Old TSR dice • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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Old TSR dice
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Toric
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:31 pm

I know there have been several threads on this in the past but I have a specific question that I didn't see asked or answered in the old threads. Of course, I might have missed it but here is my question. I just bought a set of old dice on Ebay and remember having them as a kid but I can't remember where they came from. They are sealed in a little plastic bag and include a yellow d4, red d6, green d8, blue d12 and white d20 (numbered 0-9 twice). The numbers are colored black. Here is the auction listing with picture: http://www.ebay.com/itm/300672687493?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

I probably paid way too much but really wanted to reacquire a set of these as I remember them fondly as one of the earliest sets of dice I had. Does anyone know how these were sold? Were they included with one of the old basic sets? I had a Moldvay basic set back then. Perhaps they came with one of the printings of that? The auction listing mentions Gamma World but I don't remember this set going with either the first or second edition Gamma World boxes.

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:18 pm

http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/basic.html

Likely as not from one of the first four printings of the box set.
Five pre-Colored dice (no die 10) no Crayon.

I have a some of the sealed dice baggies (Most with the crayon, one without) and I would probably not sell them at all.
And if so, not for less than you paid for that listing.
I have a few of those box sets with dice as well (with and without crayons).

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Toric
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:44 pm

Cool, thanks Gnat! I've been mostly a lurker here for a long time and have only posted a handful of times but I never thought to check the listings for boxed sets to see if they mentioned what dice came with them.

Also good to know that I probably didn't overpay, at least in your opinion. I plan to open these up and use them at the gaming table so perhaps I'll need to acquire another set to leave in the plastic bag.

ddt58
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 4:53 am

They call them low impact dice for a reason. If you use the D20 very much, the corners will get rounded off. We used to paint one set of the 0-9 digits a different color so we could use it as a 20 sided die for attacking and saving throws.

Zenopus
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:27 am

Toric,

As long as the bag is sealed, that's a good price (I think, I haven't tracked these).

If the bag is open or missing, you can often get an entire Basic Set including dice for $16 or less, depending on printing/condition. Even when loose the dice are often unused. In fact, you could probably get a Basic Set with those dice, keep the loose dice, and resell the Basic Set for nearly the same price.

Just a warning, since said you intend to open them - most of the value is in the set of dice being sealed.

Zenopus Archives website & blog: Exploring the Underworld of Holmes Basic D&D. Holmes Ref: Reference Sheets for Holmes Basic Referees, also compatible with OD&D plus the Greyhawk supplement

Toric
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:32 am

Thanks, Zenopus! Gnat PM'd me and advised me against opening them as well and even offered to sell me a set of similar dice (already out of the plastic bag) for a few bucks. I'm taking him up on his offer and will leave the bag sealed. :wink:

MetaSigma
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:56 am

The bag of dice you bought matches the one from my 1st print Gamma World exactly, down to the colors of the dice, so I think the seller is probably correct about their origin.

EDIT: The price wasn't that outrageous, IMO.

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Busman
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:52 pm

There was a company selling these dice again recently, in the last few years, I've forgotten when I saw this and where, but many people were using it to stock up. I believe it is no longer an option, but since then I don't put a lot of value on these sets.

Chris

Katchoo
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 7:28 pm

I know that an Acaeum member (MikesGreatFinds) has a bunch of those sets still in the bag for $12 a pop. Some of his prices can be high, but I thought the dice weren't a bad deal. I needed one for my Gamma World boxed set, since I am an anal completist. heh

I think he also gives a discount to Acaeum members if you shoot him a message first and ask for a discount code.

~Kat ^_^

Toric
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:09 pm

Funnily enough, that is who I bought the dice from (MikesGreatFinds).

Katchoo
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:24 pm

Toric wrote:Funnily enough, that is who I bought the dice from (MikesGreatFinds).

Ah! LOL I should have paid better attention.

~Kat ^_^

faro
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:22 am

Busman wrote:There was a company selling these dice again recently, in the last few years, I've forgotten when I saw this and where, but many people were using it to stock up. I believe it is no longer an option, but since then I don't put a lot of value on these sets.

Aaron had a bundle of old stock a few years back and was selling them at $10/set. Surprised no-one's put in another order to China.

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7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

Toric
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:41 pm

Anyone have any idea where these dice came from? Were these from any specific boxed sets that anyone can recall? Or are these just older dice that were sold separately? I'm particularly curious about the green ones. Link to the Ebay listing follows.

** expired/removed eBay auction **

clangador
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:42 am

Toric wrote:I know there have been several threads on this in the past but I have a specific question that I didn't see asked or answered in the old threads. Of course, I might have missed it but here is my question. I just bought a set of old dice on Ebay and remember having them as a kid but I can't remember where they came from. They are sealed in a little plastic bag and include a yellow d4, red d6, green d8, blue d12 and white d20 (numbered 0-9 twice). The numbers are colored black. Here is the auction listing with picture:
** expired/removed eBay auction **

I probably paid way too much but really wanted to reacquire a set of these as I remember them fondly as one of the earliest sets of dice I had. Does anyone know how these were sold? Were they included with one of the old basic sets? I had a Moldvay basic set back then. Perhaps they came with one of the printings of that? The auction listing mentions Gamma World but I don't remember this set going with either the first or second edition Gamma World boxes.

Man that brings back memories. Those old dice, that is. My Holmes Basic came with chits.

~Clangador
---------------

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sauromatian
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:23 am

What about red/white 20-sided percentiles? Are those very rare?

Busman
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:37 pm

sauromatian wrote:What about red/white 20-sided percentiles? Are those very rare?

It was more pink and white, iirc, and I remember it came in my Gamma World set when I got that back then. I've heard the EPT might have had them too. I haven't been looking on Ebay, but you don't see them come up often. Same crappy plastic as the normal TSR dice.

Chris

faro
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:18 pm

sauromatian wrote:What about red/white 20-sided percentiles? Are those very rare?

Not seen so often bagged, that's for sure, and Aaron/NKG didn't have stacks of old stock for those.
Unbagged dice don't seem to fare so well $-wise, although I'd probably make any exception if any red/black pre-TSR UK percentiles turn up on a sale.

"7.3 ORGANIZING THE PARTY: Always have a keg, even if it's BYOB...
7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

sauromatian
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:11 am

faro wrote: although I'd probably make any exception if any red/black pre-TSR UK percentiles turn up on a sale.

Yes that's exactly what I had in mind, thanks for the link! I read Arneson's KotDT interview, & have always wondered what those 1960s percentiles looked like.

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