Monopoly Game Collection - Commemorative Edition

Being the Uncoolest Dude in Hollywood, means I have the Uncoolest taste in what to collect. My infamous Monopoly game collection is no different. This commemorative edition was given to me back in the mid 80's during my college days. It was my first real Monopoly collector item. I had gotten some other special editions prior to this, but I always played with those versions and they got messed up. This was the first one I tried to keep nice.

First off, this comes in a small square tin. No old versions ever came in a tin like this, but it gives in a retro look. Inside are a lot of extras. First off, is a one sheet that sits on top of everything with Mr. Monopoly aka Rich Uncle Pennybags explaining ins-and-outs of this edition. The paper underneath is a loose sales piece that was originally on the outside of the tin when it was encased in plastic wrap. It provided a place for the usual stuff that they didn't want on the actual tin (for example, the UPC bar coding).

Inside, there is an extra large booklet with a (sanitized) history of the game from the early days to its overseas versions to the present. In the back of the book is a standard list of rules. On the back page is an interesting FAQ page dispelling common myths and explaining that certain 'house rules' like getting money for landing on Free Parking aren't official.

Below is the actual game board folded-up into an uncommon four-way configuration. In a nod to some older versions of the game, there is a logo sticker on the board that is an exact replica in size and shape of the early game box covers. The board itself is standard.


Insides, there is a nifty plastic insert that serves as a holder for all of the game pieces. Most importantly, there are slots for all of the denominations of money so it doubles as the bank. The dice are not white but an ivory bone color. Money and property cards are standard.

The big difference inside are the houses/hotels and the token. Above are the ten tokens. Some are very recognizable (the shoe, the car, the battleship, the thimble, the top hat, the cannon and the iron). Some are different version of the standard (a hobbyhorse instead of the man on the horse) and a couple I never saw before (a purse and a lantern). But even the standard stuff are different. They are all a golden/bronze tone as opposed to the pewter/silver in a standard set. The car and the cannon are nothing like the standard sets. Then lantern is markedly larger than any other token I've seen in any set.

The houses/hotels are made of wood like the old sets but also have designs stenciled on the hotels.