The Most Valuable Collectors' Items in History

96. Original Monopoly Game

Creator: Lizzie Magie (now Hasbro)
Original price: US $ 5-10*
Value today: US $ 146,500 *

Lizzie Magie, an economist who wanted to prove Henry George's “flat tax” theory, invented Monopoly. She wanted the game to illustrate the evil consequences of land monopolies, and her game, The Landlord's Game, was first released in 1906. It would become “Monopoly” sometime in the 1920s or 1930s.

An original piece of oilcloth with the hand-drawn game sold at Sotheby's for US$146,500. It belonged to Charles Darrow, who claimed to have invented the game, but he didn't – Magie invented it, and he will steal her idea. Despite Darrow's theft, the rare piece of Monopoly history still doubled its expected sale price.