I couldn't afford Patampia when it was published, and I knew Roger Smith. I am not sure he had any close friends, but I knew him.
When John Walter published his Stanley guide I was ecstatic for him!! I blabbed as loud and wide as I could about it, spreading the word.
But even at friend's discount, I couldn't afford one. Not even a paperback, much less hardbound. John couldn't afford to give one away either. They were horridly dear when published.
I never got a copy of the DAT and Bob Nelson was a close friend of mine right to the end. We bounced ideas back and forth when it was being worked on.
All these books were printed vanity press. This means you pay a printer to make them.
Not the other way around.
Crown publishers were the only real hope for most hobby publications if you had a chance at having a printer pay you for the rights and royalties later.
But otherwise, you hired a printer and gave them your life savings and hoped like hell you could eventually get it back. At least most of it.
Now these books? Discounted some from time to time, here and there.
But still in the realm of collector prices??
No way in the world. Not even close.
Story of my life.
yours Scott