If you are an avid follower of the Monopoly board game, it is impossible you don’t know what the Top Hat is.
But if you are a beginner learning the game gradually, you will need this article to learn all about the Monopoly Top Hat.
Those who are into the game can also read for more exciting information on the popular token.
Let’s get started!
What is the Top Hat in Monopoly?
The Top Hat is one of the original pieces of the board game Monopoly. It is the most recognizable token in the game.
This Monopoly piece looks like a cylindrical hat which was popular after the 1780s. People used to wear with their formal wear. Even, it is popular among magicians to show magic with it.[Source]
The addition of Top hat in Monopoly was in the first release only and it is still relevant and part of Monopoly in 2022 too.
What does the Hat mean in Monopoly?
The token, Top Hat, is based on the Hat that Monopoly Man, the main character of the game, would wear.
He is a wealthy man. It is speculated the character has been developed based on Mr. JP Morgan.
What does the Hat represent in Monopoly?
Top Hat is the second most popular token in the game. One out of every five Monopoly players chooses Top Hat. It has been observed that players who choose Top Hat are a bit introverted in real life.
The game allows them a space to express and assert themselves more than they can in daily life. Moreover, these players are more calculative and cautious while making a venture.
History of Monopoly Hat
The history of Top Hat dates back to 1935 when the Parker Brothers launched the game with a bunch of tokens.
Before that, the format allowed the use of different small household items, like a button, to be used as tokens.
So, the Top Hat was in the group of newly launched tokens along with a battleship token, a cannon token, a clothes iron token, a shoe token, and a thimble token.
[Source]
Monopoly Versions with Top Hat as Token
Over the years, producers of Monopoly have introduced several versions of the game with new tokens.
Moreover, they regularly conduct votes among the game’s fans regarding the popularity of the tokens. Based on the voting results, some Monopoly tokens(or pieces) are replaced, and some are even removed.
Interestingly, the Top Hat has never faced any difficulty in finding its place in all the versions of the game.
It remains the second most popular token after the dog. And yes, Top Hat is still there in the current Monopoly tokens in 2022 too.
What is the Material used to Make Monopoly Top Hat Token?
Monopoly tokens are made using an alloy known as Pewter. It is a mixture of the metals Tin(85-99%), Copper(Cu of 2%), Antimony(Sb of 5-10%), and Bismuth(Bi). Even Rarely, you may find a bit of silver mixed in Pewter alloy.
During the Second World War, metals became scarce in the United States as most of the stock was employed in making weapons.
At that time to save cost and protect players’ convenience, the games’ producers used wood or compressed paper to make the tokens.
In later versions, gold platting and some silver were used to make the Top Hat. For example, the “Franklin Mint” set had 22 karat gold plated tokens; the 80th-anniversary edition had brass tokens; the 85th-anniversary edition had gold-colored tokens.
In the Ultimate banking and Super Electronic banking editions, the tokens were made of plastic. The 2017 Token Madness edition had new tokens in gold but classic tokens, including Top Hat, in pewter.
Monopoly for Millenials has tokens made of gold, and Monopoly Space has molded plastic tokens in place of die-cast metals.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post on Monopoly Top Hat!
This token is amazing and a precious one considering it is worn by Monopoly Man, the iconic character.
I hope you enjoyed reading the post.
