Monopoly is one of the most popular board games in existence. There is a good chance that you either played the game or are at least familiar with its concept. However, you probably don’t know much about its history. Let’s change that with these fun facts below.
Monopoly Was Created for Educational Purposes
The initial idea of Monopoly wasn’t just for people to have fun. The game was created to also help people understand tax and real estate.
Early Versions of Monopoly Didn’t Include Tokens
The early versions of Monopoly didn’t come with a token. Instead, the players used any item they could find. It wasn’t until 1935 that six tokens—a battleship, a cannon, a clothes iron, a shoe, a top hat, and a thimble—became part of the game.
Monopoly Original Price Was $2
When it was first published, Monopoly cost $2, which wasn’t as cheap at the time as it sounds. Nowadays, the original version comes with a price of $20. There is also a $2 million version made out of gold and diamonds.
Monopoly Was Used for Smuggling Supplies to Prisoners of War in WWII
During World War II, British intelligence used Monopoly to smuggle items that would help Allied prisoners of war. They would hide items like maps and tools in Monopoly boxes and then place them into aid packages that the Red Cross was allowed to distribute in German prison camps.