Six of the current pieces were in that first set the Scottie dog and wheelbarrow came along in the early 1950s.
(Current owner Hasbro does not provide yearly sales figures.) More than 275 million copies have been produced since the first edition in 1935. Monopoly emerged during the Depression, with numerous parties claiming to have contributed key elements to the game that was finally patented by Charles Darrow and sold to Parker Brothers. It's very seldom that you see a player not care about what token represents them on the game board," says Philip Orbanes, a Monopoly expert who's written three books on the game, including Monopoly, Money, and You (due in April). "There's a love affair with the token that each player has settled on over time.
The first Monopoly game to reflect the new token lineup will be released in late summer. The one with the lowest total goes directly - and permanently - to jail.įans also can vote for the replacement token: toy robot, helicopter, cat, guitar or diamond ring.Ī limited-run "Golden Token" Monopoly ($17.99) arrives in Target stores exclusively in mid-February, and it will be the last edition to have all of the classic tokens and the only set to have all five of the potential new pieces as well. 5 for the one they want to keep via the Monopoly Facebook page. The company is letting fans vote until Feb. Hasbro has launched a "Save Your Token" campaign to retire either the race car, iron, Scottie dog, wheelbarrow, shoe, top hat, thimble or battleship. One of the iconic Monopoly game tokens soon will no longer be passing "GO!" or collecting $200.