How did the makers of Monopoly decide on the pieces you use to move around with?

Question

I just don't understand how a thimble, iron, or battleship have anything to do with the game...

Answer 1

What tokens were originally included? What tokens are included today?

By Erik Arneson, About.com

Filed In:Monopoly > Monopoly FAQ

Question: What tokens were originally included? What tokens are included today?

Answer: It's almost impossible to answer this question without limiting the response to tokens included in the standard edition of Monopoly, because so many special editions and special tokens have been created through the years.

In the original Parker Brothers game, there were no player tokens. Players were told to use common household items, such as buttons, as markers. Before long, wooden tokens shaped like chess pawns were included in the game.

I've seen a 1936 edition sold on eBay which had rubber tokens -- including a battleship, bear, car, dog, iron, shoe and train. I'm not sure if those tokens were ever officially produced.

The wooden pawn-like tokens were replaced in 1937 by metal tokens: the car, iron, lantern, purse, rocking horse, shoe, thimble, and top hat. Later in the year, the dog and battleship were added.

In 1942, Parker Brothers temporarily returned to wooden tokens due to war shortages of metal.

In the early 1950s, the lantern, purse and rocking horse were removed from the game. They were replaced by the dog, horse and rider, and wheelbarrow.

In 1999, the sack of money was added.

So today, a new copy of the standard edition of Monopoly comes with the battleship, cannon, dog, horse and rider, iron, racecar, sack of money, shoe, thimble, top hat and wheelbarrow.