Omar Khalid
The board game Monopoly has undergone several changes since its creation in the early 1900s, including the number of tokens and the tokens themselves. The first Monopoly game did not come with any tokens, and players were encouraged to use common household items such as buttons. Over the years, Monopoly pieces have been made from various materials, including wood, zinc alloy, metal, pewter, and plastic. The first plastic playing pieces were introduced in 1965 with the release of the 30th-anniversary edition, which came in a special plastic case. In 2010, for the game's 75th anniversary, Hasbro released Monopoly Revolution, which featured clear plastic playing pieces for movers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of switch to plastic pieces | 1965, 2010 |
| First plastic pieces introduced | 75th Anniversary Edition, Monopoly Revolution |
| Other materials used for pieces | Pewter, Zamak (zinc alloy), wood, paper and sawdust, gold, brass |
| Changes to pieces | Many, including the introduction of the cat in 2013, and the T-Rex, rubber duck, and penguin in 2017 |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic pieces were introduced in 1965 for the 30th anniversary
The board game Monopoly, created by Lizzy Magie in the early 1900s, has gone through several changes since its inception. The game was first marketed on a broad scale by Parker Brothers in 1935, introducing the first six tokens: the battleship, boot, cannon, thimble, top hat, and iron.
Over the years, the number of tokens and the tokens themselves have changed. For instance, in 1936, the racecar was added, and in 1937, a set of eight metal tokens was introduced. During World War II, the game tokens were switched back to wood due to metal shortages.
In 1965, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Monopoly, a special edition was released in a plastic case. This marked the introduction of plastic playing pieces to the game, replacing the traditional metal or wooden tokens. The use of plastic for the anniversary edition's case and pieces may have been a response to the changing times and materials, as well as a way to create a more durable and cost-effective option for production and consumers.
Since the introduction of plastic pieces in 1965, Monopoly has continued to release various editions with different playing pieces, including special editions with unique tokens. Some modern versions of the game have retained the use of plastic pieces, while others have returned to metal or introduced new materials, such as gold or brass for commemorative sets. The number of tokens has also fluctuated over the years, with some pieces being added, retired, or brought back based on fan votes and special occasions.
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The first pieces were made from a zinc alloy
The board game Monopoly has gone through several changes since its creation in the early 1900s by Lizzy Magie. The first sets of the game did not include any tokens, with players using buttons or charms from their homes as markers. The first playing pieces were made from a zinc alloy known as Zamak, or "white metal", and were produced by the Dowst Manufacturing Company from 1935 to 1938. These early tokens were prone to oxidation, which caused some of them to turn black.
In the late 1930s, the zinc alloy tokens were replaced by traditional tokens made from a mix of lead and tin, which did not oxidize and turn black like the earlier Zamak tokens. The introduction of these tokens was tied to Parker Brothers' acquisition of the rights to the game in 1935 and their subsequent licensing of the game worldwide. The six original tokens introduced by Parker Brothers were the battleship, boot, cannon, thimble, top hat, and iron. Later in 1935, the racecar token was added, followed by the purse token, bringing the total number of tokens to eight.
Over the next 12 months, two more pieces were added: the lantern and the rocking horse, completing the set of ten classic Monopoly pieces. The lantern, rocking horse, and purse tokens are considered rare, as they were dropped after World War II and only appeared in a few sets. During the war, metal was needed for the armed forces and other essential supplies, so wooden Monopoly pieces were introduced. These wooden pieces were similar to pawns from a chessboard but featured various colours and designs. Some games were also produced with composite pieces made from a mix of paper and sawdust.
In the early 1950s, the lantern, purse, and rocking horse tokens were removed from the game and replaced by the dog, horse and rider, and wheelbarrow. From 1950 to 1998, the Monopoly game pieces remained largely unchanged, with eight tokens forming the backbone of the game: the dog, battleship, racecar, top hat, iron, horse and rider, howitzer, and wheelbarrow. During this period, the tokens did shrink in size. In 1999, a new token, the sack of money, was added to the set, bringing the total number of tokens to eleven.
In 2005, a 70th-anniversary edition of Monopoly was released in a silver-metallic tin with a plastic slipcase. More recent editions of the game have featured plastic tokens, such as the 75th Anniversary "Revolution" edition, which includes plastic tokens depicting outlines of the original Dowst pieces. Some versions of the game continue to use metal tokens, while others have featured luxury materials such as gold and brass for commemorative sets.
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Tokens were originally made from wood or household items
Monopoly is a board game with a long and dynamic history. The game was first marketed on a broad scale in 1935 by Parker Brothers, who bought the rights to the game from Lizzie Magie, although Magie is not credited anywhere in Monopoly's history. The standard editions of the game usually use pewter tokens, although specially commissioned and commemorative sets have used a variety of materials for playing pieces.
Before 1935, no playing pieces were supplied with the game. Players used familiar objects such as buttons and charms for tokens. The first tokens, added in late 1935, were based on cake charms and cracker jacks. These original six tokens were a cannon, thimble, top hat, iron, battleship, and boot. In 1936, a racecar was added to the sets, and then a purse was added in the middle of 1936, making eight token sets. In late 1936 and early 1937, the Lantern and Rocking Horse were added to make 10 token sets.
During World War II, the game tokens were switched back to wood due to metal being needed for the war effort. Some games had composite playing pieces made of compressed paper and sawdust, while in the United Kingdom, some sets used wooden pawns from the game "64 Milestones" as tokens.
In 1998, a new piece was voted to be added to the existing 10 (11 in gold sets). The winner was a sack of money, which appeared in most standard editions until its retirement in 2007. In 2017, the Thimble, Wheelbarrow, and Boot were replaced with the Rubber Duck, T-Rex, and Penguin. In 2022, the T-Rex was replaced when the Thimble was brought back, and in 2025, the Battleship was reintroduced when the Sack of Money was brought back.
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The number of tokens has changed over time
The number of tokens in Monopoly has indeed changed over time, with the game's publishers introducing new pieces and retiring old ones. When the game was first launched, it didn't come with any tokens. Players were encouraged to use buttons or charms from their homes as playing pieces. The first Parker Brothers Monopoly game was sold in 1935, introducing six original tokens: the battleship, boot, cannon, thimble, top hat, and iron. Later that year, the racecar was added, bringing the total number of tokens to seven. Shortly afterward, the purse was added as the eighth token.
Over the next 12 months, two more pieces were added: the lantern and the rocking horse, bringing the total number of tokens to ten. These two pieces, along with the purse, were removed from the game in the early 1950s and replaced by the dog, horse and rider, and wheelbarrow. From 1950 until 1998, the Monopoly game pieces remained the same, with eight tokens forming the backbone of the game for many years.
In 1998, Hasbro, which had acquired Parker Brothers in 1991, ran an advertising campaign asking the public to vote on a new playing piece. The sack of money won with 51% of the vote, and it was added to the set in 1999, bringing the total number of tokens to eleven. However, it was retired in 2007, bringing the token count back down to eight. In 2013, the iron token was replaced by a cat, and in 2017, three more pieces were retired: the thimble, wheelbarrow, and shoe. They were replaced by a penguin, a Tyrannosaurus rex, and a rubber duck.
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Tokens are now made from plastic or pewter
The Monopoly board game has undergone several changes since its creation in the early 1900s, particularly in terms of its playing pieces, also known as tokens. The first Monopoly game did not include any tokens, with players using common household items such as buttons and charms as markers.
Over the years, Monopoly tokens have been made from various materials, including wood, zinc alloy, lead, tin, and pewter. Pewter is a metal alloy consisting of tin, antimony, copper, bismuth, and sometimes silver. The standard Hasbro Monopoly sets worldwide typically feature pewter tokens, while some modern versions use moulded plastic tokens.
In 1935, when Parker Brothers acquired the game rights, they introduced the first set of tokens, including the battleship, boot, cannon, thimble, top hat, and iron. The racecar was added later that year, followed by the purse, lantern, and rocking horse, completing the ten classic Monopoly tokens.
During World War II, metal was needed for the war effort, so wooden tokens were reintroduced. Some games during this period also featured composite pieces made from a mix of paper and sawdust. After the war, Monopoly production resumed, and the game's popularity surged, with sales exceeding one million annually.
In 1998, Hasbro conducted a poll to add a new token, with the sack of money winning the vote and being added to the set in 1999. However, it was retired in 2007, along with the cannon and horse and rider, reducing the total token count to eight.
In 2013, the iron token was replaced by a cat, and in 2017, three more pieces were retired: the thimble, wheelbarrow, and shoe, replaced by a penguin, a Tyrannosaurus rex, and a rubber duck. These changes reflect the dynamic nature of Monopoly's tokens, which have evolved to cater to player preferences and remain relevant to modern audiences.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic pieces were introduced in 1965 with the release of a 30th-anniversary edition of Monopoly in a special plastic case. Clear plastic playing pieces were also included in the 75th-anniversary edition of the game, released in 2010.
The first Monopoly game, created in the early 1900s, did not include any tokens. Players were encouraged to use household items such as buttons and charms. The first tokens, introduced in 1935, were made from a zinc alloy known as Zamak.
Most Monopoly tokens are made from pewter, a metal alloy that consists of tin, antimony, copper, and bismuth. Some modern versions of the game use moulded plastic pieces.
No, the number of tokens and the tokens themselves have changed over the history of the game. The first tokens introduced in 1935 were the battleship, boot, cannon, thimble, top hat, and iron. The racecar was added later that year, followed by the purse in 1936.
