Monopoly Turns 80

Monopoly, 1935

Well, it’s a big one: The game that brought families together – and then slowly tore them apart – with the healing power of capitalism is turning 80 this year.

The game’s inventor, Charles Darrow, first developed Monopoly in 1933, from materials in his own home: the cards were handwritten, and the houses and hotels were made from scraps of wooden molding.


Monopoly Game, 1936

 

Monopoly Popular Edition Game, 1936

Parker Brothers initially rejected the game for “52 fundamental errors” that included the game’s length, theme and complexity. After Darrow successfully sold the game at local Philadelphia department stores, the company reconsidered and negotiated the rights to the game.




Monopoly Game, 1957



Monopoly in 1962

The longest official game of Monopoly lasted a nightmarish 70 days. The largest took place in 2008, when nearly 3,000 fans united to play the game at the same time. The most expensive version of the game was created by San Francisco jeweler Sidney Mobell in 1998 for $2 million.



Monopoly 1976

The first Monopoly World Championships took place in 1973 in Liberty, New York. The winner was Lee Bayrd, of the U.S. The last time someone from the U.S. won the World Championships was in 1974. Since then, the games have been held in locations like Tokyo, Monte Carlo and Toronto. The 2015 Monopoly World Championships will be held in Macau, China.