TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up? • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?
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kjbaumann
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 12:59 pm

Hey all,

First time posting here.

So I've got a TSR Silver Anniversary box set in great condition, everything is mint/near-mint. This is a complete set, everything is there, including the Easley photo (not signed).

It's not sealed because Gary Gygax signed every module except Against the Giants. And L3 is signed by both Gary and Dave Arneson. None of the signatures are "to" someone either.

I think it's time to sell this and if I decide to do that, is it better to sell as one whole lot or as individual pieces? What would get me the most money?

To be honest, the collector in me wants to keep it as is but finding a buyer for this would be tough. Am I crazy to think that this should fetch at least $1000?

Lordan
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 2:02 pm

I met the person (don't want to post RL name without permission) who is posting this question while at Total Con. I directed him to both here and RPG Auctions as I feel that there is a pretty good knowledge base here

and different opinions that will direct him better than what I told him.

My position was this:

Basically, to the collector in me, having the box set with the signatures would be awesome!! But.....as far as what I would pay for so many is different for me.... Having multiple copies signed wouldn't really matter to me outside of the initial one or 2 (Gygax/Arneson) or the Box itself, so multiple copies wouldn't lead me to pay "significantly" more . My suggestion...and yes it goes against some of my "collector" views...break up the set, and sell the individuals (outside L3).... then sell the box, with L3 (w/both sigs), and the rest of the unsigned contents as a separate lot (there are so many broken up sets someone could complete it).

Personally, that's where I think the most $$ would come from...but you guys are much wiser than myself

So please help him get the biggest band for the buck!

Also, I can't remember, but I don't think he had any pics of the items being signed...but I felt between Paul, Bill and others...confirming that it's the real sig probably wouldn't be much of an issue...but providing the story behind how he got them would be a nice addition.

Thanks for helping him out guys!

Deadlord
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 2:24 pm

Signatures are weird. Had it been shrinked and signed it'd be worth a hell of a lot more. However, a lot of collectors aren't heavily into signed items, and the longtimers pretty much all have GG's sig on something or other. Here are a couple viewpoints:

A non-rabid collector's view: If I buy one of the signed mods, there is no way to PROVE it is GG's sig if I decide to part with it. So, the only value it has is if I want to keep it. If I buy the SET, it lends much more credence to it being authentic, and it might be worth it to have it authenticated and documented. You may want to do this before you sell any/all of it.

A rabid collector's view: Unless I actively collect signed items and will pay a premium (a very small group), it's a pass unless it is decently priced.

A player's view: Pass. I'll pay $5-10 and get a play copy.

A reseller's view: I'd buy it on the cheap, get it authenticated and then put it on ebay for a stupid sum, hoping some idiot buys it.

My view: Get it authenticated and possibly appraised, then decide. I'd keep it unless it was worth more than the GDP of Uruguay.
In 20 years you may be able to pull GG's DNA from one of the items, reconstitute it and clone him. He could then sign ALL your items, and you could sell him afterwards. Just make sure he autographs himself first.

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

kjbaumann
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 3:35 pm

Deadlord wrote in TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?:My view: Get it authenticated and possibly appraised

How do I go about getting this authenticated and appraised? Sure, as a set you can clearly see that the signatures match and all of them are live ink but who can I go to to to prove this?

red_bus
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 4:06 pm

Good question. I just had a quick look at ebay sold and the nice sets go up for over $300 though those are shrinkwrapped. Hmmm, if it was me I would be tempted to give it a shot and see what happened, write a nice letter saying when and where the set was autographed (to be included in the auction) and then stick it up on ebay for $1,000 (or whatever you think/hope it might be worth) as a buy-it-now with offers (or alternatively an auction, starting high with a make-offer option) and see if you get any high ones. At least you will get feedback and you can correspond with offer-makers to see if they will go higher. Personally I am not an autograph guy but I know some people are.

Good luck!

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Up to the highest height!

red_bus
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 4:08 pm

Lordan wrote in TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?:... I directed him to both here and RPG Auctions

Also we are always lovely and helpful

Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!

benjoshua
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 7:57 pm

I'm curious if Badmike still feels like breaking up a set is more profitable than keeping it in shrink.

Badmike wrote in The future for Silver Anniversary Box Sets:
I've done it many times:

L3 Deep Dwarven Delve---$75
B2, G1, G2, G3, I6, S2---$15 each
Anniversary Booklet & Art print---$15
Box---$10

That's $190 right there. And those are prices I've actually got for the items listed, stating they were from the Silver Anniversary set, with Buy It Now prices. I don't think it's a stretch to say if you wanted to you could easily get $200 or more for the contents if you were more patient.

Fee difference is negligible, the fees for 9 items at $190 total are not that different from one item at $140, certainly not $50 worth.

I've actually sold a Deep Dwarven Delve once for more than I got for an entire Silver Anniversary Boxed set (not shrinked). Makes no sense I know.

I've busted at least half a dozen sets and these results are pretty consistent. For awhile, you could do pretty well finding Silver Anniversary sets on ebay for under $100, buying them and reselling the split up contents for almost 100% profit. Heck I got one at Gencon a few years back for $90 and still did alright.

You gotta remember, people buy these to use or read, not to collect, so they don't care if it's from the Silver Anniversary set of not, they just like the fact they are in NM shape and affordable. And in the case of Deep Dwarven Delve they don't do any research to see if they can find an entire set for $75-$100, instead of just the one adventure.

Mike B.

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SimperingToad
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 4:31 pm

If you are looking for profit, then splitting it up is the way to go. One in shrink may be a little different story, as I wouldn't think there would be many of them left out there.

Personally, I do not like doing this. Sorta like selling the adventure booklet, cover/map, and illustration booklet to an S1 in separate auctions. Heck, may as well sell a DL11 one counter at a time.

Rather in poor taste to me.

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Deadlord
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:16 am

I'm sure you can find a company that can verify it. Google is your friend. At worst, people here can send you samples of his sig and you can mention that you matched it with known signatures from the good folks here.

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Chainsaw
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 6:33 am

Deadlord wrote in TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?:I'm sure you can find a company that can verify it. Google is your friend. At worst, people here can send you samples of his sig and you can mention that you matched it with known signatures from the good folks here.

I have a DMG he supposedly signed. If anyone has a few sample sigs, I'd love to see them - PM me, thanks.

muaddib5
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 2:58 pm

kjbaumann wrote in TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?:Hey all,

First time posting here.

So I've got a TSR Silver Anniversary box set in great condition, everything is mint/near-mint. This is a complete set, everything is there, including the Easley photo (not signed).

It's not sealed because Gary Gygax signed every module except Against the Giants. And L3 is signed by both Gary and Dave Arneson. None of the signatures are "to" someone either.

I think it's time to sell this and if I decide to do that, is it better to sell as one whole lot or as individual pieces? What would get me the most money?

To be honest, the collector in me wants to keep it as is but finding a buyer for this would be tough. Am I crazy to think that this should fetch at least $1000?

There are enough verified signatures of both Gygax & Arneson that "authentication" shouldn't be an issue. Hell, in our group alone there are probably hundreds of signed items to compare with. Breaking it up and selling piece by piece probably gets you the most money.

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Sardan
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 4:32 am

I have a silver anniversary set in shrink. What do we think it is worth?

benjoshua
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:24 am

Sardan wrote in TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?:I have a silver anniversary set in shrink. What do we think it is worth?

Several shrinked sets have sold recently on eBay. That should give you a pretty good idea.

Truth is worth finding and life is too short to work for money.

Sardan
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Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:55 am

benjoshua wrote in TSR Silver Anniversary Boxed set - sell as one or break up?:
Several shrinked sets have sold recently on eBay. That should give you a pretty good idea. 8)

Looks like $275-330.

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