Signed AD&D First Edition Players Handbook

[Marc Radle]

I'm curious about this ...

I have an AD&D First Edition Players Handbook in great shape. It's signed by a number of RPG 'celebs' like Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Larry Elmore etc.

I've had it for years obviously. I'm toying with selling it ... maybe.

My question is - anyone have any idea what something like this might be worth???

[jreyst]

Keep it. It's sentimental value probably far exceeds its dollar value.

"In most cases, the most that someone will get for an autographed copy of a Dungeons and Dragons book is about 5-10% more than the average price (find the average price on a site like Acaeum.com). Like everything, though, there are exceptions to this rule."

Link

Checking Ebay, 1st Edition unsigned PHB price ranges start from $5 up to about $30 it seems.

[Marc Radle]

You might be right ...

Although the book itself is in very very good shape and they seem to be going for the upper end of that scale ($20 - $30)

You'd think those autographs would be worth *something* on top of the $20 - $30

Looks like I need to do more thinking ;)

[jreyst]

I'd not want to part with such a treasure for under a hundred lol

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

I think your own personal memories are worth more than the signatures.

The prices you find online at used book dealers are generally higher than you can find things for in reality. I picked up a pristine 1st ed DMG at my library's "friends of" book sale a couple years ago for $1.

This is a pretty regular occurrence.

[Bruunwald]

Having Larry Elmore sign a 1st Ed PHB is in some ways like having Sammy Hagar sign a copy of the 1st Van Halen album. LOL.

Not that I would complain about having it.

[Ricca Adri' Thiakria]

Unless you have something that guarantee and/ or authenticates the signatures are from the actual people - who is to say they weren't done by you and your buddies over a gaming session?

A collector would not buy unless it was authentic so it's worth what a regular PHB is worth. The other posters are right - keep it, it's worth more to you than it is to sell it.

[Marc Radle]

Bruunwald wrote:

Having Larry Elmore sign a 1st Ed PHB is in some ways like having Sammy Hagar sign a copy of the 1st Van Halen album. LOL.

Not that I would complain about having it.

I'm not sure I understand your point ...

Sammy Hagar obviously had nothing to do with the 1st Van Halen album; Larry Elmore was a VERY popular and prolific artist during First Edition AD&D ...

[Stereofm]

If you want to sell this, ask for at least 150 $. Anything less is dishonest, IMO. Could go for possibly more.

EDIT : I already have one.

[Russ Taylor]

Marc Radle wrote:

I'm not sure I understand your point ...

Sammy Hagar obviously had nothing to do with the 1st Van Halen album; Larry Elmore was a VERY popular and prolific artist during First Edition AD&D ...

I think the point was, there's no Larry Elmore art in that book. Dave Trampier, on the other hand...

[Marc Radle]

Russ Taylor wrote:

Marc Radle wrote:

I'm not sure I understand your point ...

Sammy Hagar obviously had nothing to do with the 1st Van Halen album; Larry Elmore was a VERY popular and prolific artist during First Edition AD&D ...

I think the point was, there's no Larry Elmore art in that book. Dave Trampier, on the other hand...

Ah, if that was the point, then I guess I get the point ...

...and, if that WAS the point, I guess I should mention that I do have Dave Sutherland's autograph in the book. I forgot I guess because I never really liked his work very much ...

[Megan Robertson]

I'd agree with the 'hang on to it' camp...

I don't collect autographs, and never asked Gygax, who happened to be a personal friend, to sign anything. Didn't stop him, though!

But the one thing that IS being hung on to at all costs is a 'Get Well' card from Paizo which they sent when I had a stroke 3 years ago - dearly beloved e-mailed them to say that a review of something they'd sent would be delayed because I was in hospital. Now that has real sentimental value :)

[drunken_nomad]

Im with the crowd here...you should keep the book.

So how did you get all the sigs? GenCon? Origins? stalker-fanboi home invasions?

[LazarX]

You probably won't believe it but I have an autographed Fiend Folio.

But the autographs on it are from Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie. It was the only thing I had on me at the time that was signable. :)

[Marc Radle]

drunken_nomad wrote:

Im with the crowd here...you should keep the book.

So how did you get all the sigs? GenCon? Origins? stalker-fanboi home invasions?

Yeah, I probably will keep it, although who knows? I'm still thinking about putting it on EBAY to see what happens - I can always use some extra cash to take with me to PaizoCon :)

I got some of the autographs myself at Cons, appearances, camps etc (Frank Mentzer's was the very first one, way back in the very early 80's!) and some close friends of mine that I trusted implicitly got for me by taking the book with them to Cons that I could not go to myself.

Good times :)