Rare versions of Monopoly worth £1,000s could be gathering dust in your loft

Monopoly is the third-most popular board game of all time, after chess and draughts, having sold over 275 million copies since it was inventedin the early 20th century.

The iconic board game, famously the cause of many a familydispute on games night, has just celebrated its 90th anniversary.

First published by US firm Parker Brothers, it was licensed to Leeds-based Waddingtons who created a version with UK place names we all know and love today. It has since been translated into 47 languages and is played all over the world.

Over the years, there have been lots of versions made. During the Second World War spies in the British intelligence corps even built a monopoly set to send to wartime prisoners that contained hidden escape tools.

This rare set would be worth a lot of money today but it is unlikely that many people will have a copy. Another rare version of the game is the handmade set created by Charles Darrow, crafted in 1933, which sold for $146,000 at a 2010 auction to the New York-based Museum of Play.

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This one-of-a-kind set sold for a huge price but there are other rare sets which could be hiding at the back of cupboards or gathering dust in attics across the UK which could be worth hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds.

“Monopoly isn't just a game, it's part of popular culture, and remains largely unchanged in its 90 year history,” Kayleigh Davies of auction website Auctionet told the Mail. “This positively affects its status as a collectible, and luxury editions of the game can fetch a high price.”

Sellers can easily get well over £100 for a Franklin Mint Collector's Edition of the game with good examples selling for between £300 and £400.

This version of the game is contained within a beautiful mahogany box which ahs the board built in and the playing pieces are coloured gold. One version, which includes a special game table specifically built for the collector's edition set, sells for much more.

In 2023 one set with the original game table and a certificate of authenticity sold at auction for £1,841. Even just the glass protector that comes with the set sold on eBay for over $100 earlier this month.

Other limited editions out there can also fetch a high price, including an East Grinstead edition that featured gold playing pieces. Just seven of these games were made and sold for a rumoured £2,000 in 2020.

Monopoly sets made during World War Two are also worth money on the collectors market. Wartime shortages meant these boards come with a spinner instead of dice and wooden playing pieces. These sets often sell for more than £40 with one going for £70 on eBay earlier this year.

To find out if your family set is worth anything you should check the age. Older is better, and it is even better if you have an old version in good condition, but the key is a way to verify its origin, sets with original receipts and dates packaging can help with this.

“With board games, collectability is related to originality, unique components, cult followings or links to media franchises,” Davies explained.