TSR Module Codes, Stock Numbers and Printings: Why B2 Is Not Enough
Editorial date: ยท TSR Archive
Three B2 records share product number 9034 and a 28-page format. Separate adventure codes, ISBNs and printing evidence when checking a used TSR module.
B2 is an adventure code. 9034 is a TSR product number. Neither identifies one exact printing of The Keep on the Borderlands. The archive records a second printing from 1980, a third from 1981 and a 1999 anniversary reprint with that same code and number. Read a listing in layers: title and game line first, adventure code next, product number after that, then the evidence for the printing being offered. A specific printing claim needs evidence from the copy. A seller repeating the right catalog number has only established part of its identity.
A concrete case: three B2 records
| Archive record | Adventure code | Product number | Recorded publication detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Keep on the Borderlands | B2 | 9034 | Second printing, 1980; 28-page book. |
| The Keep on the Borderlands, alternate record | B2 | 9034 | Third printing, 1981; 28-page book. |
| The Keep on the Borderlands, anniversary record | B2 | 9034 | 25th Anniversary Set reprint, 1999; 28-page book. |
The unchanged page count also fails to distinguish these records. "B2, 9034, 28 pages" is a useful search description, but it is not proof of a first printing, an early printing or an anniversary copy.
What each field lets you conclude
The adventure code is useful for finding related modules and following references in game discussions. It identifies a series position or designation. The stock number gives a catalog lookup key. Read both together: B1 is recorded as 9023, while B1-9 is recorded as 9190. The compilation's longer code does not make it a particular printing of B1.
An ISBN is another identifier to record when the copy carries one. Check the number against the offered title and format, but do not use it as a substitute for printing evidence. The International ISBN Agency's assignment guidance says an unchanged reprint from the same publisher retains its ISBN.
Dates need labels. A copyright year, a catalog release year and a collector's assigned printing date can describe different things. Transcribe what the page says before turning it into a conclusion about the copy. If a catalog itself marks a printing attribution as uncertain, carry that uncertainty into your notes.
Request evidence that can resolve the printing
Ask for clear photographs of the front and back covers, title page, copyright page and any printing statement. The spine and publisher logo can help a specialist compare the copy with a documented variant. Keep the photographs together rather than selecting a single feature that happens to fit your preferred answer.
Then compare the bundle of features with a printing reference. The linked B2 archive records credit The Acaeum's B2 printing research. Use the detailed reference to check the specific claim; the examples here demonstrate the need for that check, not a complete identification key.
Identity and completeness are separate questions
An accurately identified printing may still lack its cover folder or maps. The B2 description treats the folder and descriptive booklet as parts of the module package. For an adventure with removable handouts, examine those separately; see the B1-9 preparation checklist.
Write two lines in the final record: the evidence supporting the printing attribution, and the pieces actually present. "Third printing; booklet present; cover folder missing" is more informative than "B2, good condition." It also keeps a usable game copy distinct from a complete collectible.
Sources and scope
The B1, B2 and B1-9 archive records establish the examples in the table. ISBN guidance comes from the International ISBN Agency. The article provides an identification workflow and does not authenticate a particular seller's copy, estimate its price or enumerate every TSR printing.