Traveller prices on eBay

[jfetters]

Is it just me or are we, as Traveller fans, generally nuts when it comes to buying out of print stuff?

A bunch of old Traveller's Digest issues were up in the last week. #3 sold for $180!! I could only keep up with that one until it got to $20.

Forgive such a naive question, but are Traveller prices on eBay always this crazy?

 

[daryen]

Only for the rare stuff with a good reputation.

Basically, all DGP stuff, and Legend of the Sky Raiders will go for high prices.

Most GDW stuff will not go for that much, with the Classic Traveller Reprint series, and the stuff on RGP DriveThru.

The only GDW stuff that still goes high are Atlas of the Imperium and Spinward Marches Campaign. Assuming MWM ever produces his Modules Reprint, those prices should crash, too. Until then, however, they will also go for gobs of money. (BTW, do note that AotI goes counter to the "rare and good" principle. It is "rare and bad".)

 

[far-trader]

Yep, my personal experience selling a bunch of Traveller stuff on eBay is about what daryen said.

However, for example, when I went to sell some stuff I noted the price Swordy was offering and selling Challenge magazines for and started the bidding at $1. Surprised the hell out of me when a lot of them went double digit, some into the high twenty dollar range.

Of course you have to counter that with the fact that some of those buyers reneged. Auction fever gets them and then they don't answer emails or beg time to get the money to you (which I generously give) and then they disappear. Not saying that will be the case but it wouldn't surprise me on that $180 one. Then again, if it's the last one to complete a collection, for a collector it's worth it, if only for the peace of mind

And I'll second the "rare and bad" note for AotI. I also sold that but I couldn't let people go nuts for it so I think I put a low bin on it ($15 iirc) and it went in no time. The price seemed fair to me and I ragged on the usefulness of it in the auction so my conscious is clear.

And then again it just depends. If the right people don't find your auction to bid the price up then it won't go nuts. I've seen stuff go cheap or even not bid on. And at the other end of the spectrum I've seen sellers put stupid starting bids on items (like AotI starting at $60, it got no bids thank the powers). Anyway, 'nuff rambling, my best closing advice is old auction advice, pick "your" best price and stick to it, don't get caught up in a bidding war, there's (almost) always another whatever in the future and often the price is lower (at least one competitor is gone since they got the previous one).

 

[jfetters]

I had to laugh at the AotI comments from you both - a copy of that also closed yesterday for $77. I think it started at $5. As bad as it is, you think more people would be selling!

I can definitely relate to the "Filling in a last bit" or looking for a specific item. I bought a TD a couple months ago on eBay for around $20 - but I knew I wasn't going to go beyond a certain point. I think in the last week several copies of different TD issues were up for auction and the same issues sold at prices that varied by $20.

But as an occasional seller on eBay, I am very curious if the TD#3 buyer actually pays (Issue #1 went for close to the same price). I've sold used software on there, sometimes minus the box, and have been very surprised with the prices that get generated. I think I have only had one bad experience selling (I think for a Foreman grill or something), and in that case I re-auctioned it and got about the same price anyway...

Oh well. I am glad to see I am not crazy.

 

[jfetters]

Daryen said:

The only GDW stuff that still goes high are Atlas of the Imperium and Spinward Marches Campaign. Assuming MWM ever produces his Modules Reprint, those prices should crash, too. Until then, however, they will also go for gobs of money.

Yeah, I am surprised that this was not included in any other reprints. I seem to remember this being a pretty high quality product. Are these the only items from the pre-MT line to not see FFE reprints?

 

[Fritz_Brown]

I got my MegaTraveller for less than $20 recently - entire box, including the map. Pretty good condition, too. That was right at the limit I put on it, too.

 

[daryen]

Originally posted by Jim Fetters:
Yeah, I am surprised that this was not included in any other reprints. I seem to remember this being a pretty high quality product. Are these the only items from the pre-MT line to not see FFE reprints?

This is probably off-topic, but ...

These are the items that have not been Reprinted, AFAIK:
- Spinward Marches Campaign
- Atlas of the Imperium
- Alien Realms
- Tarsus
- Beltstrike
- The Traveller Adventure

The first five have been declared as being the contents of the Classic Traveller Modules Reprint. The Modules Reprint was one of the Reprint volumes listed back in the old announcement when the Reprint series was started, but has never been actually produced, nor even been scheduled to be produced. (I really wish he would publish it.)

He has bandied about the idea of publishing a hardbound volume containing The Traveller Book and The Traveller Adventure, but he hasn't gone anywhere with that idea, either.

(The third presentation of the CT rules set, Starter Traveller, has never been mentioned for Reprint.)

Finally, MWM has also mentioned the idea of doing a Second Survey. This would include all of the sectors from AotI, but would include full UWPs (presumably MT-style full UWPs) and world names. He went as far as to announce that it would be released at the same time as the third JTAS volume, but then backed off that.

I have no idea what MWM's current plans for the Reprints are. I get the impression that the Reprints have fallen between the cracks now that T5 is sucking up his attentions, but that is only an impression. No one has any hard info on his Reprint plans, and he isn't talking.

Personally, I am hoping he will produce the Modules Reprint soon to help generate some more money for his T5 effort. It should be as easy as the Alien Reprints, and easier than JTAS and Games. But I am probably alone in that hope.

 

[mike wightman]

No, you're not alone.


I'd like to see a reprint of first edition CT and first edition High Guard as well as the modules.

 

[far-trader]

OMG! After talking about AotI I noticed there's one on eBay again. Reasonable starting bid, but with a bin of $70 iirc (it has a bid now so the bin is gone

). But that's not what got my attention.

I was watching another auction that seemed to be headed for the skies, partly because I've been telling a friend to sell some of his stuff he doesn't use any more and this is one of the items in his collection.

Well that auction ended. It was for the Traveller 3 ring binder and the final bid was...

$180.01 US Look for yourself

 

[mike wightman]

 

[FlightCommanderSolitude]

Personally, I am hoping he will produce the Modules Reprint soon ... But I am probably alone in that hope.

Um ... NOT! I'd love to see this reprint volume.

 

[clementk]

This is the 2nd time in recent memory that AotI has gone for an IMO outrageous price. It's the eBay factor in action. All it takes is two people who *have* to have an item *right now* regardless of how much the item is actually worth or how useful it might be. Similar to Traveller miniatures. They seem to go on auction fairly often but sometime fetch high prices.

Oh well, that's part of what keeps eBay in business. FWIW if you bide your time and have good eBay-fu you can get even rare items for decent if not cheap prices. Esp. if you're willing to get less than mint items. Key thing is bid what you're willing to pay and accept that you won't always win an item.

As for the reprints, I'm all for more of them (including TW2K and 2300AD ones) but they seem to have stalled for the time being. Offhand they look like easy enough money for a gaming product but I don't have any clue to actual figures or production requirements.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Casey is spot on about one thing with eBay: Be willing to walk away! My wife has a high level of eBay-fu, and gets good deals on all kinds of homeschooling resources (she's the one who actually bought my MT set!). The biggest thing is that if you absolutely have to have it, an auction is probably not the best place for you to be looking.

 

[Gundiwolf]

Hmm, maybe I need to start selling some of my older gaming stuff. Doubt I will ever really use them again, and I could always use the money to buy new gaming stuff.

If I could get $150 for the three Traveller's Digests I have (3, 4 & 5), that would be way cool. I have a bunch of Challenge & Space Gamer issues as well. It's all just taking up space at the moment, so perhaps it's time to finally let go.