World of Monopoly.com

1982

Edition: Limited Australian Edition - Large Box

Publisher: Parker Brothers/General Mills Creative Prods. Ltd., Alexandria, N.S.W. - 1982

Dimensions of the box: 34.5 x 50 x 3.8 cm

It is very well possible the Australian edition was finally launched in 1982 after Parker Brothers' "period of re-orientation". To make it interesting it was made a numbered "Limited edition". However the circulation wasn't that limited as it is known of one copy numbered 14551.

In this issue a numbered booklet was added with a red picture of Australia on its cover. In this booklet the history of all properties has been described. So it says about the Perth Station:

The foundation stone for the erection of the Perth Railway Station was laid by lady Robinson, wife of the then Governor, Sir W.C.F. Robinson on May 10, 1880. The contract to erect the building then referred to as The Metropolitan Railway Station was given to Mr. Thomas Smith, a builder of Hay Street Perth.

Whilst the actual opening date is not known it has been established from an article in the contemporary newspaper "Inquiror" that the building was nearing completion on December 8, 1880. The Fremantle Guildford Railway on which Perth Station is situated was opened for traffic on March 1, 1881.

The original building was demolished and a portion of existing building was built between 1892 and 1897. The west and east wing were added later in 1897.

The fact the word Monopoly is in black closed characters and without a frame on the game board's midfield parallel to the first side means this is a 1982 issue.

Other features of this issue are:

1985

Edition: Australian edition - Bar Code Nr. 203321

Publisher: Parker Brothers/General Mills Creative Prods. Ltd., Alexandria, N.S.W. - 1985

Dimensions of the box: 34.5 x 50 x 3.8 cm

This clumsy large box of the Australian edition was published in 1985, so exactly 50 years after the official start of this game by Parker Brothers.

Although the gameboard has the regular dimensions those of the box deviate because it not only contains a cardboard insert with the "13 Questions That People Ask About Monopoly Rules", but also a carousel for the property cards of the banker. Next to that is a white plastic insert with ten trays for banknotes and attributes.

Also in this Australian edition of Parker Brothers the "Luxury Tax" space, that is Sales Tax now, has no "gold ring with a diamond", being so typical for the Parker Brothers' versions. The railway stations do not show the black locomotive but the logos of the concerning Australian railway companies. The midfield shows Monopoly in closed black characters in a black frame. The back of the board is exactly equal to that of the London edition of the same year, so light blue, with the Parker swirl and Parker Brothers in huges white characters.

The rent on Bourke Street is still $22 (instead of $24) on the unimproved ground, like for both other yellow streets.

The eleven metal tokens are the well known figures completed with a Koala Bear. The back of the Chance and Community Chest cards (of course not the texts), the houses and hotels, the dice and even the banknotes are exactly the same as those of the London edition of this year. The bottom of the box is divided into four for large black and white pictures of the tokens with the Koala Bear, the carousel for the property deeds, two full sets of money and the bankers tray.

This edition was made in Australia.

1996

Edition: Deluxe - London edition - Ref. 14549

Publisher: Parker Bros./Hasbro Inc. - 1996

Dimensions of the box: 25.7 x 51.0 x 7.8 cm

This is the first Deluxe version of Australian editions and at the same time a very beautiful issue. The colourful box shines towards you and Uncle Pennybags is now in colour as well he is wearing a red bow tie?

The bottom of the box shows a nice colour picture of the gameboard and its accessories. The Waddington engines are green again.

One way to see the similarities and differences with other editions is to compare it with the version from The Netherlands.

1998

Edition: Electronic Hand-Held - Ref. 40762

Publisher: Parker Brothers - 1998

Dimensions of the instrument: 10 x 20 cm

This game of American origin and was also available in Australia. It is a version of Monopoly for the avid computer freak.

Through advanced voice technology, players get to hear more than 400 words, sound effects and music. There are five Monopoly game opponents to choose from, each with their own personality and playing style. Of course the game can be played on various levels of difficulty.

Edition: Milk Chocolate Game edition

Publisher: Bonbon Buddies - UK/Hasbro Inc. - 1998

Dimensions of the box: 15 x 30 x 4.5 cm

This is an interesting and edible variant of Monopoly, merely sold in the period before Christmas and manufactured by the English company "Bonbon Buddies".

This edition can definately not been played with because on the small board of 30 x 30 cm are but 4 x 2 streets of London, who are on the wrong sides for that matter.

They are listed below with the other properties:

Unfortunately the five banknotes (dim. 9 x 4 cm), ten Chance and ten Community Chest cards cannot been eaten.

There are 6 (flat) chocolate tokens as well as 16 green houses and 8 red hotels which are all edible.

After you've built two houses on your property you are allowed to build a hotel on.

This English edition was also sold in Holland, whereas the French version with streets from Paris was sold in France and Belgium.