The earlier Boot Hill 2nd edition box set mirrored the contemporary Holmes edition Dungeons & Dragons box set in its structure. They used a glued-sheet-on-paperboard box.

At some point, TSR switched to a box where the graphics were printed directly on the paperboard, used with TSR’s early-80s sets and beyond.

Some comparison photos follow. Note that TSR, in the transition period, did some mixing/matching of parts, based on available supplies I’d reckon. I’ve seen the early TSR dice in a later format box set, for example. And I’ve seen later print books in early boxes.

Boot Hill in the shop

Check eBay

Boot Hill 2nd print comp 7

Early and later Boot Hill boxes

Boot Hill 2nd early dice

The early Boot Hill box also came with a pair of TSR’s early “Low Impact” dice. They were notoriously quick to wear, but are rare and popular with collectors now.

Boot Hill 2nd early

The early set had noticeably thicker counters.

Boot Hill 2nd print comp 4

EDIT June 28 2019: Another set arrived in the shop. More photos!

Boot Hill 2nd early set box lid detail

Boot Hill 2nd early set c

Boot Hill 2nd early set map area

Boot Hill 2nd early set map area detail 1

Boot Hill 2nd early set map area detail 2
These badlands would attract bandits

Boot Hill 2nd early set map town

Boot Hill 2nd early set map town detail 1

Boot Hill 2nd early set map town detail 2
The town has its own OK Corral

Boot Hill 2nd early set map town detail 1

Boot Hill 2nd early set low impact dice
The ugly-beautiful original TSR “low impact” percentile dice!

I made a video of the 1979 set contrasted with the 1984 set.

May 21, 2020

Boot Hill early vs later print
The early print Boot Hill box is smaller than its younger brother

See Also: Gunslinger: Game of Western Gunfights (1982)

Dungeons & Dragons: The Shift in Early Box Formats

Top Secret: 1st and 2nd editions – The evolution of the black box

Burned Bush Wells: Boot Hill module BH4 – Original vs. Reprint