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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

  • 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.  :-)
  • Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту бытовой техники с выездом на дом.
    Мы предлагаем: сервисные центры в москве
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

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