Looking for guidance on RJ autographed materials...

[Mike_B_SVT]

Hello Folks,

 

I'm new here, but I figure this is probably where the SME's all hang out, which would make it the best place to try and get some guidance.

 

Should I start at the beginning?  I guess if Time's a Wheel, then it wouldn't matter where I begin though, so I'll just get started...

 

I have a garage full of "stuff" (what the Wife refers to as "junk"), and it's time to part with some of it.  Heck, it's all tucked away in boxes so it's not like I'm actively enjoying any of it anyhow.  One of said boxes contains my WoT collection.
- Complete series, books 0-14.  Books 1-10 are autographed by RJ, with roughly Books 5-10 being 1st Editions.

- BWB - autographed by RJ.

- WoT D20 RPG Rule Book - autographed by RJ.

- Legends (unsigned)

- WoT CCG ~ I have 7 of the main character cards autographed by RJ.  (I would have liked to have Aviendha and Nynaeve signed too, but didn't have a copy of either at the time).

 

Back in early 2003 I was living in Half Moon Bay, CA.  HMB had (has?) a little book store in a small strip mall / shopping center and Robert Jordan was there doing a book signing for Crossroads of Twilight, which had just released ~ I bought my copy of it at this signing.  I also brought in my collection of various books and things to get signed.  I'd get a few items signed, then go back and get in line again for a few more autographs.  There were only a handful of people there at any one time, so getting things signed was pretty easy and quick.  At the time, I was also getting a lot of MTG cards autographed, so I came prepared with a gold ink pen.  When I got to the front of the line RJ grabbed my copy of EotW and before I could stop him he signed it in his black pen he had been using.  Then he saw my gold pen and was like "oh... well, I'll just sign it again."  And he did!  So my EotW has been signed twice, LOL!  I also distinctly remember that when I brought out my WoT CCG cards he commented on them, and I got the impression that he had never seen them before.  He also gave a chuckle at the WoT D20 rule book too, but I recall there was someone else there who was getting theirs signed as well (but I could be misremembering, and it might have been another BWB he was signing ~ it was an hour of my life a long time ago).

 

Anyhow, I'm trying to figure out how to put a value on most of it.  For the books I looked through eBay, but everyone and their duck considers the last few books to be "signed" even though it's just a printed signature.  So kinda difficult to filter things for actual signatures.

There's also the BWB and the WoT RPG to try and figure out.

...and then there are the signed CCG cards.  I doubt there are too many of these floating around, and almost certainly no comparables to ...well, compare with.

 

Any recommendations on who to talk to, where to post / read, or other advice on values would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks, and have a great day!

 

Mike B.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Mike_B_SVT
*insert pics

[Harldin]

You Definitely have to start with Eye of the World and read them in order, general advice is don’t read New Spring(short prequel) before about Book 6. Be careful on here though, spoilers can be an issue. Definitely need to read the first 2 books before the TV Series comes out, if you are going to watch it.
WOW books 1-10 Autographed by RJ, unfortunately there is no chance for book 11 but you can always hope for a chance to get Brandon to Autograph 12-14. 
Enjoy yourself, in some ways many of us are jealous, 

[Mike_B_SVT]

So no one here tracks values for RJ autographed material?  No one has any idea what value RJ's signature adds to an item (beyond sentimental)?

[Thrasymachus]

Valuing that stuff is gonna be tough, as I'm sure you know.  It really depends on who you find to sell them to; a wealthy fan of the series looking to complete or start his own collection may pay an arm and a leg for some of what you've described here.  Barring that, though, I'd guess you'd be lucky to get more than about 50% over their original unsigned retail value.

 

There's also the fact that the TV series is gonna be coming out soon (as in, sometime next year we dunno when yet).  The value of that stuff might go up quite a lot after that, particularly if the show does well, much like anything signed by Tolkien was worth more after Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.  If you can wait a year to get rid of it, you might double your money, or more.

[Mike_B_SVT]

Thanks for the insight, Thrasymachus, I appreciate it.  Not really in a hurry to get rid of it, just trying to figure out if it needs to go in the safe, or if I can just put it back in a box in the garage, LOL!

[Thrasymachus]

As long as the box in the garage is kept off the floor in case there's flooding, and covered up to keep the dust off 'em, the garage is probably fine.  I don't think I've ever heard of any WoT merch like that, even signed, that's worth, say, a thousand dollars.  Something absolutely unique that's from his estate maybe, but not signed copies of retailed stuff.  When you do want to list stuff for sale, you might try an eBay auction and make sure you make a post here about it and in the Wheel of Time subreddit at least.

[Shinino]

I'm actually looking to get some Wheel of Time autographed 1st Ed HCs (to update my already-existing 1st Ed HCs).  Heck of a collection, man!  Now I'm going to keep looking on here to get tips before hitting eBay (to make sure I avoid fakes, et al)