors, or even Night's Dark Terror.   I realize these were written much later, and the authors were able to build on the template of adventures like PotVQ, but again, I value things I use more than things that are historical.  And to say this to a bunch of people who value history so highly is heretical.     Sorry.  

well Ben, that may well be, but i bet you i could make a decent gaming session out of PotVQ.

Read Tegel Manor...at best, its average tbh...nothing that great about it. Ravenloft is a great adventure, but again like everything, its what you DO with it as a DM that makes it a decent game or not mate.

historically though, things take on a whole different perspective, whether it was a good item or not.

most of the time, as in the instance of ST1, its so rare, because the item indeed WAS crap, and anyone (such as Blackmoor above) who wants to collect one of everything TSR, its a must thing to have.

Al

Gnat the Beggar wrote:
Whistles...  
Don't know what yer talking about......  

see below

well you go read one of the 1st print booklets....its about as bare bones as you get mate. same as PotVQ and a ton of other stuff around that time.

even G1-2-3 and Q1 are pretty much like that in parts.



Al

faro wrote:
Ah... in which case we're on a totally different grading schema since I could see the folder creases without even having to zoom in on the first auction photo;  
** expired/removed eBay auction **

I'd be very surprised if there's not additional rubbing as well.

every copy i have ever seen gets rippling across the top like that. my copy is NM otherwise, and has less rippling than that one, but i would grade my as just below nm- overall. my 1st dwarven glory though is nm+. there is nothing wrong with it at all, having been stored in it's original ziploc bag where it had been bought from the dungeon hobby shop for $3.85 bitd. yes, the sticker is on the ziploc bag, not the module.

stratochamp wrote:every copy i have ever seen gets rippling across the top like that. my copy is NM otherwise, and has less rippling than that one, but i would grade my as just below nm- overall.

Was also a bit concerned at how many "NM"s in a row that has been where I'd've rated at Fine or lower by the Acaeum's own grading scheme. If items are overgraded by the valuation board, that obviously has the potential to exert a downwards pressure on the site's price estimates; which then feeds back into the loop, of course...

Agreed on PotVQ regarding folder rippling/creasing at the top on most copies, as with that recent auction. Fading and rubbing is definitely a problem, too; that often being difficult to see when flash photography has been used.
Take, for example, the right-hand copy on the photo below where that was deliberately taken with no flash, at a low angle, and slightly enhanced to show any differences in the shade of black. What might have passed for a "VF" copy by some grading standards had the photo been taken with a flash pointing directly at the module (and there's certainly less creasing than on the aforementioned auction copy) looks a lot less "appealing" when photographed in this manner:

stratochamp wrote:my 1st dwarven glory though is nm+. there is nothing wrong with it at all, having been stored in it's original ziploc bag where it had been bought from the dungeon hobby shop for $3.85 bitd. yes, the sticker is on the ziploc bag, not the module.

$3.85? That's interesting, Bill.

Ditto on the condition here: not sure I'd dare to try to take it out of the ziploc.