Classic Versions 1935 (USA)
1935
Parker Brothers stuck a deal with Darrow in March of 1935. Parker would buy the rights to Monopoly and about 5900 copies of Darrow’s last set. Parker had orders to fill immediately and some of Darrow’s inventory was shipped out with a Parker Bros. label on the back of the board. It’s not known how many of these sets were released and how many were disassembled or destroyed.
Dimensions of the box: 182 x 210 mm
Dimensions of the board: 493 x 493 mm
It didn’t take long for Parker Bros. to get production going and in May the first 10,000 "Trade-Mark" sets went to market.
The biggest difference with these new sets was the inclusion of metal tokens (Darrow's games did not include any tokens). Two sets were released A regular edition #7 set with a small red, white and black box and a deluxe #9 edition in a large white box that copied Darrow’s early graphics.
Parker had Darrow apply for a Patent on the game and soon a "Patent Pending" version of the #7 was released. Soon after Parker purchased the revised 1924 patent from Lizzie Magie and put this patent number on both the white and black boxes.
The black box stated:
REG .U.S. PATENT OFFICE
U. S. PATENT 1,509,312
The white box had the following:
Trade Mark
U. S. PATENT 1,509,312
One other #9 was relaesed in 1935.
This set had the same legal lines as the single patent #7.
Another edition was made in 1935, the #10 Fine edition. This set had a brown box and board. At this time I do not have a picture, but it was similar to the 1936 Fine edition.
Patent Pending rules state that a Club Edition with a gold box, compatment bank, and ivoroid pieces was also available for $10. At this point in time I don't know of the existance of this game in either a Patent Pending or a single patent version. If anyone has one of these games or has pictures of one please contact me.
All Chance and Community Chest cards in 1935 were plain text. Sets up to and including early single patent sets included "Go back to Baltic" and "Pay your insurance premium $50.00". Community Chest cards. These two cards were replaced in later 1935 sets with "Advance to the nearest Railroad" cards (see Chance and Community Chest Cards pages for more information on these cards).
An advertisment for Parker Brothers, Inc. in the late 1930's showed all of the editions available at that time. It said:
The Prevailing Game Craze MONOPOLY is now spreading to all parts of the World. Its popularity in America is the greatest ever attained in games.
MONOPOLY is now made in the following editions, which are obtainable from your Dealer.
$2.00 MONOPOLY SET No. 6. Blue or Black-bound board. Complete outfit for from three to seven Players, in separate box.
Price, $2.00.
POPULAR EDITION No. 8. Board bound in Pebbled Green. Separate box contains complete equipment for from three to eight Players. Special-slip Money, Metal Tokens, larger Hotels and larger Dice.
Price, $2.50.
LIBRARY EDITION No. 850. Board and Box of Utensiles bound in rich Green Leatherette, both stamped in gold. Equipment is for Three to Eight Players; with "Grand" hotels, special slip money; extra quality dice …. fine equipment throughout. The best of the two-piece sets.
Price, $3.00.
WHITE BOX EDITION No. 9. This set is a great favorite. Entire equipment is contained in a large white box, with a removable "Bank", i.a., a compartment which greatly aids in the handling of money. Grand Hotels are stamped in gold and the set is equipped with for three to ten Players …. with a double supply of Special-slip Money. Being a medium priced set, many consider it the "best buy" in MONOPOLY sets, and it certainly gives great satisfaction.
Price, $3.50.
$5.00 EDITION No. 10. Handsome Box and Board, each bound in Brown Pebbled Leatherette. Special-slip Money and removable Compartment Bank, which facilitates the Banking. With large size Tokens and gold stamped Grand Hotels. A very practical edition …. well worth the price.
Price, $5.00.
GOLD EDITION No. 12. Houses and Hotels of beautiful Ivoroid. Removable Compartment Bank. New Money with high gloss finish which makes it a pleasure to handle. Board and Box in Gold Binding. Large size Tokens. A beautiful and practical set with which it is an added delight to play. Equipment for from three to ten Players.
Price, $10.00.
No.25. DE LUXE EDITION. This is the finest set made. The board is made of handsome composition in beautiful lacquer colors and highly finished. The Houses and Hotels are made of Ivoroid. Removable compartment Bank, new slip finish money, also new metal money and large size Tokens in gold finish. Equipment for from three to ten players. A set that will do credit to the finest living room or to the most exclusive club.
Price, $25.00.
Dating Notes
All 1935 sets will be TM, PP, Single Patent (1,509,312), or TM single patent (#9)
All 1935 sets have plain text Chance/CC cards
There are no race car tokens in any 1935 #7 sets
Blank back Title Deeds are in all 1935 sets up to and including some single patent sets
Wooden and composite tokens are found in some 1935 sets
Round houses and octagon hotels are found in some 1935 sets
Tokens in the #7 included: thimble (for a good girl), shoe, ship, top hat, cannon, and iron
Tokens in the #9 included those from the #7 plus: purse, lantern, race car, and rocking horse
Short hotels are in all sets up to and including some early single patent sets
Darrow style money used through some PP sets. Parker style "Copyright 1935 " money used from later PP sets on
Salmon $100 bills and gray $50 bills in these sets
Prices added to the board on later PP sets