In this post, I’m looking specifically at the two different formats of boxes TSR used in the late 70s and early 80s.
[This is a re-do of an earlier post I made in 2014. It was on my old blog and Google+, which are gone.]
In the D&D Basic Set (1977-9; Eric Holmes, editor; David C. Sutherland cover art), TSR used a box blank with the graphics as a glued-on sheet, both top and bottom.
When TSR transitioned to the 1981 Basic and Expert Sets (Tom Moldvay / Dave Cook, editors, respectively; both have Erol Otus cover art), this “glued sheet” box format was retained for a brief time, before being replaced with a box with the graphics printed directly on the paperboard.
Both formats of Expert Set, side-by-side.
Below is the inside corner of Basic Set, later-format box.
More TSR box format switch examples: Boot Hill early print box set
Top Secret: 1st and 2nd editions – The evolution of the black box
See Also:
Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set – A shrinkwrap discussion
MINIATURE COLLECTOR’S BOX – Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Expert Set
B/X D&D Basic Rules book: 1st print vs subsequent prints
Holmes Dungeons & Dragons, ready for the road
