Tangles & Tails: Tracey Kiff-Judson's Blog

POETRY FRIDAY IS HERE - A Token for Your Thoughts

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Written by: Tracey Kiff-Judson
Category: Blog

Welcome to Poetry Friday!  What is Poetry Friday, you ask?  Click here for Renee LaTulippe’s synopsis of how it all works.  To join the round up, please post your link below.

I recently acquired an old Monopoly game.  I sorted through the pieces and everything seemed to be there (except the rules of play).  The box specified that the game includes eight tokens, but oddly, this box contained ten. 

I am unsure which pieces did not belong:

  • Top hat * +
  • Dog (Scottish Terrier) +
  • Race Car +
  • Cannon *
  • Boot *
  • Person on horseback
  • Iron *
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Battleship * +
  • Thimble * +

* The six original Monopoly pieces in 1935.
+ The current Monopoly tokens list for current-edition games (plus: Cat, Penguin, Rubber Ducky)

After a poking around the internet (see here), I learned that many Monopoly pieces have come and gone over the years.  Some interesting tidbits:

  • Over the years, the composition of the pieces changed. Pieces were made of Zamac (zinc alloy), a lead and tin mixture, paper and sawdust composite, and wood.
  • During WWII, wooden pieces were introduced so that the metal could be used for the war effort.
  • After the 1970’s the pieces shrank in size.
  • In 1998, a vote was held to choose a new piece from among: Sack of Money, Piggy Bank, or Bi-plane. The Sack of Money won.
  • In 2013, the Iron was retired, and the Cat replaced it after a vote among: Cat, Diamond Ring, Toy Robot, Helicopter, and Guitar.
  • In 2017, the Penguin, T-Rex, and Rubber Ducky replaced the Thimble, Wheelbarrow, and Boot.
  • In 2022, several pieces came out of retirement, and several relatively new pieces were retired.

Here is a comprehensive list of token comings and goings from this article:

Token

Introduced

Retired

Cannon

Early 1935

1946

Iron

Early 1935

2013

Thimble

Early 1935

2017

Thimble (comeback)

2022

Current

Boot

Early 1935

2017

Top Hat

Early 1935

Current

Battleship

Early 1935

Current

Race Car

Mid 1935

Current

Purse

Late 1935

1950

Lantern

1936

1950

Rocking Horse

1936

1950

Horse and Rider

1940

2007

Wheelbarrow

1940

2017

Scottie Dog

1940

Current

Howitzer

1946

2007

Money Bag

1998

2007

Cat (Hazel)

2013

Current

T-Rex

2017

2022

Penguin

2017

Current

Rubber Ducky

2017

Current

 

Although I am not a particular fan of the game of Monopoly (I need more patience), I do find the tokens intriguing!

What do the changes in pieces say about what was happening in our society at the time?

I can see why the Iron and Thimble were retired because of the “domestic” feel associated with them, but what of the Thimble’s comeback in 2022?  Perhaps COVID-19 inspired us to become craftier?

For the pieces that have endured – is there something about those pieces that speaks to us on a fundamental level?  The long-timers like the Top Hat, Thimble, Dog, and Race Car are truly part of the "American persona."  Conversely, we decided it was time to set aside the Iron, Cannon, and Howitzer.  I can get behind those decisions.  The Boot, Wheelbarrow, Purse, and Money Bag all had long runs, but the T-Rex was gone in a flash.

So … do you think that selecting a certain piece says something of our personality?  Here are my (unofficial) personality profiles for the current pieces:

  • Top Hat – formal, proper, organized, concerned with appearance
  • Race Car – competitive, sporty, James Bond type
  • Battleship – serious, super competitive, ready to take on anything or anyone
  • Thimble – domestic, crafty (with whiff of shyness perhaps?)
  • Dog (Scottish Terrier) – loyal, fun loving, up for anything, spunky, a little naughty
  • Cat – independent, but willing to cuddle
  • Penguin – concerned with the environment, doesn’t mind the cold
  • Rubber Ducky – wacky, fun-loving, perhaps a bit immature, a child at heart

If I had to choose: Dog, Rubber Ducky, or Penguin would be my top three.  (You always need a backup in case you don’t get your first choice.) What about you?  Do you have a favorite?  Do you think there is any correlation between the piece a person chooses and their personality?

And now, a small tribute to the Thimble:

Thimble

Dimpled elf hat,
protector of fingers,
epitome of domesticity!

By day,
you shield against needles
deflecting stabs
in the war of stitches.

At night,
you retire to your
sewing-box sanctuary,
nestled among
scraps of fabric.

© Tracey Kiff-Judson, draft 2024

Thank you for joining me in my Monopoly-token ponderings.  Please share your link below!

53 comments

  • What fun you had with these monopoly pieces! I like the Dog, Penguin and Rubber Ducky also, but I also like the Wheel Barrel connecting us with the earth and gardening–maybe they'll bring that back… Fun poem, for an important tool, this is a great line, "the war of stitches." Thanks for all Tracey and for hosting! Hope you are continuing to feel better!

    • Thank you so much, Michelle!  The wheelbarrow is definitely a good one.  I have never seen the rubber duck token in person, but it has to be cute!

      Edited on Thursday, 11 January 2024 22:48 by Tracey Kiff-Judson.
  • I always liked the iron, but I thoroughly enjoyed your thimble poem! As Michelle says, "war of stitches" is a great line, and pretty much sums up my sewing experience. Ha. Thanks for rounding up.
     
     
  • Love this! I always wanted to be the racecar or the shoe. I never wanted to be the thimble...but now I do. I too am familiar with the "war of stitches." Great post. Thanks for hosting. 
  • I think I loved the iron and top hat as a kid, even though I hated Monopoly then and now! I love the many facets of the thimble's personality you show--whimsical, heroic, domestic...Thanks for hosting, Tracey!
  • Monopoly has an interesting history in terms of the actual creator vs the person who took the game. Claiming the token of choice was always a scramble amongst my siblings. The thimble was Mom’s first choice. 
  • Oh my gosh, Tracey - how I LOVE this post, and your oh-so-creative poem!  (I only have a signpost to here this week at my blog, but I'm so glad I came to check out your wonderful offering.) These pieces bring back so many memories, and I still have an ancient game here somewhere.  I liked the way the little boot felt when you picked it up, but my childhood fave was probably the doggie.  I had no idea a T Rex joined the ranks, even for a short while, or a rubber ducky!  Thanks for this fun tour and broader contemplations around all these pieces. 
    • Thank you, Robyn.  Yes, I like the way the boot feels too!  There is something very pleasantly tactile about all of them.
  • I absolutely love this deep dive into the monopoly game. I'll take the thimble and the race car.  I really like the first line: dimpled elf hat.
  • This is just wonderful to read, Tracey, and remember the memories, of when and who chose what, and on. Like Jone, I love your idea of the "dimpled elf hat". My choice was always the dog, I can feel it now! Thanks for this lovely post and for hosting, Tracey. 
  • Tracey, thank you for hosting PF today. I used to play Monopoly all the time while I was growing up. I even have our original game for anyone interested. I only remember a thimble and house as the pieces that I loved. I enjoyed your theme this week. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
    • You know, that makes me wonder ... it seems like everyone has a Monopoly game in the back of their closet.  I wonder what board game has sold the most, not counting checkers or chess. Hmm ... well, I found this list: Top 20 Popular Best-Selling Board Game of All Time (2023) (moneyinc.com), and assuming it is correct: 1. Chess, 2. Checkers, 3. Monopoly, but from there some of the others surprised me!
  • Fascinating. I love that there's a rubber ducky and a penguin. Clearly, we have an old set because I've never seen those. 
  • Gosh Tracey, this deep dive was a blast! I remember playing my mom's childhood game and liking the dog, thimble, and top hat best. I never thought about the tokens changing over the years, though I remember feeling that more modern Monopoly games without metal tokens weren't quite the same. I am fascinated by this timeline and your questions around it. And your poem for Thimble is respectful and really delightful. I keep a couple of old silver thimbles with my knitting notions...just to remember the female ancestors I never knew. Now I want to think more about them - thimbles and women. Thank you for hosting and all of this charm and curiosity! xo, a.
    • Thank you, Amy!  It is wonderful that you have thimbles from your ancestors!  That is very special, and I imagine you are already stitching up a beautiful poem about them.
  • I love uncovering niche bits of history, and the history of the Monopoly game pieces fits that bill! Fascinating. I totally agree that choice of token = personality trait. I'm 100% thimble, with a strong dash of cat.
    Thanks for hosting us and for paying tribute to the humble thimble. Like Amy, I keep the ones that have been passed down to me so I can slip a finger in now and then and than an ancestor for my love for playing with fabric and thread!
  • Thanks for the walk down memory lane, Tracey. I had no idea there was so much history in the tokens. I played Monopoly quite a bit as a kid and I think I always leaned toward the shoe and the dog. I love the structure of your poem - praise for the thimble, then a description of what it is by day and by night. And "dimpled elf hat" is perfect! Now I need to dig up our Monopoly game and see what tokens it holds.
    • I like the dog-shoe combo!  That's a good pairing, in my opinion.  Thank you for your thoughts about the poem.  I hope you find something interesting in your Monopoly box!  I am really tempted to try to turn the pieces into a charm bracelet.
  • Tracey, you are a delight! Thank you for sharing your Monopoly curiosity trail with us! There’s something so inviting about the shape of a thimble. I’m not a big monopoly player, but that would be my choice. Or the dog! I love your use of the word “dimpled.” And I would definitely say one of the gifts of Covid was the reawakening of the joy of handicrafts! And board games! 💜
    • Thank you, Irene!  You're right - I think it may be impossible to see a thimble and not think about putting it on!
  • It wouldn't let me comment before, so trying again... just wanted to thank you for the memories! The thimble and iron were always my facvorites, for some reason. Thanks for hosting!
    • So sorry, Matt!  Not sure what went wrong.  Thank you for coming back and trying again!  I, too, like the iron-thimble combination.
  • I adore this, Tracey! I love a good deep dive, a rabbit trail, an old-fashioned investigation that is born of simple, beautiful curiosity. And your tribute to the thimble gives that humble little tool the recognition it deserves. So unassuming, yet so helpful. :) 
    I have always been partial to the Scottie Dog because it reminds me of my maternal grandmother. I don't think she ever had a Scottie Dog, but for some reason she loved them. :) ❤️
    Thanks so much for hosting! 
    • How interesting that she loved Scottie Dogs and didn't have one!  There is a house not far from where I live that has Scottie Dogs cut out of their shudders, and I often wonder if they have one (or more!), or just like the design.
  • I love thimbles, and I think they may have come back because there is an increased interest in quilting. It's so cool to think about Monopoly as a game that has weathered wars and societal trends. And anyone who has ever been stabbed with a needle knows how useful they might be in the "war of stitches." Very interesting, Tracey!  
    • Thank you, Janice!  I was wondering if anyone might reply that they have a thimble collection, but so far no luck!
  • Hi Tracey! I would pick a Lantern for myself, although I'm not picky so anything is fine. A rocking horse also sounds good. Or a thimble! :)
    Thanks for hosting!
  • Tracey,
    This was a fun post! Thanks! 
    Recently, while cleaning out my parents' basement, we came across old monopoly pieces just like you have here. (I took them but have to remember what I did with them now to see which ones are in the set I got.)  For some reason, I was motivated to take them, even though I'm not a big fan of Monopoly either. It must have been because they are the tokens we played with as kids. 
    The thimble was always my favorite because my grandma was a great seamstresss - making all of our clothes for my siter and I until we were teens!  I still think of her today when I see a thimble. And yes, I have a couple that were hers (for sewing).
    • Carol, that is too funny that you had the pieces alone.  They are, by far, the best part!  How sweet that your grandmother sewed your clothes for you.  My mom was a great seamstress too and made most of the clothes for my brother, sisters, and I when we were young.  It is nice to have a way to connect to memories of people we loved through the skills that they had and shared.
  • The different iterations of the Monopoly pieces is fascinating and a real rabbit hole to crawl into. Thanks for sharing what you found out. I love how your poem personifies the little thimble. 
  • Such a fun dip into nostalgia, Tracey! I usually chose (in this order): shoe, iron, top hat. And I always had a soft spot for thimble because my nana taught me how to sew. I loved to sit near her sewing box and top my fingers with the metal and plastic thimbles I would find. Thank you for the memories!
    • Classic choices, Patricia!  You can't go wrong with any of those.  : ) I enjoyed the memory that you shared.  I can imagine you as a little girl with a thimble on every finger!
  • Such a fun post! I love how your Monopoly acquisition sent you off to investigate, and am so glad you shared the results here. Your post reminds me that there's a token sitting on the windowsill of my bedroom. We found it in between the floorboards of our 200+ year old home. I can't check it out right now, as I'm traveling, but I thought it was a shoe. Now that I look at your list, it must be a boot...? I can't wait to look again when I get home! Also, your thimble tribute is fresh and wonderful from start to finish and a delight to read aloud. Thanks so much for hosting this week! (PS Sorry to be tardy!)
    • How interesting, Molly!  I love that you found a token between the floorboards.  I feel like there could be a poem, story, or book to go with that!  Our house was built in the 1880's, and although I haven't found anything in the floorboards, there was a lot of wallpaper to strip when we moved in.  I loved peeling back the layers and seeing the history of the house.  I saved scraps from every layer that we found.
  • Fun thimble poem, Tracey. I love the imagery in the very first line:
    Dimpled elf hat,
    Years ago, my husband and I heard something about a thimble being used as a token of love during courtship, as mentioned online here: https://deborahswift.blogspot.com/2013/02/thimbles-17thcentury-engagement-rings.html and here: https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/blogs/shakespeare-100-objects-thimble/ . Interestingly, my husband's grandfather had been a tailor and my husband inherited a couple of his thimbles. So when we heard about their symbolism as tokens of love, he gave one to me, and I keep it in a special spot on my dresser.  :-)

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