In collecting, buying and selling D&D stuff I've come across some really really abused stuff... Back when I played 1st edition... we played every night for hours... for like 4 years... some of the same modules over and over... I personally read each manual cover to cover numerous times and my friends did too... Our stuff was "used" but it wasn't trashed beyond all recognition.  I've come across some stuff that literally looks like someone sat on it and used it like a sled down a puke covered gravel driveway.... I mean really did they actually play the game on a rugby field?  I get it the occasional Pepsi Syndrom or DM highlighting or perhaps reinforcing or bong water... But why would someone break out the terpentine and duct tape on White Plume?

Even though, I did not remotely view D&D stuff as collectible, I still took reasonably good care of it.

"Are We Not Men?"

I dare say, we are Orcs.

Disco

Some people just don't care about pieces of paper wrapped in another, thicker, piece of paper. Even if those pieces have pretty pictures and strange words.

Not until they discover those pages are "worth something" and they want to cash in.

As to why... why not? If they have no intrinsic or sentimental value, just piles of trash (effectively) they can be treated as such.

Badmike wrote:How about when gamers try to make something "better", yet end up killing it's collectibility?  My favorites are three hole punching modules and maps for inclusion in binders; clear plastic film on modules and maps; and the worst of all, highlighting certain passages in an otherwise perfect module or book.

Mike B.

Bad Mike

I remember one "improvement" that was actually quite good.... someone used a blue felt tip pen and outlined the entire dungeon map for the Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl... If you don't remember the map break out your copy and see how faded light blue it is... Dramatic improvement with the outlining... I sold it as such and it went reasonbly high...

Disco