Versions of Monopoly You Won’t Believe Exist – Part I

versions of monopoly part 1

By now you’ve long unwrapped your Christmas gifts. Maybe you received the board game Monopoly? If you did, which version? Did you know there are over 300 different versions of the official board game you can buy right now? OVER THREE HUNDRED?!

In honor of the board game’s 80th anniversary, I want to show you how many versions of Monopoly exist, but I have to break this into two posts because there are so many. I hope you will enjoy both today’s and tomorrow’s.

First, the Origin of the Monopoly board game
The tale most commonly told about the origin of the board game was that an unemployed man named Charles Darrow dreamed it up in the 1930s, sold it and became a millionaire, saving both him and Parker Brothers from the brink of destruction. Not true.

ORIGINAL MONOPOLY-landlord's game

Thanks to a NY Times article published earlier this year we know the true story is that a woman named Elizabeth Magie Phillips created The Landlord’s Game and filed a legal claim for it in 1903 – more than thirty years before Parker Brothers was manufacturing the game. She actually designed the game as a protest against the big monopolists of her time — people like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.

She created two sets of rules for her game: an anti-monopolist set in which all were rewarded when wealth was created, and a monopolist set in which the goal was to create monopolies and crush opponents. Her dualistic approach was a teaching tool meant to demonstrate that the first set of rules was morally superior

Sadly, Darrow claimed the monopolist version of Phillips’ game as his own and struck an agreement with Parker brothers that ensured he would receive royalties. Magie’s income for her creation was reported to be a mere $500.

Versions Of Monopoly Part I

You probably know that they have individual sports team and league editions, various global city editions and the “MY” customizable editions. And you must be familiar with the many Star Wars editions and Disney Editions. But did you know there’s a Metallica edition? What about The Chrysler Town & Country Road Trip version? Betcha didn’t know there were 3 different fishing editions (Bass Fishing Edition, Bass Fishing “Lakes” Edition and Fishing “Prized Catch” Edition)

Excluding the travel, commemorative, anniversary and electronic versions of the traditional board game, there are SO many random, odd branded versions of the game, I simply have to bring some of them to your attention in multiple posts. Below are tons of examples (but certainly not all) with the links to purchase each.

Individual Brand Editions
UNIQUELY BRANDED MONOPOLY GAMES

First off, the super specific branded editions. Many were made specifically for the company and its employees, but still sealed new versions are available to purchase.

Just click on the links below to purchase.
American Choppers Edition
Coca Cola Collector’s Edition
Coca Cola Classic Ads Edition
General Mills Edition
Exclusive Resorts Members Edition
Harley Davidson Edition
Harley Davidson Live to Ride Edition
John Deere Edition
Lionel Collectors Edition – Postwar Era
MnM’s Edition
MGMopoly Restaurant Edition
Pedigree Dog Lover’s Edition
Sephora Edition
Trump Entertainment Resorts Collector’s Edition
UPS “What Can Brown Do For You?” first Edition
Zappos Edition

Music and Rock n’ Roll Editions:
Music versions of monopoly ganged

Click on the links below to purchase:
AC/DC Edition
Metallica Edition
The Rolling Stones Edition
The Beatles Edition
Elvis Edition
One Direction Edition

Live Action TV Editions
Live action TV versions of Monopoly

Sure there are Star Trek editions, but did you know there was a Klingon edition? And it’s one thing to have a Doctor Who version, even a 50th Anniversary Doctor Who version, but did you know there was a Doctor Who Villians edition? And a Regeneration Edition?

Click on the links below to purchase:
Game Of Thrones Collector’s Edition
The Walking Dead Edition
The Big Bang Theory
Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Edition
Doctor Who Regeneration Edition
Doctor Who Villians Edition
Seinfeld Edition
Supernatural Limited Edition
Firefly Edition
Star Trek Limited Edition
Star Trek: The Next Generation Edition
Star Trek: Continuum Edition
The Klingon Edition
The Office Edition
The Three Stooges Edition
I Love Lucy “California Here we Come” Edition
I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition

Movie Editions:
MOVIE VERSIONS OF MONOPOLY

Click on the links below to purchase:
The Godfather Edition
Back To The Future Edition
The Nightmare Before Christmas Edition
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Edition
Jurassic World Edition
The Hobbit Edition
The Hobbit Trilogy Edition
Lord of The Rings Trilogy Edition
James Bond 007 Collector’s Edition
James Bond 50th Anniversary Edition
Ultimate James Bond Collector’s Edition
Star Wars Editions (too many to post separately), shop for these here

Celebrity Editions:
celebrity monopoly editions

Click on the links below to purchase:
John Wayne Edition
Elvis 75th Anniversary Edition
Muhammad Ali “The Greatest” Edition

Automotive Editions:
Automotive editions of Monopoly

Click on the links below to purchase:
Chevy Corvette Edition
Chrysler Town & Country Road Trip Edition
Chevy Corvette 50th Anniversary Edition
Ford 100th Anniversary Edition
Ford Mustang Edition
Ford Mustang 40th Anniversary Edition
Ford Thunderbird 50th Anniversary Edition
Volkswagon Classics Edition

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see more versions of Monopoly you won’t believe exist!

The Smithsonian has an interesting article about Monopoly you may want to check out here.

More Up to date ones below!