WS Game Company makes a $1,000 Monopoly Board Game (well $999 at retail to be exact) but truly $1061.44 when you factor in Massachusetts state taxes. What exactly makes this Monopoly board game from Manchester-by-the-Sea-based, WS Game Company, any different than the $20 version you can buy off the shelves of Target?
The answer: 2,000 Swarovski crystals.
WS Game Company released this special 85th Anniversary Edition of Monopoly, the classic board game dating back to 1935.
It took 30 years of design by Elizabeth J. Magie Phillips to create the original Monopoly, “The Landlord’s Game.” Phillips designed the game to emphasize that Henry George’s “single tax” theory would benefit society. Phillips believed individuals should accumulate wealth rather than companies monopolizing on consumers.
Now, decades later, Monopoly remains one of the most iconic board games.
Before you think “who in their right mind would buy a $1000 board game,” all 500 limited-edition units sold out, making them among the rarest Monopoly editions ever released. The 85th edition is also among the most expensive editions released, and who knows how much it’ll be worth in 50 years.
According to The Gamer, there are only a few more expensive editions of the over 300 versions of Monopoly to ever exist:
- $2,100: 1991 Monopoly edition
- $146,500: The original hand-made Monopoly produced by Charles Darrow
The 85th edition has all the bells and whistles of regular Monopoly but glamorized. The thick tempered glass gameboard features silver and gold foiling. A Monopoly logo composed of thousands of tiny and round crystals shines brilliantly. And accessories for the game include vellum paper money, gold foil-stamped cards, and gold-plated tokens.
About WS Game Company
Founded in 2000, North Shore-based WS Game Company specializes in stylish, upscale iterations of board games. Find these elevated versions on their website or on the shelves of Anthropologie, Costco, and L.L. Bean.
Products include a $599 Charles Fazzino Monopoly and affordable options like a $39 Checkers & Backgammon Vintage Bookshelf Edition, $39 Connect Four Vintage Bookshelf Edition, and even a nostalgic Chutes and Ladders.
The “bookshelf edition” board games are unique in that they fold into an elegant vintage “book” that adds character to any display. You’ll also find creative twists like a Scrabble game board that doubles as a white board.
Sibling duo, CEO Jonathan Silva and COO Kerry Addis, are second-generation owners and authorized licensees of Hasbro.
Shop all WS Game Company collections