1985-1998

1985 was Parker Brothers 50th anniversary with Monopoly and they showed it in a big way. First, the venerable #9 was redesigned, still showing the fourth side of the board, but the Monopoly was moved above it and Mr. Monopoly (Rich Uncle Pennybags at this time) was bursting out of the center "O". The game inside remained unchanged except that #9 finally had ten tokens again. During the run of this version ownership of Parker Brothers changed several times. General Mills spun off Kenner and Parker Brothers as Kenner Parker Toys in 1986. In 1988 Tonka purchased Kenner Parker, and then sold out to Hasbro in 1991. I don’t have all of these variations, but I would guess that legal lines would have changed on the box after each acquisition. By 1996 the box bottom had changed to a full color picture of the game, the Parker Brothers logo was added to the bottom right of the cover (and had changed from black on white to white on blue), and Monopoly had become a brand. Shortly after this 1996 version was another which added "Includes Short Game Rules" to the upper left of the cover. This was the last "long" box for #9. In 1998 the box was shortened and the board became a quad fold. The money bag token was added to the upper right of the cover and Family Game Night was added to the upper left.

1985 also brought 2 anniversary editions, The #7 Deluxe Anniversary Edition and the #1 1935 Commemorative Edition. The #7 had the same board and cards as the #9, but had a plastic insert that could be used as a banker’s tray and Title Deed holder, wooden houses and hotels, and had 11 gold tone tokens. New to this set was the train token. It also included an oversized rules booklet with many color photos and the history of the game (they didn’t get it quite right). The #1 used elements from the original 1935 edition. The quad fold board had a red, white, and black Trade Mark label on it, but with Mr. Monopoly on it instead of Darrow The board graphics were changed to resemble the 1935 board, but the prices stayed on the properties. The ten tokens were antique brass and were reproductions of the originals found in a 1935 #9. It included the same rules booklet as the #7.

1991 brought about a re-release of the #7 but with a white border instead of dark blue.

1995 marked the 60th anniversary and Parker Brothers celebrated by putting out a beautiful gold foil 60th Anniversary Edition. The game board had the look of aged parchment, the money was redesigned and larger, a top hat dice cup was included, and 8 large antique brass tokens reminiscent of tokens found in the 1936 Gold and De Luxe editions.

1995 also saw the release of the #11 Deluxe Edition. This set had a nicer board than the #9, Deluxe Edition double supply of money, a Title Deed carousel, a removable plastic banker’s tray, 11 gold tone tokens, and came in a foil covered box. In 1998 this box was also shortened, the board became a quad fold, and the moneybag token was added bringing the total to 12 tokens.

In 1997 the most expensive Parker Brothers Monopoly game to date was released, the Toys "R" Us exclusive, $100 heirloom edition. This set came in a beautiful wood box and had a luxurious board, money that almost looked real, wooden houses and hotels, a wooden banker’s tray, a Title Deed carousel, and a coin for each denomination of money. It also came with a game log to be passed down through the generations. It also had 11 tokens in gold tone including an exclusive piggy bank token.