Gen Con 2004

Our second year in Indianapolis validated the successful transition of the Gen Con game convention and auction from Milwaukee to our new facilities in the heart of Indiana. Auction setup was made easy as we were again located in the Capitol Ballroom of the Westin Hotel. The wonderful convention services staff of the Westin were quick to serve all of the event’s requirements. The percentage of items pre-registered online was up significantly from 2003, making onsite data entry less tedious. The success of this and of our Advanced Partial Payouts™ system make the Gen Con game auction the premiere live game auction in the entire hobby.

Here are some of the statistics from this year’s auction:

• 598 total registered participants (buyers and sellers).
• Over 50 regular core staff and new onsite volunteers working the auction.
• 9,367 items consigned to the auction or auction store.
• 6,133 items sold onstage or through the auction store.
• $83,678.75 gross sales generated.
• $13.64 average selling price per item.
• The Friday and Saturday evening collector sessions both run past midnight with extreme competition for the rarities consigned to the auction.
• Auction volunteer “Big Lips” makes a “Big Hit” when he does a “Quick Flip” of three sealed packs of “Summer Magic” boosters putting a fast $1500.00 profit in his pocket.

Here are the top selling items from this year’s auction:

1. $3400.00     Summer Magic cards (3 packs)
2. $3000.00     Rod of 7 Parts RPGA tourney manuscript
3. $1400.00     D&D brown box (nice condition)
4. $1000.00     Dragon magazine 1-237, StratPreview 1-7, & other misc. similar
5. $ 710.00     Set of painted FRP minis (Aces Charity Auction speed-painting, proceeds to the Make-a-Wish Foundation)
6. $ 700.00     Gypsy (RPGA tourney) manuscript
7. $ 700.00     Original pen & ink art by Larry Elmore (proceeds to the Make-a-Wish Foundation)
8. $ 700.00     Hand-made Diplomacy set (wood; like the one at Origins that only brought $375)
9. $ 700.00     Great Bugbear Hunt RPGA tourney manuscript
10. $ 625.00     Spring Fever RPGA tourney manuscript
11. $ 600.00     Bigby’s Tomb RPGA tourney manuscript
12. $ 600.00     Crystal Caste Dice set, Wooly Mammoth (like one at Origins that brought $700)
13. $ 600.00     D&D brown box (good condition)
14. $ 500.00     Summer Magic, individual packs (3, price is per pack, then resold an hour later as one lot, #1 above)
15. $ 450.00     Titan / Gorgonstar, near-mint
16. $ 420.00     TSR newsletter Random Events set
17. $ 325.00     Fairy Mound RPGA manuscript (Jim Ward archive)
18. $ 325.00     R2 Hydell RPGA product, shrink
19. $ 325.00     Riddle of the Ring, unapproved Tolkien card/boardgame 1983
20. $ 325.00     Magic collectors’ edition brick/shrink
21. $ 320.00     Titan / Gorgonstar, condition very good, with Battlelands expansion mixed in
22. $ 290.00     Talisman Dragons expansion, in box
23. $ 275.00     Palace Vampire Queen, near mint but no outer folder
24. $ 260.00     Cthulhu manuscript pre-publication (TSR/AD&D DDG)
25. $ 260.00     Battlelands of Titan expansion, mint
26. $ 255.00     RoboRally & all expansions (WotC)
27. $ 220.00     Blood Bowl Demo/Original 3D display
28. $ 220.00     Longest Day (Avalon Hill), unpunched
29. $ 220.00     Shadis magazine #1-5 printer’s paste-ups

Special thanks go out to Jane Zoet for coordinating personnel, housing, food and drinks, and a million bits of minutia over hundreds of hours to make the auction the smooth and successful event that we all love.

Finally, from the entire auction staff, a big thank you to all the participants, regulars and newbies. Without your support the auction would not be the featured traditional Gen Con event that has captured hearts and imagination for decades.