A Thimble is a very unique-looking piece in Monopoly. If you want to know more about the Monopoly Thimble Token, then this post has it all.
So, Keep reading and you would get to know a lot of information about this tiny little monopoly piece. This piece once got eliminated from the Monopoly Token set and now our love has again bought it back.
Let’s get started!
What is a thimble in Monopoly?
A thimble is a metal finger guard that was once a common household item. Since most women in the 1930s preferred to patch rather than replace worn clothes, thimbles were a staple in most homes.
Thus, the thimble was a favorite among Monopoly players, particularly the female demographic. The phrase “for a nice girl” was printed on the back of the first Monopoly thimble tokens.
When I was a kid, the thimble was one of my favorite Monopoly pieces. Unfortunately, this metal finger guard is conspicuously lacking from modern Monopoly sets.
History of The Monopoly Thimble Piece
The Thimble, another of the original 1935 Monopoly pieces, is the favorite of US Monopoly champion Richard Marinaccio. The thimble, like the top hat and the shoe, has featured in almost every game edition. As of early this year, it has been voted out of office.
Thimble, iron, boot, top hat, battleship, and cannon were the first six Monopoly game pieces. The top hat, the battleship, and the cannon stood in for the wealthy, while the thimble, the iron, and the boot stood in for the impoverished.
The original Monopoly tokens are historically significant because they show how the Great Depression affected capitalism, industrialism, and monopolism in a way that benefited a select few at the expense of the many. The thimble token represented the poor in Monopoly, which meant their domesticity and modesty.
Introduction of Thimble as a New Token
They took the thimble out of Monopoly. It was put out to pasture in 2017 with the boot and the wheelbarrow. Traditionally used in Monopoly, they have been swapped out with T-Rexes, penguins, and rubber duckies.
Hasbro, the company behind the Monopoly game, decided to leave the fate of the game’s tokens up to the online community in January of 2017. The firm polled its audience to determine which of 64 classic and modern tokens was most popular.
Over 4.3 million votes were cast by fans from more than 100 countries in the Monopoly Token Madness campaign.
According to the findings, which were made public on March 19, 2017, traditional Monopoly tokens were preferred by enthusiasts over proposed alternatives like a kissy face emoji or a flip phone.
Removal of Thimble
Since the production of Monopoly thimble tokens has been halted, you may wonder whether your old thimbles have any monetary value to collectors.
Even though millions of thimbles from vintage Monopoly games are still floating around, they’re not worth anything.
Hasbro, the company behind the Monopoly game, decided to leave the fate of the game’s tokens up to the online community in January of 2017. The firm polled its audience to determine which of 64 classic and modern tokens was most popular. Hence, the thimble was removed.
Thimble is Back
The T-Rex, which will soon go extinct, has been voted out of the game and replaced with a thimble. The thimble, wheelbarrow, and boot were removed from Monopoly in 2017 and replaced by the penguin, T-Rex, and rubber ducky.
A thimble was one of the game’s initial tokens when it was released in the 1930s. The boot, top hat, and racing vehicle are all unique additions.
The thimble edition of Monopoly will be released in the United States in the autumn of 2022 and elsewhere in the world in the spring of 2023.
Here is the confirmation from Monopoly Official Page on Facebook, that thimble is back.
Even, they confirmed this news through their Instagram Page.
What does Monopoly Thimble Resemble in Real life?
When Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the Monopoly game in 1935, they also launched the first set of Monopoly tokens, which included the thimble.
Prior to this point, there were no tokens included in the game. Instead, players made their own thimbles from household materials like buttons, charms, and most likely genuine thimbles.
In the 1930s, when women often repaired old clothes rather than purchasing new ones, thimbles were commonplace in homes throughout the country. As a result of this, the thimble was a well-liked token, particularly among players of Monopoly who were female.
What Happened to the Thimble in Monopoly?
The game of Monopoly does not include a thimble anymore. Along with the boot and the wheelbarrow, this item was taken out of circulation in 2017. The T-Rex, the Penguin, and the Rubber Ducky have taken their position in the game in lieu of these traditional tokens.
Why did Monopoly remove the thimble?
In January of 2017, the maker of Monopoly, Hasbro, decided to place the fate of the game’s tokens in the hands of individuals participating in an online community.
The organization organized a referendum in which supporters were asked to choose their preferred tokens from a pool of sixty-four older and more recent ones.
Over 4.3 million people from more than 100 different countries participated in the voting process for the Monopoly Token Madness campaign.
When the results were announced on March 19, 2017, most Monopoly fans wanted to keep the original tokens rather than see the introduction of new pieces such as a kissy face emoji or a flip phone. The thimble, the boot, and the wheelbarrow were three initial tokens that did not get sufficient support from voters to be retained in the pool of candidates.
Many people who play Monopoly were disappointed to learn that the thimble, boot, and wheelbarrow had been changed.
They contend that the T-Rex, the penguin, and the rubber ducky are meaningless pieces since they do not have the same profound and historical significance as the older tokens.
(Source)
Is the Thimble still in Monopoly?
The most recent fan vote, which took place in 2017, resulted in the retirement of the Thimble, Wheelbarrow, and Boot tokens. They were replaced by the Penguin, T-Rex, and Rubber Ducky, respectively.
However, a large number of individuals who played Monopoly as a child for the last several decades are likely to have a tender place in their hearts for these cherished game pieces and would love to see the humdrum Thimble or Boot make the rounds of the Monopoly board once again.
What replaced the thimble in Monopoly?
You may be wondering whether your old Monopoly thimble tokens have any monetary worth to collectors now that the manufacture of the thimble tokens for the game Monopoly has been discontinued.
Even though millions of thimbles from older versions of Monopoly are still in circulation, there is no market for them since they are not valuable.
In January of 2017, the business responsible for the Monopoly game, Hasbro, decided to put the destiny of the game’s tokens up to the discretion of the internet community.
The company conducted a survey to discover which of 64 traditional and contemporary tokens was the most well-liked by its audience. Because of this, the thimble was taken away.
The T-Rex, which is on its way to extinction, was kicked out of the game and replaced with a thimble by the players.
In 2017, the thimble, the wheelbarrow, and the boot were taken out of Monopoly and replaced with the penguin, the T-Rex, and the rubber ducky, respectively.
When the game was first made available to the public in the 1930s, one of the game’s original tokens was a thimble.
The racing car, the top hat, and the boot are all distinctive touches to the ensemble. In the fall of 2022, the thimble edition of Monopoly will be available for purchase in the United States.
Throughout the spring of 2023, it will be available in the rest of the globe.
Are old Monopoly thimble pieces worth anything?
Monopoly Thimble pieces are not worth anything to collectors because there are millions of them in circulation in older versions of the game.
You can buy original Monopoly Thimble tokens on eBay for $1-$2 each. The Deluxe Version 24K gold-plated Monopoly Thimble has a value of $5-$10 each.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post on Monopoly Thimble Token!
When it was removed as a piece, the game felt missing a very prominent piece. But, it’s now back and all good.
I hope you enjoyed reading the post.
