Svenny's Notes and Equipment Costs

So, we've talked a bit about it before, but to refresh your memory, Greg Svenson, the "Great Svenny" of Blackmoor, several years ago on Havards excelent Blackmoor forum, shared notes he penciled in to the back cover of his 2nd editon CHAINMAIL(TM) booklet.  I think I'll spend a few posts talking about them, but first I want to take a closer look at the equipment he lists and do some price comparisons.

Here is the raw list:

Costs:

Ground soldier 10  GP

Slave male 10 GP

Bow 25 GP

Slave female 25 GP

Shield & Helm 4 GP

Lantern 10 GP

Sword 1 GP

Silver Crux. 10 GP

Chainmail 24 GP

Holy water

Leather Armor 2 GP

10 gal barrel 25 GP

Full plate armor 40 GP

Magic Chainmail 1300 GP

Pike 45 GP

Magic rope 5GP/foot

Magic plate armor 2000 GP

Rope 50' 1 GP

Magic sword 1200 GP

Magic shield 250 GP

Magic cloak 1500 GP A

Magic boots 150 GP -> make no noise or tracks, if fall land on feet

Magic helm 250 GP

Below I've rearranged this list into related things and assigned a column for the price of the item found in First Fantasy Campaign (FFC), the Dalluhn manuscript/Beyond This Point be Dragons 1973 draft of D&D (BTPbD) and the origninal boxed set of D&D 1974 (OD&D):

.  

People

Item	Svenson	FFC	BTPbD D&D	OD&D
Ground soldier	10  GP	10 GP (LF)	1 GP	2 GP/LF or 3GP/HF
Slave male	10  GP	15 GP	200- 400 GP
Slave female	25 GP	25 GP	100-600 GP

Arms

Item	Svenson	FFC	BTPbD D&D	OD&D
Bow	25 GP	25GP	25 GP	25 GP
Sword	1 GP	10	10 GP	10 GP
Pike	45 GP	10 (Pikeman costs 45)	5 GP	5 GP
Shield & Helm	4 GP	2 + 2 GP	5 + 5 GP	10 + 10 GP
Full plate armor	40 GP	40 GP	50 GP	50 GP
Chainmail	24 GP	24 GP	25 GP	30 GP
Leather Armor	2 GP	22 GP	15 GP	15 GP

Gear

Item	Svenson	FFC	BTPbD D&D	OD&D
Holy water	(10 gal barrel) 25 GP			10 GP
Silver Crux.	10 GP			25 GP
Rope 50'	1 GP		½ GP	1  GP
Lantern	10 GP		10 GP	10 GP

Magical Accoutrements

Item	Svenson	FFC	BTPbD D&D	OD&D
Magic helm	250 GP
Magic plate armor	2000 GP		1000 GP
Magic Chainmail	1300 GP
Magic sword	1200 GP	1000 GP (2700 for two handed)
Magic shield	250 GP
Magic cloak	1500 GP
Magic boots	150 GP
Magic rope	5GP/foot

Interesting yes?  I don't think I need to do a lot of analysis here, and I expect different people will be drawn to different details.  I find it interesting to note those prices which remain the same and those which change a good bit. I find shield and helmet especially interesting, for example.  Svenson's prices for magic items are also particularly intriguing and potentially useful given the lack of any prices given in OD&D.